Bring Your Drawings to Life With This App

Learn to use RakugakiAR and make your creations move around in the real world using the magic of augmented reality

Have you ever imagined the characters in your illustrations coming to life and jumping out of the paper? That is precisely what RakugakiAR can do thanks to the magic of augmented reality.

Created by a team of developers in Japan, this app is guaranteed to put a smile on your face from the very first time you use it.

The idea is simple: draw a character on paper, scan it, press a button and it will jump out of the page and into the real world. It'll even cast realistic shadows onto surfaces.

Looking through your iPhone screen (sorry Android users, so far, the app is only available for iPhone and iPad), you'll see it walking around the table or the floor, and you will be able to interact with it by poking it or feeding it virtual foods–just touch anywhere on the screen to drop virtual fish, carrots or cheese for them munch on. You can even add more characters to the scene and create a story as you go!

The app allows you to take photos or record videos of the characters, but the only thing you need to keep in mind is that you cannot use videos recorded for commercial applications. You can contact the developers if you want to do so.

What is augmented reality?

The app is the latest example of what is possible thanks to augmented reality: interactive experiences in an environment where objects in the real world blend with computer-generated graphics and audio.

This is one of the hottest technological trends right now, and it will only get more popular as companies like Apple, Google, Microsoft, and Facebook develop new devices, like augmented reality glasses, that will allow us to play games and use applications without the need to hold a phone or a tablet in our hands.

Rakugaki AR can be downloaded from the Apple Store for a one time purchase of $0.99.

You may also like:

- Spark AR Tutorial: Transform Your Illustrations With Augmented Reality
- What is Augmented Reality and How Does It Work?
- Spark AR: Create Filters for Facebook and Instagram Stories