DrawALot – AR Digital Lightbox App
DrawALot is an augmented reality (AR) application for iOS that allows users to project reference images onto real-world surfaces to trace or draw from them.
Core Functionality:
Image Projection in AR
• Uses ARKit to detect horizontal and vertical planes in the real world
• Places a selected image onto the first detected plane as a semi-transparent overlay
• The image appears anchored to the physical surface, allowing users to trace it on paper or other surfaces
Image Selection
• Users can pick any image from their photo library via the “Pick Image” button
• The selected image is displayed as a textured plane in the AR view
Interactive Controls
The app provides several ways to manipulate the projected image:
• Opacity Control: Slider to adjust transparency (0-1) for easier tracing
• Scale: Pinch gesture (two fingers) to resize the image (0.2x to 10x)
• Rotation: Two-finger rotation gesture to orient the image
• Translation: Single-finger drag to reposition the image on the plane
• Lock/Unlock: Toggle button to freeze the image position and orientation, allowing the user to move the camera/device to view different parts of the drawing surface while keeping the image stationary
Use Case:
This app is designed to help users trace images by projecting them onto their desk or other work surfaces. The lock feature is particularly useful – lets users lock the projected image in place, then move their phone/camera around to trace different sections of the image without the projection moving with the camera.
This is essentially a digital lightbox or projector for artists and anyone who needs to trace or reference images while drawing on physical surfaces.