Press release announcing our new slicer software: A Photorealistic, Color-Optimized Upgrade for Multi-Material 3D Printing
26 Oct 2026
LAIKA Selects PrismSlicer for Visualization
Tobias Rittig
Integration of advanced renderer enhances creative precision, appearance control, and production efficiency at the acclaimed animation studio.
Additive Appearance and LAIKA, the award-winning stop-motion animation studio known for films such as Coraline and Kubo and the Two Strings, announce today that they have entered into an agreement to integrate PrismSlicer into LAIKA’s suite of next generation 3D printing tools for artists.
LAIKA’s in-house 3D printing operation has long set the benchmark for precision and artistry in 3D color printing and stop-motion animation. A showcase of this innovative combination is their newest feature film Wildwood which is released on October 23. In preparation for future productions, the studio selected PrismSlicer for its potential to accurately predict color and translucency in PolyJet prints, promising a predictable match between digital visualizations and 3D prints. The collaboration is built on a shared vision of bringing cutting-edge technology and 3D printing together to achieve cinematic excellence.
Bridging the digital and physical
PrismSlicer enables users to get an initial preview of color, translucency, and surface appearance before printing. This predictive capability has the potential to allow artists to make creative and technical decisions early in the process, speeding up iterative experimentation.
For LAIKA, where hundreds of thousands of intricate faces are 3D printed for each film, the ability to simulate appearance and texture earlier in the development process represents a substantial gain in both efficiency and quality assurance.
PrismSlicer has the potential to give our artists predictive previews of their digital designs in our custom studio lighting environments. This is a crucial advancement in our capabilities that allows for faster iterations when developing assets for full color 3D printing.
Having reliable, fast renders has the potential to reduce development time significantly.
Initial projections indicate that using the new visualizations could reduce print iterations, as well as enhance artist satisfaction by providing faster feedback.
A partnership grounded in research
The collaboration between Additive Appearance and LAIKA follows years of joint development and material research together with the Computer Graphics Group at Charles University. The teams are tackling challenges related to optical measurement of materials used in PolyJet 3D printing and precise matching of photographs and renderings.
We’re honored to see PrismSlicer become a part of LAIKA’s 3D printing innovation.
Their trust validates our mission to make full-color 3D printing as predictable and expressive as 2D imaging. It’s inspiring to contribute to a studio that is so dedicated to perfection and constantly redefines what’s possible in animation.
This announcement was preceded by a dedicated seven-month development phase with defined performance criteria, ensuring the software’s outputs meet the exacting standards of LAIKA’s production pipeline. PrismSlicer received a flexible command-line interface (CLI) allowing for automation and crucial features to the simulation backend that enhance the realism of the previews.
Both teams expect the collaboration to pave the way for further innovations in full-color 3D printing, exploring new opportunities to merge digital and physical workflows in creative production.
About Additive Appearance
Additive Appearance is a Prague-based startup and spin-off from Charles University. Comprised of engineers and researchers, the team is dedicated to developing practical tools that address the evolving challenges of the 3D printing industry. With a focus on fostering an open ecosystem, the company ensures its solutions are adaptable, compatible with a wide range of hardware platforms, and accessible to users from various industries. By merging research and usability, Additive Appearance delivers reliable solutions that help creators and manufacturers achieve precise, high-quality results on the first try.
About LAIKA
Founded in 2005 just outside Portland, Oregon, LAIKA has produced five animated films: Missing Link (2019), Kubo and the Two Strings (2016), The Boxtrolls (2014), ParaNorman (2012) and Coraline (2009). All were nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature. Kubo and the Two Strings won the BAFTA® Award for Best Animated Film and received an additional Oscar® nomination for Visual Effects. Missing Link was awarded the Golden Globe® for Best Animated Film. LAIKA was awarded a Scientific and Technology Oscar® in 2016 for its innovation in 3D printing. Among animated films in development are The Night Gardener, from an original idea by Bill Dubuque, creator of the hit series Ozark, and Piranesi, based on the NYT bestselling novel by Susanna Clarke with a screenplay to be written by Dave Kajganich.
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