Is nomad sculpt worth it? Secrets You Never Knew

Affiliate Disclaimer: Artmellows.com may contain links to affiliate websites( Amazon and others), and we receive an affiliate commission for any purchases made by you on the affiliate website using such links. For more Info check our Disclosure here.

With a wide toolkit and an easy-to-use interface, Nomad Sculpt is an iPad painting and sculpting software. Yes! It’s worth it based on its cost, usability, Quality of the End product, and the less Steep Learning curve.

It’s important to think about the best options for your creative process before investing in one of these amazing tiny sketching applications like Nomad Sculpt.

Well, due to the advances in technology made by CPU, GPU, and increased RAM, applications targeted specifically for molding and sculpting have become increasingly popular.

Mobile devices such as phones and tablets can be used for digital artwork and sculpting.

For example, you may be shocked by some of the apps and features that are accessible in the digital art industry nowadays.

---

---

These include popular forger and nomad sculpting.

I would suggest that Nomad can absolutely be utilized as an excellent beginning point for professional work.

The approach is comparable to sculpting in Blender or Zbrush but (in my view) considerably more user-friendly.

You may finish the full sculpt in nomad and export it out of the application and bring it into Blender or Maya to retopologize, unwrap, and texture.

Of course, if you’d prefer to take the vertex paint away you can do that inside nomad, export it into Blender, and even move the vertex paint into UV maps when the model is unwrapped.

We will discuss in this article whether is Nomad sculpt worth it compared to other apps like Forger or Zbrush..

Nomad Sculpt is a 3D sculpting app for iOS devices, specifically designed for use on iPads. It has gained popularity due to its impressive range of features, intuitive interface, and mobility.

Whether Nomad Sculpt is worth it depends on your needs, preferences, and budget.

Here are some factors to consider:

Pros:

• Mobility: Nomad Sculpt allows you to work on your 3D sculpting projects on your iPad, giving you the freedom to create wherever you are.
• Intuitive Interface: The app is designed with an easy-to-use interface, making it accessible to both beginners and experienced artists.
• Feature-rich: Nomad Sculpt offers a wide range of features, including sculpting brushes, layers, PBR (Physically-Based Rendering) materials, and support for importing and exporting popular file formats like OBJ, GLTF, and STL.
• The application receives frequent updates that add new features and improve existing ones in response to comments and suggestions made by users.
• Affordable: Compared to other professional 3D modeling software, Nomad Sculpt is reasonably priced as a one-time purchase.

Cons:

• Because of its platform restriction, Nomad Sculpt is only currently available for use on iOS devices, which means that in order to use it, you will need an iPad. This might not be the best option for you if you don’t have access to an iPad or if you favor working on a desktop computer instead.
• Learning curve: While Nomad Sculpt has an intuitive interface, there can still be a learning curve, particularly if you’re new

---

Check out some of my Nomad Sculpt work on Youtube at the below link…

---

What is Nomad Sculpt

Nomad Sculpt is an Android and iOS software for 3D modeling, texturing, and rendering.

As if modeling clay, you may create models with as many as millions of polygons in Nomad.

It uses a PBR-based texturing approach and can render in real time.

The Former Sketchfab developer Stéphane Ginier has developed and released Nomad, a highly promising new digital sculpting app for iPads and Android tablets.

This USD 14.99 (one-time Buy) app enables artists to sculpt and paint organic characters on the move, then export the results in OBJ or glTF format to refine in other Digital Sculpting Apps/software around.

Nomad Sculpt has a comprehensive set of digital sculpting, 3D printing, and re-meshing tools.

Nomad comes with a comprehensive set of sculpting tools that can be used on a touchscreen or with the iPad’s Apple Pencil stylus.

This includes a basic set of brushes such as Clay, Crease, Move, Flatten, and Smooth, as well as falloff, standard control parameters, alphas, and masking, as well as line and curve cutting tools( Souce)..

Forger 3d vs Nomad sculpt- which App should You use

The app employs a dynamic tessellation system similar to that of desktop tools such as ZBrush or Mudbox, which automatically changes the resolution of the part of the mesh being sculpted to accommodate new details.

Nomad Sculpt download in Apple store .. Click here

An alternative to Forger for mobile sculpting.
Nomad sculpt vs forger

Forger: forger is a digital sculpting application for the artist who wants to be able to sculpt anywhere. Costs around USD 10

Nomad Sculpt: Nomad is a sculpting & painting mobile app, available on Android and iOS. iOs Cost around USD 14.99.

A Leading digital sculptor and creature artist Glen S describes Nomad as a “Cool , robust , reliable and amazing fully featured digital sculpt App” and a very serious alternative to  Forger App .

Forger, one of the first iPad sculpting apps, is still many artists’ go-to mobile sculpting tool nearly Ten years later.

Glen S notes in the comments that it is ” it is kind of early to the verdict which is best, I must say that both apps are robust and  Awesome for Sculpting work”( Source)

However, Nomad has one advantage over Forger in that it is not limited to the iPad: it also works on Android tablets such as Samsung’s Galaxy line.

