Up next
Author

I few weeks ago, I reviewed a hybrid brush/stylus from Sensu for those who like to get creative with their tablets. I come to find out that the Sensu Brush and Stylus is not the only game in town and there is another brush style stylus that is out on the market that according to them, came out first. This is the Nomad Brush Paintbrush Stylus. Unlike the Sensu, the Nomad Brush FLeX is strictly a brush and is shaped exactly like regular paint brush. It’s length and design mimics a real brush but it is made of quality materials, mainly a precision-milled aluminum shaft and a removable, all synthetic brush tip. Again, like the Sensu Brush, you would use the Nomad Brush FLeX for painting apps like Procreate and Zen Brush on iOS or if you are using Windows 8, one the main art apps they are really pushing is Fresh Paint.

Let’s start off with the build and construction of the Nomad Brush FLeX. First off, you can really feel the quality of the materials used as it is almost entirely made of aluminum. It’s light, strong, and actually quite long like a real paintbrush. What also makes the Nomad Brush different is the replaceable brush tip. The Nomad Brush FLeX comes with a hard card case to store your brush but in the event that the tip does get damaged, it can be replaced easily by just unscrewing the tip and screwing on a new tip.

For my tests, I again used Procreate as a well as Zen Brush to test the responsiveness of the Nomad Brush. I chose these 2 apps because they mimic brush style art tools as opposed to some other apps that are more pen or pencil type based sketching apps. In terms of responsiveness, the Nomad Brush FLeX seemed to be quite sensitive on my iPad 2, meaning that I did not need to push down very hard to get my iPad 2 to recognize that I was using a brush stylus. In fact, I’m able to make very light strokes on my digital canvas and still have the apps recognize it. Obviously the iPad 2 doesn’t recognize pressure but being able to use light strokes means that I don’t need to overly push down on the bristles which over time can cause them to be frayed. Overall, the Nomad Brush FLeX really does feel like you’re using a paintbrush in these painting apps. It feels more natural than a regular stylus and allows for a much better experience.

The Nomad Brush FLeX is a great alternative for those who do now want to use a rubber tipped stylus and would rather use a more natural brush style stylus for their artistic endeavors. What’s good bout the Nomad Brush FLeX is that it comes with a hard storage case for transport and protection but in the unlikely event that you need to replace the brush tip, you don’t have to buy a whole new stylus. Instead, you can just buy the tip to replace. It’s also fairly inexpensive at only $29.99 which is about $10 cheaper than the Sensu Brush. The Nomad Brush FLeX also comes in an array of colors to suit your style and tastes. If you use a lot of painting and drawing apps on your iPad, Android tablet, or Windows 8 device, this is a must have accessory for artists.

 

You May Also Like