SketchBox is a monthly subscription box for art supplies. Each month, they'll send you 4-9 art supplies (often full kits) plus a piece of art to inspire you. The items included are for 2D media, such as pens, markers, pencils, paints, etc.
This is a review of the $35/month Premium box. SketchBox also offers a $25/month Basic box.
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CODE: SKETCH5
I am from Northern Minnesota, and typically by November 1st, our average lows are in the mid-teens with highs in the 40s-50s. Today was 68 degrees! Though our November SketchBox theme is "Frost" the Minnesota climate is not participating. (And I am totally okay with that for the time being!) Though I will happily enjoy this warm weather as long as I can - you can bet this coming weekend my Christmas decorations will be going up, and everything peppermint and mocha will be debuted. Mimicking the cool colors of frost and Christmas, see what we discovered in this month's SketchBox below!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
First Impressions
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SketchBox runs an ongoing contest to put a subscriber's artwork on the lid of their box. This month the artwork featured a portrayal of what I interpreted as a Greek god created by @missymunrow. Included in the box is information regarding how to enter the monthly contest on the info card. Check it out if you are interested!
What's Inside the Box
Content Card
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Each month we receive a content list of all this month's featured products, along with a short summary of each item and listed retail prices. Also included is a QR code for the SketchBox school where you can learn how to use the materials, try different techniques, and even create your own piece of artwork.
Artist Card
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This month's artist card was created by Buddhika Geasman. Buddhika is based in Austin, Texas and is clearly stellar at Manga, along with other themes. Check her out on Instagram @mochi.peachu for more inspiration!
Sticker
We also received a sticker that coordinates with the theme of the month. Featuring the Comic sketch markers, this depicts the "frost" theme perfectly!
Copic Classic BG02 New Blue - Retail Value $5.85
I love Copic markers and do have some experience with them. Being dual-tipped, these markers are extremely versatile and come in a variety of colors. Not only do they color very professionally, but they are great for fine lines and dot work. Loving the soft blue color, I was very happy to add this particular hue to my collection.
Copic Sketch BG5S Holiday Blue & BG99S Flagstone Blue - Retail Value $11.70
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Besides receiving a Copic Classic marker, we also received 2 Copic Sketch markers. Thinner in diameter, these have a bit more of a brush tip than the classic variety, but also come in amazing colors. Matching the colored pencil colors we received, these really worked well together, and colored beautifully.
Holbein Colored Pencils OP368 Prussian Blue & OP267 Forest Green - Retail Value $8.50
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These are no Crayola pencils people! With a premium feel, these colored pencils glide across the paper leaving beautiful textures and colors behind. Pairing perfectly with the Copic markers, they worked great to sketch out designs, adding a fun colored flair to the base of this months drawing.
Kuretake Manga Liner White & Silver Extra Fine Point - Retail Value $8.00
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Oh my gosh, these Manga Liner extra fine point markers are AMAZING! Creating beautiful highlights and detail work, these markers layer over the other markers and colored pencils we received this month, creating depth and interest. Honestly, this silver marker is my favorite!!
Clairefontaine Manga Marker Paper - Retail Value $14.94
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I have no experience with manga or comic book paper, so I was interested to give this smooth-textured paper a try. Working really well with the included markers, I can see why this is a favorite amongst comic book artists. Not only does this paper seem to help the brilliant marker hues come alive, but it is also a bit see-through, in case you want to do some tracing.
Testing
I am totally digging the blue and silver color combo here, especially when paired with the evergreen accents. Christmas, here we come!
SketchBox November Projects
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Being inspired by the included postcard art this month, I really wanted to try my hand at Manga. A ton of my students are very passionate about this type of art, but I haven't really given it a chance as characters tend to be really hard for me to draw. After a quick Pinterest search, I found some really cute characters and give it a whirl. First using the Prussian Blue colored pencil, I sketched the outline of my anime girl. Alternating highlights with the Copic markers and Manga liners, I added depth to her bob hairstyle, and added the details to her face. Using every item included in this month's box, I created this little sketch of a ribbon wearing gal. Playing around a little more, I sketched out a couple more hairstyles, but probably would benefit from checking out a how-to video to brush up on these character skills.
The Verdict
I love when SketchBox takes me out of my element, and this month it did just that. I have no experience with anime or Manga, and honestly had to look up the difference when I received the November box. While the media was familiar to me, the style of art really wasn't, and trying these supplies out in that way was really fun- especially on the Manga marker paper. Not only was this month's curation new and exciting, but the high-quality supplies actually were more expensive online than the retail values indicated on the content card. Without SketchBox I probably wouldn't have tried this art style, and I found it is one I actually enjoy creating!
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Value Breakdown:
Because most of this month’s products were custom sizes or custom made for SketchBox, it was hard to determine an accurate retail value. BUT, now you can purchase individual products from the Sketch Shop, making it easier to buy more of the items you love! The included contents card had a $48.99 value, which is almost $10 over the cost of the box. Being that I loved every product and this month's theme, I felt it was a very good value, and a neat way to try items I may not have discovered otherwise.
To Wrap Up
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? According to SketchBox's website, the cutoff to purchase the November box was October 21st, but you can still subscribe to get next month's box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: SKETCH5
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