Pricing and system specifications

Nomad is compatible with iOS 9.1 and Android 4.4. Monad Sculpt costs USD 14.99  in the App store and is Free to Download for Android devices.

The Price Changes

•  $14.99 since Aug 10, ‘2020
•  $13.99 before Aug 10, ‘2020

While Nomad is an excellent starting point for learning 3D sculpting, you’ll want to upgrade to ZBrush or Blender after you’ve mastered Nomad.

You’ll be able to focus on how to sculpt in Nomad while you save up for the next set of tools and software.

You’re on a quest to learn how to sculpt, and you’ll gradually acquire more software and gear as you progress.

Future software will benefit from the sculpting techniques you learn in Nomad.

Computer art necessitates constant switching between programs and computers, which is a terrible fact of life.

Immediately after the purchase of an app and computer, you begin saving for the next purchase.

I like Nomad, but there are things that ZBrush can do that Nomad can’t…yet. The learning curve for ZBrush is equally steep.

The ZBrush learning curve will be reduced if you learn to sculpt in Nomad first.

I have been using it since it was released and just getting into sculpting.

Nomad Sculpt is a nice surprise for me and seems robust and fully baked out of the gate.

What is the point of digital sculpting-Things you should know

Check out the below link to my Facebook page. This was a contest Conducted by Glen S ON Nomad’s Facebook Group.

NOMAD VS. FORGER Vs Zbrush WHICH COMES OUT ON TOP?

To begin with, two things can exist without one being worse than the other.

However, knowing the differences between the two tools can be relevant and sometimes beneficial.

This was undeniably the case with Octane and Redshift early on, and it is now with Nomad Sculpt and Forger. 

While both are powerful tools for artists,  Many Pro artists like Glen S  & Manny compare and contrast the two.

“Which iPad sculpting app should I use?” This is a question I am asked on a daily basis.

Literally. Is it better to use Nomad Sculpt or Forger App?

Now, I believe it is time for me to respond, and there are a few reasons for this.

According to many professional digital sculptors that I have met on Facebook groups  – 3D sculpting software has changed so much in recent years, and a whole new sector of digital sculpting apps is just around the corner.

Get to know more about Digital Sculpting: click here to more about  Digital Sculpting

My Cents for this are as below

1. If you are a Beginner, start with Nomad Sculpt and get to know digital Sculpting areas.

Practice and make some good digital sculptures using Nomad sculpt. I have created an eBook that can help Nomad Sculpt beginners. You can get the eBook here.

2. Then Move on to the ZBrush( Desktop) Or Forger( iPad & Android) for more advanced Features.

By Learning Nomad, the Zbrush Learning curve will be less steep as Zbrush is a complex tool to learn..

Nomad Sculpt Vs. ZBrush

Nomad Sculpt is a great place to learn to sculpt but ZBrush and Blender have so many more features that you will eventually want to add that software to your skill set.

The advantage to what you chose is that now you can concentrate on learning to sculpt in Nomad while you save for the next hardware and software.

From the goal, you stated you are on a journey learning to sculpt and over time you’ll add other software and hardware as you learn.

The sculpting skills you learn in Nomad will translate to future software.

The sad truth about digital art is you always move from one app to the next and from one computer to the next.

The day after you buy an app and a computer is the day you start saving for the next app and computer.

Nomad sculpt is amazing and I love it, but ZBrush is twenty years older and can do things Nomad can’t…yet.

ZBrush is also a complex high learning curve beast.

By learning to sculpt in Nomad Sculpt you’ll reduce your ZBrush learning curve because you’ll already know how to sculpt and can concentrate on just the new software.

Zbrush Vs Nomad Sculpt which will you use:A Beginners Guide

Is Nomad Sculpt good enough to be used professionally compared to blender/ZBrush?
Is Nomad sculpt worth it?

This Depends on what is one expecting from a sculpting app. Let’s Unwrap it…

Creating and sculpting 3D objects?

Yes, Nomad’s easy UI lets you achieve this.

Can Nomad Sculpt do Painting?

Yes, you have Basic vertex painting tools in Nomad Sculpt, letting you achieve already amazing results.

UVs for texturing?

Yes in the 1.6.2 version

Rendering?

Almost yes. The results are breathtaking for a real-time output on tiny devices.

But Subsurface scattering Just to mention one missing thing, is leveling up other renders.

Adding easily fine detail objects, like hair, fabric, fur?

No, Nomad is on its way but not there yet!

Posing?

Possible, but far away from optimal.

As an Illustrator Nomad Sculpt is maybe all you need – combined with painting and vector apps, for 3D, no.

But no sculpting app except blender is offering everything you need to solve all tasks in 3D.

And blender is not perfect in any solution it offers.

Yes, for demonstration purposes, Nomad Sculpt is sufficient. Nomad Sculpt is fine for printing, too (a decimation pass could be welcomed though).

