James Alliban created his app, Composite, to provide a new, mobile painting experience. Composite uses the front and rear cameras on the iPad to pull in a live video feed, allowing artists to additively and subtractively "remix their surroundings." The app provides an interface to capture and edit images where the user can reveal the image underneath by digging it out of space with virtual brushes.

James was inspired by the neo-dadaist collages of Robert Rauschenberg like the two below.

He wanted to develop a software program that would allow him to paint digitally using the same idea of combination and composition, and bringing in the live video allows artist to use their surroundings to create.

He hopes people will get creative with Composite and find innovative ways to use the app in their work, suggesting that, "In addition to being a tool to create finished compositions, I believe it would be excellent as a quick sketch pad for artists and illustrators to combine ideas on the go for future pieces." And he thinks it would be a useful tool to teach kids about art.

James conceptualized and developed the app, and his fiance Juliet Lall created the design and branding elements. Purchase Composite for $1.99 at the Apple App Store and email creations to submissions@composite-app.com for inclusion in the app's flickr' gallery.

Some other hand-picked posts you might enjoy on our Design Blog:

Drawing on a Tablet: The iPad as Sketchbook
The Dominus Plus Graphic Clock App
Photoshop Goes Mobile: Touch Apps for iPads and Tablets