Maxon acquires model asset creator Laubwerk - what does it mean for 3D artists?

Maxon yesterday announced its acquisition of Laubwerk, a company that creates procedural 3D models of plants, trees and flowers that are used for architectural visualisation, VFX, and general 3D art projects and animation. Maxon's list of apps includes Cinema 4D, ZBrush and renderer Redshift, which will all benefit.

This is a win for Maxon One subscribers because Laubwerk’s plant and tree models will soon become available to them via Maxon’s Capsules library, a repository of assets for building 3D scenes that includes, among many other things, paper and stop motion clay materials by Fuchs & Vogel, and 40 Adobe Substance 3D materials. A selection of Laubwerk's plants and trees is already part of Capsules and can be accessed via the Cinema 4D Asset Browser.

Maxon One subscribers already get access to some of the best 3D modelling software and best animation software on the market. These additional assets from Laubwerk, which are created in concert with landscape architects and biologists, will make the Maxon offering even more compelling.

As well as enhancing the Capsules library with a fuller collection of plant models, the two companies expect that by combining their powers, they’ll be able to do greater things. Philip Paar, CEO and Founder of Laubwerk, said in a press release: “Joining forces with Maxon allows us to leverage their extensive resources and reach, enabling us to elevate our offerings and continue pushing the envelope in 3D plant modelling and visualisation. We look forward to the incredible new possibilities this union will bring to the industry."

Maxon One costs €1,425 per year and gives you access to the full stable of Maxon 3D software including Cinema 4D, Redshift, ZBrush, Red Giant, Universe, and Forger, as well as the Capsules asset library and Cineversity Training resources.

But if you’re not a Maxon One subscriber…

A potential downside of this development is that Laubwerk’s website has been taken down, so if you’re currently looking to buy their models for non–Maxon software, you’re out of luck.

Until recently, Laubwerk sold collections of their tree and foliage models as plant kit plugins that you could use in a range of 3D software including 3ds Max and Maya, and it’s unclear what the future holds for those who wish to use them with these packages.

The press release tells us that “Existing Laubwerk customers for other products should keep watching this space for future developments”, and links to the Laubwerk Capsules section.