Exclusively to make a game asset?

Not at all, and it’s not the purpose of Nomad.

In fact, Nomad is not designed for that purpose.

Even ZBrush isn’t adequate since it lacks motion, rigging, and good PBR texturing capabilities.

Blender can handle it well, but when it comes to PBR texturing, the substance is just plain better.

2D to 3D ?

Hell Yeah! You can do it. Check out my Sculpt on Nomad Sculpt from 2D to 3D ( 2d concept Chris Rynaik )

Bring Sculpt to Real Life?

Yes! Absolutely Possible.. You can Print the sculpture that you have created on Nomad sculpt using 3D printers.

Check out this BLOG How to Start a 3D printing Business from Home [Tabletop Miniature printing with Nomad sculpt]

Is Nomad Sculpt Worth it?

Yes!!! Since I started learning and sculpting with Nomad Sculpt ( 4 Years ago)and am very impressed.

I do a bunch of sculpts on Nomad sculpt – Check out my work on Instagram and Pinterest @artmellows.

Well, as a matter of fact, Nomad is not as good as desktop alternatives like Zbrush or Blender, but it’s a really solid, capable program that goes far beyond what I thought was possible.

It’s buttery smooth, intuitive, and simple to learn. It has enough features to be useful, such as a subdivision workflow, dynamic topology sculpting (similar to Zbrush’s Sculptris), alphas, and so on.

Best of all, it is constantly being updated with new features.

I highly recommend watching the video below from  Q Quantillion & Glen S GLX on YouTube, where he creates some really cool sculptures using only Nomad.

What Nomad Users say.

And now for something kinda different… I’m a grad student in sculpture and have never worked digitally.

After many fits and starts with zbrush and other desktop apps I made the plunge and replaced my old laptop with an iPad pro and fell in love with Nomad Sculpt App

What an amazing and intuitive app and so affordable at only $15!

I’ve been telling everyone about it and a few of the undergrads I work with have purchased the app.

I do a lot of mold making and casting the end goal with these is to cast them in glass and encase them in blown glass bubbles. (I’m thinking a lot about weird sea creatures).

Hand for scale and I have 3 more printing right now as we speak!

David N ( On FB)

Can Nomad Sculpt Be Used Professionally

Yes. I believe that many of these programs Including Nomad sculpt could be used professionally.

There are many 3D printing Businesses that can use Nomad sculpt for their 3D Creations..

As is the case with the majority of 3D programs, these are not stand-alone solutions.

Depending on the model’s purpose, you may need to send the outputs to other programs for processes like retopology or UVing, Lychee slicing( For slicing), or Procreate( Augmenting 3d Sculpt)

What can you do with nomad sculpt? 5 Cool Things you can do with Nomad sculpt

How to Start a 3D printing Business from Home [Tabletop Miniature printing with Nomad sculpt]

The Future of Tablet-Based 3D Modeling

Mobile applications receive a great deal of investment and attention.

In 2021, Maxon, the creator of Cinema 4d, acquired Forger, one of the most popular iOS applications.

To my mind, with technological advancements and the attention of large companies, it’s only a matter of time before 3d art on mobile devices becomes more mainstream.

My Thoughts

I hope this article has convinced you of the value of mobile modeling and sculpting with Nomad Sculpt.

It’s a lot of fun and a dream come true for 3d artists (or at least me).

I strongly encourage you to give it a try, regardless of your level of experience, as I believe it will only grow in popularity in the coming years.

Resources:

Check out the Comprehensive List  of  Digital Resources needed to Start your Digital Art & Digital Sculpt Journey:

• How to get started with Digital art- A Beginners Guide
• The best iPad for Nomad Sculpt- 3D Art
• The best ipad for procreate
• Top 10 best Tablets for Digital Artists
• The Best Human Anatomy Books For Digital Artists
• Essential & Must have tools for Digital Artists

What are some alternatives to Nomad Sculpt:

When comparing forger and Nomad Sculpt, you can also consider the following products

ZBrush – ZBrush is a digital sculpting and painting software solution.

Blender – Blender is an open-source, cross-platform suite of tools for 3D creation.

meshmixer – meshmixer is an experimental 3D modeling tool for making 3D mashups without too much hassle.

Sculptura – 3D sculpting for everyone

Nomad List – Find the best place to  live,  work, and  play

Putty3D – SCULPT ANYTIME, ANYWHERE

My Verdict

Nomad Sculpt makes it easy for you to get started in the world of 3D sculpting, and the results are spectacular.

In terms of Design Options and Professionalism, ZBrush is the superior choice.

Because you already know how to sculpt in Nomad, learning ZBrush will be easier because you’ll be able to focus on the new software alone.

There is a wide variety of drawing programs available nowadays, so there is something for everyone, from industrial engineers to fine digital artists.

These painting apps allow users who were previously restricted to their computers to now produce art while on the move.

From any location, at any time, one of the programs described above may be used to produce digital drawings and sculptures.

---