In our ongoing work, we investigate questions of machine creativity and of automated aesthetic judgments. Specifically, we seek to answer the question “Is it possible to automate human judgment regarding facial attractiveness?” In this project, we obtain baseline data, by organizing and conducting a virtual beauty competition. This “pageant” features departmental avatars created from blended images of participating faculty and staff. Members of the UNC Asheville community serve as pageant judges by entering their evaluations of the avatars via a web application. In our presentation, we discuss the creation of the avatars using a three-dimensional facial model, we present the results of the competition, and we offer ideas concerning future efforts in developing a system that will simulate the UNC Asheville aesthetic judgments
