Measurement of appearance

Abstract

The visual appearance can be one of the most critical parameters affecting customer choise and, therefore, it needs to be quantifiable to ensure uniformity and reproducibility. A starting point in assessing the appearance of a consumer product might be the measurement of its colour. The description of its total appearance, however, cannot be achieved by the definition of color alone; other attributes of the material from which it is fabricated contribute to the overall appearance. The texture of a surface, for example, will cause changes in colour depending on the lighting direction; the freshness of food is judged by its overall appearance, but in a way that is much more subtle than by just its color; and novel effects such as pearlescence are added to products to enhance their attractiveness. For some products, such as cosmetics, it is not only their own appearance characteristics that are important, but also the visual effect after they have been applied to the skin, nails, hair, etc. It is clear, therefore, that the interest of industry in the measurement of appearance goes beyond simply surface color.