Nomad Brush review
Tablets have come onto the scene pretty quickly since the launch of the iPad, this nobody disputes. While these newer computing devices are great for many things, content creation isn’t one of the strong points. Nomad Brush is looking to change that as people search for more ways to use their precious new slates. Is this paintbrush accessory better than a stylus though? Read on to find out.
I have to say, I’m a sucker for high quality products. I don’t like cheap. I never have. I will gladly pay more for a product that is built well with quality materials that will last. The Nomad Brush exceeds my criteria for a quality product. For starters, it’s a handcrafted paintbrush that uses natural conductive fibers for a natural feeling painting experience. The design is simple and beautiful with a hint of wood at the top end which houses the Nomad Brush name. It’s an excellent looking and feeling product through and through.
Once you have the Nomad Brush, you still have to have a quality app to use it with. A simple doodle app doesn’t cut it, so after using Nomad Brushes recommendation, I picked up ArtRage ($4.99) on iOS, and Sketchbook pro for Android.
It should be obvious, but I’m not exactly an artist. I wasn’t too bad when I was younger, but a Picaso I am not. Either way, having the Nomad Brush in hand sure made me feel like I could create something, well…….artsy. The nice and smooth finish feels excellent in my hand, and the conductive fibers do an excellent job of not losing contact with the screen. Compared to a normal rubber tipped stylus, this feels effortless and insanely smooth. The paintbrush simply glides across the glass screen helping to create a magical piece of art.
When using a normal stylus, you never forget you’re using a stylus. This isn’t always a bad thing, but it’s something that sticks with you, and you have to work around. This is a brush. It’s just like the paintbrush you would use on a canvas. There’s really something powerful behind that statement, because instead of adapting to the limitations that come with a stylus, your brain just lets you have fun and create. You start flicking the brush around, and it’s not long until you get into a smooth and graceful rythm.
I’ve previously used a stylus for some art creation, and after getting my hands on the Nomad Brush, there’s no going back. A longer and thinner handle with bristles that truly glide across the screen give more control to the user that can’t be duplicated with even the best stylus. During use, you don’t see a true paintbrush effect (at least not with the ArtRage app) that will let the “paint” bleed if you go slower like you would get on a true canvas. Of course this is a limitation of the actual tablet, not the brush, and it might not even be a limitation at all. All this means is that you still need to adjust the settings within the application to work with the brush to give the effect you’re looking for.
Conclusion
For anyone looking at another method of input for their tablet, this is a product to put at the top of your list. Adults, kids, artists, and casual users could have a lot of fun with this, especially with the added amount of control that tops any stylus I’ve used on the market.
There are two types of brushes, the Original($24.99) and Mini($19.99), which I tried out. They both work equally as well, but I prefered the Mini with the shorter bristles. Either way, you can’t go wrong with such a high quality product that truly does make a difference. I had a blast using it, and I’m sure you will too.
