The Inky Box is an art pen subscription box that was suggested by Virginia, one of our readers! Lettering and calligraphy fans, take note—this subscription sends you tools to create all kinds of unique lettering work each month. They also share tutorial content for the month’s products on their social channels!
There are two subscription levels to choose from—The Inky Box (lettering tools, supplies, and hand-lettered greeting cards for $39.95 per month) and The Inky Box Mini (2-4 of the lettering tools that were featured in the larger box for $14.99 per month).
This is a review of The Inky Box Mini subscription, which costs $14.99 per month.
My Subscription Addiction paid for this box. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)
About The Inky Box Mini
The Subscription Box: The Inky Box Mini
The Cost: $14.99 per month. Save with longer commitments.
The Products: 3-5 lettering/calligraphy tools
Good to Know: They also offer a larger box (The Inky Box) that includes much more product for $39.95 per month. New to lettering? Follow @TheInkyBox on Instagram or subscribe to The Inky Box’s channel on YouTube for tutorials, tips, and more!
Ships to: US and Worldwide. International shipping is $15.95.
The Inky Box Mini February 2019 Review
Here’s the info card for this month’s box, which includes links to digital handwriting practice sheets you can download. There is a new feature of a subscriber exclusive Vimeo link. It also had the helpful tip of washing your nibs before trying them out for the first time.
Kelly Creates Dream Pen - Buy a pack of 10 pens $29.99 (found here for $21.90)
This dual tip brush pen is a bright orange color that lives up to its name Sunset. Kelly Creates is an Instagram calligraphy creative and this pen usually comes in a pack of ten so it’s nice to be able to try it out without committing to buying a whole pack. I would prefer a little more difference between the larger and smaller tips but found them both soft and easy to use in creating varied thin and thick strokes.
Manuscript Nib Holder - Retail Value $2.50
The wooden nib holder is a good size for my hand and I love the light blue color option that I received. It feels like it would be comfortable to work with for a long period of writing. The glossy finish made it easy to clean up some stray ink that I managed to get on the holder instead of on the nib.
Higgins India Ink - Retail Value $6.39 (found here for $3.91)
This is the first time I’ve ever worked with dip pens and a bottle of ink. Let me be honest, it made me feel...FANCY! I genuinely didn’t know what to do with the dropper in the cap and just ended up dipping my nibs directly in the bottle. The India ink is pigment based and is also waterproof. I found the ink to be a nice dark black and quite smooth.
When I initially received the box, the India Ink bottle had cracked and leaked ink inside the packaging. The Inky Box customer service was happy to replace the damaged ink bottle, info sheet, and nib holder which I was very happy about!
Hunt 513 EF Nib - Retail Value $1.19
It was hard to judge how deep to dip the nib into the bottle but the internet told me to cover the vent and that’s what I aimed for. Of the two nibs in the month’s box, I found this one easier to write with because it was a little smoother and the ink seemed to flow more evenly.
Nikko G Nib - Retail Value $1.55
This nib took a few more practice strokes to get the hang of but it produced a very crisp narrow line. I would want to try this on a different paper to see if I could get the strokes to look a little less blobby. I’m glad they included two different nibs in the box so even a beginner like me could immediately see how different they can feel to write with.
February Practice Sheets
It’s great to have downloadable practice sheets and I found the stroke direction marks particularly helpful using the dip pens. You’ll need your own printer and paper in order to make use of them.
The Verdict: Once again, I was delighted with this box because it is encouraging me to explore a new hobby. I never would have glanced at pen nibs and ink pots on my own but they were surprisingly easy to dive in and try. If you want to learn calligraphy I think receiving new supplies each month from The Inky Box Mini could be a good way to keep yourself motivated to stick with it. Although the Dream Pen didn’t leave a strong impression, I’ll absolutely be dipping away with these new nibs and holder.
The box cost $17.48 ($14.99 + $2.49 shipping), but I estimate a retail value of $14.62 not counting the downloadable practice sheets. Although the value falls a little short of the box price, it is still worth it to me because I appreciate receiving new things I wouldn't have thought to try. And, since the Dream Pen wasn’t a star for me, I’m extra glad to not have bought a full-sized pack of those pens.
To Wrap Up:
Can I still get this box if I sign up today? No. New subscribers will receive their box the first week of the following month, according to The Inky Box's FAQ page.
Value Breakdown: This box costs $$14.99 + $2.49 shipping, which means that each of the 5 items in the box has an average cost of $2.99.
Check out all of our The Inky Box reviews and more writing subscription boxes in the Artisan Subscription Box Directory!
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What do you think of The Inky Box Mini?
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