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
Hello November! Goodbye hot temps and lawn mowing, and hello to snow and ice! While most people may not love this change of season, I am in desperate need of shorter days and more couch snuggles. Along with that is a need for some creativity, so this month's SketchBox arrived in the nick of 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 @Sennyo_Senn and is of a beautiful flower and bee. 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 Spencer Beals and showcases a fantastic depiction of a bird and some crabs. I love, love, love how he utilized the blue and yellow tones, and think this may just be one of my favorites of all time. More of Spencer's art can be found on his Instagram page @beals.art, or on his website: spencerbeals.com. Check him out, he is very talented!
Sticker
This month's sticker features a comic version of the included mini ring ruler. What a cute little sticker!
Curated Marabu Graphic Permanent Marker 6 Set - Retail Value $12.99
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Between journaling, doodling, and labeling things, permanent markers are a household staple for me, so I was very excited to receive this 6 pack of Curated Marabu Graphic permanent markers. Featuring a tangerine, medium blue, stone grey, pink candy, yellow, and black marker, this set has everything you need to create bold and vibrant pieces of art. Dual-tipped and easy to use, these can be utilized for fine details and coloring in larger areas. Very fun and useful, I was extremely excited to check these out this month!
Custom Zig Clean Color Dot Set - Retail Value $9.90
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Now this is a marker set I haven't experienced before, but am happy to have in my life. With rounded dual nibs, these markers are not only beautiful, but create prefect dot shapes in one easy stroke. Even including a metallic silver version, these markers were truly fun to use and color with!
Faber-Castell Goldfaber Sketch Marker - Retail Value $3.69
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Faber-Castell has come out with a new product, and this is it. This dark chrome yellow sketch marker also has dual tips with a small nib, and brush end. The alcohol ink dries quickly, and is great for fine details and filling in large areas with color. I was very impressed with the vibrancy of the yellow, and have added a few other colors of this marker to my ever growing Christmas list.
General's Cedar Point Pencil - Retail Value $0.84
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Finally - a pencil with an eraser! Low in price, but high-quality, this cedar pencil does a great job at sketching. Also, because it includes an eraser, my accidents can be swept away in a blink of an eye. Useful and smart, I think I might have to switch to this brand of pencils for my everyday note taking.
Koala Tools Mini Ring Ruler - Retail Value $9.67
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I love when SketchBox includes tools, so this was a very exciting inclusion for me. Useful for creating mandalas and other circular shapes, I love how easy it is to adjust and use. Overall, this was a neat inclusion that I've never gotten to experience before.
Exclusive Marabu Graphix Mixed Media Pad - Retail Value $9.99
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The last item we received was this pad of mixed media paper. At 4.1" X 5.8" in size, this paper is acid free and lightfast. With 20 sheets included, you have the opportunity to create many masterpieces on this sturdy pad. Also, because this paper is quite thick, the permanent markers don't even bleed through! Bonus!
Testing
Winter is coming! Just look at those fantastically bright hues. Bring on the blizzards and the end of Daylight Savings Time!
SketchBox November Project
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I'll be honest, this month's artist card really inspired me to create some cartoonish doodles with these fun products. Utilizing the pencil, I first drew some fall items and wrote the word "Hello". Because I haven't written to my mama in a little while, I wanted to use this as a postcard for her. Filling in the doodles with the included markers, I was able to use every single color we received. My favorite was obviously the silver dot set, but the smoothness of every single marker was noticeable. While this project wasn't as intricate as some of my other ones, I had a really fun times and can't wait to utilize these products in 19 other ways!
Hank's Corner
With the chill in the air, the boys are spending a lot more time indoors. Because game three of the World Series is on tonight, we of course had to watch that, even though Hank's favorite team didn't make it. He sweetly asked if he could use the new SketchBox supplies, and I was very impressed with the freehand Fernando Tatis Jr. drawing he came up with! I sure love sharing the appreciation of art with my family!
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. I love to doodle, so receiving this type of supplies was definitely a bonus. Discovering new products is fun for me, and I can't wait to try them out a little more. This month was a great one, but I'm already looking forward to see what we'll discover in December. Any ideas?
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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 $46.99 value, which is over $10 more than 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 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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