SmartArt is a monthly subscription for artists. Every month they send creative tools and art ideas for artists across the country.
This box was sent to us for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
The Subscription Box: SmartArt
The Cost: $49.95/month, with free shipping
The Products: 8-11 full-sized art supplies, a suggested project, and an information pamphlet.
Ships to: US
SmartArt always includes a pamphlet that talks about a certain theme or idea for inspiration that month. This month, they’re talking about Neo-Impressionism. On the back of the pamphlet, they also offer tips and pointers for your project.
On the inside, they have some more information about the movement, Georges-Pierre Seurat, and the items they included!
Also in the pamphlet is a list of each item featured in the box and offers some information about them, as well as a suggested project to be done with your tools.
Dahle Chubby Pencil Sharpener – value: $2.75
General’s Pure Woodless Graphite – value: $2.33
Prismacolor Magic Rub Eraser – value: $.80
I wasn’t sure what this pencil sharpener was, exactly, before reading the pamphlet – it’s really cool! The white part is a little see-through and soft. It fits in your hand really well and looks pretty cool.
I’ve never heard of woodless graphite pencils, but the concept definitely makes sense for artists. The whole pencil is solid graphite. They’re heavier, need sharpening less often, and allow a more varying range of strokes. The tip was broken off in the box, but that’s not a big deal to me.
Fabriano Studio Watercolor Pads – value: $9.60
6 MEPXY Brush Markers – value: $5.99 each/$35.94 total
This watercolor pad feels so luxurious. Each sheet feels like cotton. The whole pad only has 20 pages, so you know each one feels nice and good quality. I’m so excited to use this!
These brush markers were the main focus of this box. They have a brush tip on one end and a chisel tip on the other. I only played with them for a moment, but the color pigmentation and feel are great. I wish they had included a different range of colors – they included green, yellow, grey, blue, tan, and orange. I would have preferred more basic colors, but it’s not a big deal for me. Also, all these colors work for the suggested project they show in the pamphlet.
Verdict: I really enjoyed opening this SmartArt box. I like that this subscription offers really nice, quality products and I feel that this is more geared towards adults/artists than general crafts boxes can be. As far as value goes, everything adds up to $52.75, which just breaks even with the cost of the box. I wish the value were just a little higher, but I’m excited about all the items and I know I’ll use them – that’s still a win for me.
What do you think about SmartArt?
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