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.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: SKETCH5
Hellllllooooo September! While I am so not ready for this month, here we are! With a change of schedule and routine because of the new school year, I definitely was in major need of some creative time, so SketchBox arrived at the perfect time! 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 Carie Vaner and featured a rocking-awesome bird. 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 Niky Motekallem and showcases some really beautiful colors and designs. My favorite is definitely the hydrangea, as those were one of my flowers that flourished in our dry summer. More of Niky's work can be found on their instagram page @royalghostmarch, or on their website: nikymotekallem.com. Check them out, they are very talented!
Sticker
This month's sticker features a comic version of the included gouache. What a fun little sticker!
Holbein Artist's Gouache - Retail Value $24
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Gouache is an opaque watercolor that consists of natural pigments that dries in a matte finish. This type of paint can be used in a similar manner to watercolor, but will always produce vibrant opaque colors. We received four 5 mL tubes of gouache, including Elm Green G849, Iron Oxide Red G832, Gardenia Yellow G824, and White G885. I have a little experience with this type of medium and have enjoyed using it in the past. It's thicker than traditional watercolor, and more workable than acrylic. The colors are fantastic, as was this month's color combo. See what I created below!
Archer & Olive Acrylograph Pen - Retail Value $6
The second item we received was an Archer & Olive Acrylograph Pen. This unique pen is filled with a water-based acrylic ink that comes out like paint. It's of a beautiful burgundy hue, and is great for fine lines and details.
Sketchbox Signature Filbert Brush Size 6 - Retail Value $7.50
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One of my favorite inclusions each month is the brush. Because I am a brush hoarder, this size 6 was perfect to add to my collection. Larger in size than I typically use, this was great for filling in wide areas and creating flowing lines. Depending on the way you hold it creates a variety of strokes, and it is definitely comfortable in my hand.
Graduate Natural Mixed Media Pad - Retail Value $7.99
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The last item we received was a 3" X 7" graduate natural mixed media pad. With 15 sheets, this beige toned paper works great for the included gouache medium. Perfect for dry or wet media, we found this paper to work well with supplies of all sorts, and was a really fun size. Bookmarks anyone?
Testing
Fall is in the air! Just look at those fantastic autumn hues. Bring on the pumpkin spice and sweaters!
SketchBox September Project
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Ahhhh September. You know how I said September was a complete change in routine and schedule for me? Well, it's got me thrown for a loop, and my creativity is taking a bit of a hit. As you can see, I don't have any progress pictures, and that's because my son accidentally deleted said photos. Whoops! Because this month's colors gave me fall vibes, I decided to utilize them in a fall inspired way.
With pumpkins, and birds, leaves, and acorns, I honestly didn't have a whole lot of time to work on this, and my end project shows. While I loved testing out the gouache and acrylograph pen, this is definitely not my best work, but one that did bring my anxiety down a little and was fun to create. The gouache is a thicker medium, but adding a little water thins it out. They were fun to use, as was the pen. I can't wait to take more time this month to create something a little more meaningful once my schedule settles down a bit. Any suggestions?
The Verdict
SketchBox is a really fun subscription and one of my faves. I love art, and feel fulfilled after sitting down and creating something. Painting is also one of my favorite past times for relaxing and letting go of some anxiety, even if the finished product isn't exactly wall worthy. This month I really enjoyed the set of Gouache, and the other included supplies and can't wait to test them out a little more. 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 $45.49 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 September box was August 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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