Retro’s New 'Splat' App Uses AI to Turn Your Camera Roll into a Coloring Book

The team behind the close-friends photo-sharing app Retro has launched Splat, a new generative AI application that instantly transforms any photo into a custom coloring book page for kids. The app aims to solve a common headache for parents: navigating ad-filled websites and paywalls just to print out a simple creative activity.

As reported by TechCrunch, the inspiration for Splat came from the frustrating experience of finding coloring pages online. Many free sites are difficult to use due to excessive ads, while others charge small fees that feel unwarranted for a disposable art project. Splat offers a streamlined alternative, turning a personal photo library into an endless source of creativity.

How It Works

Getting started is straightforward. A user can take a new picture or select an existing one from their camera roll. They then choose a stylistic filter—such as anime, 3D movie, manga, or comic—and the app's AI model converts the image into a line-art page. The final creation can be printed for traditional coloring or colored directly on-screen, a handy option for keeping kids entertained on the go.

Splat bypasses a tedious sign-up process, instead guiding users through initial customizations like app icon choice and selecting a child's favorite categories (e.g., animals, space, robots). Access to settings and purchases is protected by a parental gate that requires the parent’s birth year.

Pricing and Availability

Users can try one generative AI project for free to test the app. To continue creating, Splat operates on a subscription model:

• Weekly Plan: $4.99 for 25 pages per week.
• Annual Plan: $49.99 for 500 pages per year.

Splat is part of a growing trend of AI tools designed for children's creativity, alongside apps like Stickerbox for AI-generated coloring stickers. The app is available now for both iOS and Android devices.