A black and white image playground - 158 ways to break, bend, and re-form an image.
Create. Distort. Reimagine.
Mono Lab is designed for exploring the unexpected.
Experiment with images in black and white.
From subtle relief to structural collapse, topology drift, mesh warps, fracture effects, misregistration, and controlled instability, every tool is built for focused experimentation. Responsive. Direct. Tactile.
// Interactive Filters (X)
Distortion that responds to you.
Shift the image through movement and contact. Tilt to bend structure. Rotate to redirect tension. Touch to anchor, drag to stretch, hold to resist. Each gesture leaves a trace. Each motion reshapes the result.
// 3D Surface Mode
A dimensional approach to distortion.
Map images across 12 surfaces and interpret them through 13 lenses. Adjust depth. Refine spatial tension. Each surface behaves differently. Each lens reshapes the outcome.
Monochromatic.
Structure, tone, dimension, possibility.
What You Can Do
• 158 filters for black and white distortion
• Touch and motion control transformations
• 12 surfaces. 13 lenses
• Press, drag, and hold to reshape the image like a surface
• Refine light, contrast, and structure
• Warp topology and form
• Collapse, fracture, and distort
• Create raster and vector outputs
• Build layered misregistrations
• Adjust pressure, grain, and tone
• Stack transformations
• Save your favorite filters to the Index
• Save directly to Files
Mono Lab is for designers, artists, photographers, illustrators, and visual experimenters working in black and white.
I love this app… I usually don’t purchase stuff on the App Store but after seeing this on an instagram ad I decided to give it a try.. I am very happy with that decision. There are so many different tools to use and experiment with, I always find a new effect to pass the time fudging the numbers with. Thank you for this app. Side Note: I wish there was a way to use these effects with COLOR! Are there any plans to incorporate that within this app or create a separate app? Thanks
Amazing!!
XavierAllenM
Mono Lab is honestly perfect for making zines. It’s super easy to mess around with, and you can get really weird, raw results fast without overthinking it. The filters don’t feel basic, they actually change the vibe of an image in a real way. I’ve been using it to build pages and textures, and everything just comes out feeling more intentional. It’s one of those apps you open and lose time in.
Rich and comprehensive collection of FX for mono junkies
effixx
Very impressive library of effects: you’ve got all the staples for image definition and basic processing, including dithering patterns and grunge. But also, a seemingly endless library of unexpected and unique ways to glitch, distort, and even create algorithmic vectorization. Even lets you save vector effects as PDF for further manipulation on the desktop. For the price, it’s a great value.
Developer Response
Thank you! And thanks for spending time with the app.
Dope app and a responsive dev
hardingmr
Very cool app worth every penny! Honestly I think even a bit more money would be super worth it! The developer is extremely responsive, like shockingly helpful actually. He wants to make a great app and literally applied fixes to an issue I had and uploaded the update to Apple same day! Give this a spin you don’t be disappointed.
Developer Response
Thanks for the feedback. Our adjustments do save, so let's fix this. Two possibilities:1) The preview is screen-size, but saves re-render at full resolution. Many filters (dots, grain, dither, ASCII) scale with pixels, so they look finer in the saved file than in the viewfinder. But your exposure, contrast, grain, and vignette are all baked in. Use the reduced-resolution export for a save that matches the preview more closely.2) Adjustments are tied to the selected filter. If you switch filters after adjusting, the sliders reset. So: pick your filter first → adjust → then Save (or Flatten)3) You can also flatten your image to bake in the adjustments - that locks your filter and edits into the photo so they're actually there when you export/save.Still looks off? Email us (david@allentattoo.com) with the filter name and a preview-vs-save screenshot and we'll help. We'd love the chance to earn a better rating, thanks for trying Mono Lab.
MONO LAB 5.1
Quick Fixes: Fixed an issue where the projects intermittently wouldn't move to directories.
MYSM and and TMPS filter outputs were fixed to match the view finder version more accurately.
// PROJECTS - Your work now lives somewhere. A full project system: every edit is saved as a recipe, automatically. Reopen a project days later and pick up exactly where you left off. Organize projects into folders. Browse everything in a new directory with thumbnails.
// TEAR TABLE. A new surface tool. Tear your image into pieces like paper (draw the tear lines yourself) then rearrange the scraps into a collage and flatten at full resolution.
//COPY BED - Run your image through a machine that was never serviced and move the image while you do. Duplication with degradation.
// FINE CONTROL! Every slider now supports fine-precision scrubbing - drag away from the track to slow the scale down.
Version 5.1
In-App Purchases
Print Set
Unlocks the full Print Set of production-print filters.
$1.99
ASCII Set
Unlocks the full ASCII Set of photo filters.
$1.99
Dither Set
Unlocks the full Dither Set of production-print filters
$1.99
The developer, Inner Circle, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Used to Track You
The following data may be used to track you across apps and websites owned by other companies:
Identifiers
Data Linked to You
The following data may be collected and linked to your identity:
Purchases
Identifiers
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
Identifiers
Diagnostics
Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
Seller
David Allen
Size
60.1 MB
Category
Graphics & Design
Compatibility
Requires iOS 15.1 or later.
iPhone Requires iOS 15.1 or later.
iPad Requires iPadOS 15.1 or later.
iPod touch Requires iOS 15.1 or later.
Mac Requires macOS 12.0 or later and a Mac with Apple M1 chip or later.