Products: Autodesk Toxik, Mudbox, and ImageModeler

Autodesk has dabbled a little distractedly in the lower end of the post market over the years. Product announcements at the recent Macworld Expo show the San Rafael, Calif.-based company isn't taking any market for granted these days, as even huge operations like its own must sell into an evermore competitive marketplace.

Expanding its lineup with three new 2D and 3D OS X apps, Autodesk introduced Toxik (procedural compositing; $3,495), Mudbox (digital sculpting and texture painting; $745), and ImageModeler (image-based modeling and photogrammetry; $995).

Because Autodesk still sells most of its apps as turnkey packages built around tested hardware, it will be interesting to see how many facilities sign on to this software-only approach where the user takes on much more responsibility to make things work.

The new products join already-established Autodesk Mac apps: Maya 3D (modeling, animation and rendering) and Autodesk Stitcher (photo stitching).