Smart Art is a fine arts subscription service that sends a new project every month and all the supplies needed to complete it. My husband and I are both artists, and we have been having a blast with our Smart Art subscription!
This box was sent to us at no cost to review. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes).
About Smart Art
The Subscription Box: Smart Art
The Cost: $49.95 per month with free shipping. Save with 3, 6, and 12-month subscriptions.
ACTIVE DEAL: $5 off your first subscription
CODE: ENJOYART5
The Products: A fine arts project, complete with instructions and supplies
Ships to: U.S. only
Good to know: It's a different project in a different media every month, using different techniques!
Smart Art July 2018 Review
This month's project was creating a cubist painting! This is the booklet that Smart Art sends every month. It includes art history related to the project, a list of the included supplies, project pointers, and instructions.
Subscribers can upload a picture of their finished project to Smart Art's Facebook page for a chance to win a free box! That's really cool! On the other hand, our projects usually take forever, so we always seem to miss the boat on this contest.
This is the inside of the booklet. On the left are the art history and project pointers, and on the right, there's some info on Pebeo 4Artist Markers plus the supply list.
The instructions are printed on the back of the booklet. They are pretty clear and easy to follow, but they still allow for as much creativity as you like.
Here are the supplies that were included for this month's project.
Pebeo 4Artists Oil Marker Set, 5 pcs - Retail Value $39.99
Da Vinci Plein Air Bristle Brush Flat, 4 - Retail Value $11.50 (on sale here for $7.15)
Gamblin Gamsol, 4 oz - Retail Value $7.95 (on sale here for $4.77)
Art Alternatives Artist Panel 8"x10" - Retail Value $15.99 (on sale here for $9.59)
Please note that the values listed here are list prices. Almost all of them can be found for less at most online discount art supply stores.
My husband decided to take this month's project on! His first step was to arrange the objects for a still life, and I have to stop and admire his ability to always arrange things so artfully. I love his subject. He then laid down the foundation for the painting in pencil.
His second step was to draw from different angles to establish the classic cubist shapes.
He then started shading objects and adding color with the oil paint markers. He really enjoyed working with these markers! He was impressed by how easily the oil flows from them, and how vibrant the colors are. He also felt that the markers have a nice advantage over traditional oil paint in that they are more controllable and precise.
Another cool feature of these markers is that you can pump out some paint to be used with a brush, as seen here.
With a combination of the markers and brush, he continued filling in the color on the painting.
His final step was to outline all the original sketch lines with black marker. This is his completed painting, I love it!
The Verdict: My husband and I are both huge fans of Smart Art! My husband loves painting, and he really enjoyed trying out this new technique of painting with markers! I think it turned out really beautiful! The value this month was outstanding at $75.43 packed into a $50 box. It's especially good for a fine arts subscription box. I also definitely feel like the curation and instruction adds to the overall value of the box, but it is subjective, so you would have to decide for yourself if it is worth it to you.
To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? No, you will receive the September box. From Smart Art:
Sign up on or before the last day of the month to get the current box that will be released on the 1st of the following month! All orders processed after the last day of the month will ship the following month. For example, a purchase made on April 30th will be shipped May 1st.
Coupon – Use code COLORJOY to save $5 off your first box!
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