I guess it is mesh modeling as usual. But there’s lots of approaches, I think neither fits in the better or worst category, it’s more like a convenience thing I’d say. Some people chose to sculpt first because they like the free flowing, clay like, letting your wrist flow, kind of approach, they feel more comfortable on how sculpting can let you easily change things around, it lets you experiment. Whereas mesh modeling is very box like, probably why it’s referred to as box modeling, it is very static and not very flexible. And there are people that don’t like sculpting because they don’t feel comfortable of the drawing like nature of sculpting.
In other words, sculpting is flexible, lets you experiment, you don’t have to worry about poly count of topology, it’s dirty in that you don’t have to follow modeling rules. It’s playing with digital clay so you have freedom. It’s more of a concept art arena. The resulting mesh is dirty.
Mesh modeling is static, sturdy, inflexible, you have to follow all the modeling rules. But the resulting mesh is clean and in a final stage.
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