Disney's Space-Age 3D Coloring Book

Okay, sorry guys this isn't exactly puzzle related - but it is really, really, cool and so much so we felt we had to write about it. 

We guess now that every kid has the internet, coloring books have become a thing of the past - like rocking horses, out with the old in with the new. Disney have taken it upon themselves to change that idea. Disney are going to reinvent the coloring book, taking it to new heights.

So high that the it's almost redundant, coloring books are cool on their own, who needs to tech them out - but the results are  just so awesome.... 

This magic app will awaken in the inner child in adults and the imagination of kids everywhere, by creating real-time 3D drawings of your coloring book character.




Using augmented reality, the Disney coloring book app enables the user to color a cartoon character and witness them come to life on their tablet in real time. The texture is synthesized in real time, based on the color and style of the user.

The clever app  is able to understand a 2D static line drawing then map it out into 3D model on the screen. As you are coloring in the app super imposes the pixel colors from your drawing, and copies it to the model. 

It even rotates 360 degrees so you can spin the image around (see the video below).

The idea is to make coloring books cools again make them more exciting for those with limited skills and give a platform for children to express their fillings and encourage imaginative thought.

There have already been a few pretty gimmicky children's augmented reality app - Crayola have a similar one. But nobody has done it with the same polish as Disney seem to have managed. There is also a hypnotizing quality to the real time evolution of your drawing.

The most important thing is that children love it. The kids studied had increased motivation to draw, felt a deeper connection to characters and would like to use the app at home instead of simple static drawings. I guess coloring books are going to make a come back.

Sadly, you cant get too excited just yet, the app is still in its concept phase - so it could be sometime before you see it in the app store.