Tag: Visual Stimuli Creation

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Creating photorealistic stimuli with Blender

My research on the ways that consumers respond to advertising and product packaging is based on empirical studies that use visual stimuli. Generally speaking, the more photorealistic the stimuli are, the better. In addition to Photoshop, I’ve started creating my stimuli using Blender. The results are much more photorealistic than I can accomplish with Photoshop. I mean, Photoshop is a powerful tool, but Blender is absolutely amazing!

As an example, I have made primitive product packages that can be stretched and adjusted in Blender. They are ready for new labels that are created in Photoshop. These models may be helpful to other people, so I will post some of them below.

(1) This image was created by applying this blank label to this 3D model I made in Blender.

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Photoshop Contests

Occasionally, I enter photoshop contests. In these contests, people are given an original photo and they are asked to manipulate the photo in whatever way they want. Entries are voted on by people who view the online contest. I’ve won a few of the contests, but mostly I enter them for fun.

I confess that I don’t do these contests very often. It has taken me years to accumulate these contest entries. They’re good for keeping my photoshopping skills sharp. I’m consistently amazed at what can be accomplished with photoshop. I’ve even used photoshopping to create stimuli for my research projects.

I’m sure that Adobe, in the hope of avoiding brand genericide, wants everyone to call them “image manipulation” contests, but most everyone calls them photoshop contests without regard to the software they used. Sorry Adobe. Strictly speaking, I don’t even use Adobe PhotoShop. I’m in the small minority of people who prefer Corel Photo-Paint over Adobe PhotoShop.

– Eric DeRosia