Technology is always improving and people are constantly looking for new ways to work or be creative, and 3D modeling is no exception.
Typically, people looking to get into 3D digital art have to consider expensive options and are confined to a desk while using a computer or Mac.
Many wish there was a way to do more while on the go, like during the commute to and from work or trips away from the house. That’s where Hexanomad’s Nomad Sculpt comes in.
About Nomad Sculpt
Nomad Sculpt is a mobile 3D sculpting and texturing application available on the Google Play store (for Android devices), Apple App store (for Apple devices), and AppGallery (for Huawei devices) that can also render projects.
You may think that the app must be pretty limited because a phone or tablet only has so much computing power but you would be wrong. The app is surprisingly lightweight but powerful at the same time.
Many people have found that the app’s features and tools are robust and intuitive, allowing them to easily create concepts or fairly detailed models they can export to their suite of choice for later work.
If that wasn’t enough to interest you, the developer offers a free, albeit limited, trial version to get to grips with the app. Even if you decide to pay, the one-time payment of $15 is much easier to swallow than other names in the industry. Perks like these are why there is a growing demand for quality Nomad Sculpt tutorials.
| Feature | Details |
| System Requirements | Android 4.4 or later and at least 94 MB of storage iOS 14.0 or later and at least 110.6 MB of storage |
| Date Released | August 3rd, 2020 |
| Last Update | January 17th, 2023 (version 1.71) |
| Rating | 4.1 out of 5 on the Google Play store (over 4,000 reviews) 4.7 out of 5 on the Apple App store (about 500 ratings) |
| Uses | Sculpting and texturing 3D models Lighting scenes in a 3D viewport Rendering out final versions of scenes and models |
| Cost | Free trial with limited capabilities and costs just $15 to upgrade to the full version |
3D Modeling for Beginners with Nomad Sculpt
- How Many Videos: 12 lessons
- How Long: 2 hours and 46 minutes
- Level: Beginner
This course is the perfect starting place for anyone completely new to 3D digital art. The instructor, Dave Reed, recognizes that people need to start from the very beginning and explains commonly used terms to ease people into the learning process.
When you’re done, you’ll have a good foundation that you can use to pursue your own ideas.
3D Character Design in Nomad Sculpt
- How Many Videos: 19 lessons
- How Long: 2 hours and 39 minutes
- Level: Intermediate
Building on some of the concepts from the above course, this intermediate class details how to follow effective character design workflows to create stylized characters.
The course is great for showing every step in the process, from starting with simple shapes to lighting and processing the final scene.
Nomad Sculpt: Beginner’s Guide Tutorial
- How Many Videos: 1 lesson
- How Long: 31 minutes
- Level: Beginner
YouTube is an amazing source for free tutorials, and this one is particularly high quality. In just 30 minutes, you’ll be brought up to speed on the key aspects of Nomad Sculpt’s user interface and features.
Ideal for complete beginners, by the end of the video you’ll have a fun, stylized book model, and have learned some of the most important tools used during sculpting.
Nomad Sculpt Crash Course for Complete Beginners
- How Many Videos: 1 lesson
- How Long: 47 minutes
- Level: Beginner
Made by the same instructor as the two Skillshare courses above, this YouTube video is a whirlwind tour of the features that Nomad Sculpt offers as you create a cute little character.
What this crash course does better than many other tutorials is guide you through the highly technical final steps of 3D sculpting with tips about post-processing and exporting.
NOMAD SCULPT – Sculpting a Dragon
- How Many Videos: 1 lesson
- How Long: 8 minutes
- Level: Beginner
This short lesson is just one part of a larger series that SouthernGFX offers outside of YouTube. The tutorial focuses on making adjustments to a model that has already been sculpted.
By making small changes here and there to the hierarchy of your model’s layers, you can create a more refined look that can make rigging and animating easier when exported to other applications.
3D Creature Modeling with Nomad Sculpt
- How Many Videos: 8 lessons
- How Long: 1 hour and 37 minutes
- Level: Intermediate
For anyone who has a little more knowledge about 3D sculpting specifically Nomad Sculpt, this course jumps right into how to make stylized creatures without getting bogged down by simple advice about tools and such.
This course is especially useful when you are learning about primary, secondary, and tertiary forms for the best sculpts.
3D Modeling a Cartoon Head in Nomad Sculpt
- How Many Videos: 8 lessons
- How Long: 2 hours and 18 minutes
- Level: Beginner to Intermediate
If you accidentally overestimated your 3D sculpting abilities, don’t worry! The same instructor as the course above also offers a more beginner-friendly class.
Not only will you learn about the interface of Nomad Sculpt’s app, but you will also learn its basic toolset and how to best utilize it to create fabulous models.
3D Character Design with Nomad Sculpt
- How Many Videos: 29 lessons
- How Long: 4 hours and 23 minutes
- Level: All levels
When you think you’ve grasped how to create a head or face like many of the other tutorials on this list, the next step is to create a whole character.
This can be intimidating but Dave Reed expertly coaches you through the workflow so that you don’t fret about getting every detail about hands and feet right. This course is wonderful to follow for people of any level to start learning how to create stylized characters.
NOMAD FOR BEGINNERS – sculpting a character on the iPad
- How Many Videos: 5 lessons
- How Long: 2 hours and 15 minutes
- Level: Beginner
This is the first lesson in a series on YouTube that is full of tips and tricks for anyone who has never 3D sculpted or used Nomad Sculpt before.
The series takes you through the whole process from start to finish to create a Darth Maul-like Baby Yoda character. It’s hard to beat the value you get from a tutorial like this when it’s provided free of charge.
Free beginners guide to Nomad sculpt app tutorial
- How Many Videos: 6 lessons
- How Long: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Level: Beginner
When you’re new to 3D modeling and sculpting, or even art in general, it can be hard to know where to look for inspiration and great tutorials. Luckily, ArtStation can provide both for you.
This course is actually free on YouTube as well and goes into great depth about many sculpting concepts while explaining them in a beginner-friendly way.
Best Nomad Sculpt Tutorials FAQ
What Is Nomad Sculpt Used For?
Nomad Sculpt is used for 3D sculpting meshes and models while on the go. Many people use it to create concepts, no matter when inspiration strikes, that can later be improved upon when they get back to their regular workstations.
What Platforms Can I Use Nomad Sculpt On?
Nomad Sculpt is an app available on most Android, iOS, and Huawei devices. This includes smartphones and tablets. While it is possible to run the app on stationary alternatives like computers, it isn’t officially supported.
Is There a Free Version of Nomad Sculpt?
Yes, there is a free trial version of Nomad Sculpt available. While it is free, the features are significantly limited so you likely won’t be able to get a lot of value from it. Fortunately, the full version is only $15 and is updated frequently to improve performance and stability, as well as add new features.
How Much RAM Does Nomad Sculpt Require?
3D sculpting is often a resource-intensive application. People can struggle with app crashes fairly frequently when they only have about 3 or 4 GB of RAM. Some of this comes down to user error when beginners accidentally create high-resolution models that their hardware can’t support.