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
Honestly I have no idea what's happening. How in the world did the calendar flip to August?! With only 26 days left of my summer vacation I am in full panic mode and feel like I have done nothing to relax and unwind. Since my last review we have added a puppy to the mix, along with a ton of baseball, and I am seriously worn out. This month's SketchBox literally arrived the day I had a few spare minutes to actually breathe and get creative. Read below to see what I discovered this month and how I utilized it.
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 months featured art was created by Anita Baker and featured a lovely lil' peach. Included in this 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 Carter McGuyer and showcases some really neat shapes and designs. Carter is an Industrial Designer and founded his own Design Group. He holds more than 50 patents and has brought more than 750 products successfully to market. Awesome! More of Carter's work can be found on his instagram page @Carter.mcguyer.design, or on his website: cartermcguyer.com. Check it out, he is really talented!
Sticker
This month's sticker features a comic version of the OLO marker. While cute, I personally was hoping for it to include one of the bright green items this month because they were so vibrant!
Copic Ciao YG03 - Retail Value $5.49
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Alcohol markers are so cool! Truly being an artists tool, these glide across paper and legit look like professional illustrations. Featuring a brush and chisel tip, this marker colors in large spaces nicely, and can be used for smaller details. The vivid green color is remarkable and can be layered for new hues. While I do have this specific brand and type of marker in my collection, this green was new to me and a welcomed treat!
Copic Sketch YG06 - Retail Value $7.99
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Similar to the Copic Ciao marker, we also received a Copic Sketch marker in a darker green hue. Even more vibrant than the previous marker, this too has a brush and chisel tip and blends beautifully. Layering nicely with the other green colors, I am loving the foliage theme so far and can't wait to see what else we receive!
OLO Marker - Retail Value $7.49
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What an interesting concept. The next product we received is actually a new product called an OLO Marker. This marker features two internal reservoirs and unscrews, apparently lasting twice as long as others. With two different hues of grey, one in a chisel tip and one in a brush tip, these blend nicely and pair well with the green markers. Similar to the Copic alcohol markers, this brand colors a large area with little streaking and is just plain fun to use.
PanPastel Bright Yellow Green - Retail Value $8.29
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Pastels have always scared me a bit, but I was pretty excited to utilize this lime green version. Packaged in this plastic screw container for easy storage and cleanliness, we also received a foam blender. A little bit goes a long way, and it added a beautiful pop of color to this month's art.
SketchBox Signature Blending Stump 3 Set - Retail Value $3.00
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To assist in blending the pastels, we also received this SketchBox Signature Blending stump. With three different sizes, they allow for the finest pigment control. Utilized in small spaces, this is a great way to add color, and worked really well for this month's artwork.
Pentel Soft Eraser - Retail Value $1.49
Sometimes a person either goes too far with pastels, or needs to incorporate some highlights, so we received a Pentel Soft Eraser. This rectangular gem works well, and as the packaging says "The eraser dust will stick together." A great inclusion to an already great box.
Faber-Castell Goldfaber Sketching Pencil 4H - Retail Value $1.00
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Generally I use pencils with erasers on them, but this Faber-Castell Goldfaber Sketching Pencil felt great in my hand. With a hard lead tip, this felt a little different than a Number 2, but in the most professional way. Excellent for sketching and jotting down notes, I enjoyed the way this ran on the paper and am heavily considering ordering a few more to add to my stash.
Copic Multiliner Olive .3mm - Retail Value $3.99
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SketchBox must know about my affinity to Copic Multiliner pens because we have received one in the last few boxes, all in different colors of course, and I am sooo 1000% okay with it! This month's olive version has a 0.3mm tip, so it is tiny, but is great for adding lines and detail to your art. Tracing out this month's frogs perfectly, I really enjoyed this hue and actually wouldn't mind having another...
Borden & Riley Bristol Pad - Retail Value $8.95
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The last item we received was this 20 page stack of 270 gsm, 4" X 6" paper. Perfect for markers and pens, this stiff paper is absorbent and smooth, making it a perfect combination for the Copic alcohol markers. I love making up postcards to send with these sheets, and can't wait to get creating!
Testing
Look at those beautiful greens! This month's color palette is eerily similar this plants leaves, and I am 100% loving it!
SketchBox August Project
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Like I mentioned above, July left me no time for creativity, so here in August I am penciling in daily creative time. Even if it is just five minutes, I need to let the creativity flow as I feel so much better when I do. When I shuffled through this month's supplies I had foliage and frogs on my mind. With a little Pinterest inspiration I came up with a frog cartoon idea and utilized the sketching pencil to draw it out. Adding color via the alcohol markers, I blended in the frogs and added more details. Typically I don't add other mediums, but because I needed just a dab of pink and blue, I borrowed Hank's colored pencils. Swiping the pan pastel colors in, this drawing blended in really nicely. A little silly and a super fun, I had a great time utilizing these supplies and creating this silly little postcard.
Hank's Corner
Though he didn't use any of my supplies this month, Hank did want to share the All-Star Catcher's glove he was working on while I was drawing up my frogs. Art time is so important in our house, and the level of calm that it creates is immeasurable. I can't wait to see what he works on next!
The Verdict
SketchBox is a really fun subscription and one of my faves. Our family loves creating art, and while we are far from professional, the family experience and memories it creates are priceless. I really loved the supplies this month's box contained, and found the color palette very exciting. I have a lot of "Back to School" postcard ideas and can't wait to get started! This month will be hard to beat, but I'm already looking forward to seeing what we discover next month.
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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 some individual products from the Sketch Shop, making it easier to buy more of the items you love! The included contents card had a $47.69 value, which is about $15 over the cost of the box! Because we received exclusive launch items and this amazing of a curation, I felt this was a decent value, and a great 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 August box was July 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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