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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Summer break is here, and while I was dreaming of sunshine and butterflies, we've instead received many storms and lots of rain. This has given us some extra inside time, which has been great for getting our closets in order, and for a little creative time. This month's SketchBox arrived right before one of our baseball games, but Charlie was able to whip up a little artwork. Read below to see what I discovered this month and what we created.
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
SketchBox runs an ongoing contest to put a subscriber's artwork on the lid of their box. This month's featured art was created by @dollicius and is of a pretty ballerina. 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 Pamphlet
Instead of the traditional post card, SketchBox has now transitioned to an entire pamphlet featuring the boxes contents, a QR code for the SketchBox school where you can learn how to use the materials, other tips, and even information for your chance at a giveaway! (I really hope I win the 7 piece paper bundle!)
Artist Card
This month's artist card was created by Nikoli Shaver and showcases a portrait giving off some Avengers vibes. More of Nikoli's art can be found on his Instagram page @56minor. Check him out, he is very talented!
Nitram Charcoal Starter Kit - Retail Value $16.99
This month's theme was "Premium Grey Charcoal" and the first item we received was a Nitram Charcoal Starter Kit. This kit is great for artists of all levels and includes extra soft, soft, medium, and hard charcoal, along with a sharpening block with extra pads. Because I don't work a ton with charcoal, I had never seen a sharpening block before, but found the concept quite interesting. Used to sharpen the charcoal sticks to a point, this kit was great for creating varying blends and was fun to use. A great kit to start out with, that is for sure!
CretaColor Charcoal Set- Retail Value $8.49
The next item we received was another set! This pack included soft, medium, and hard charcoal pencils. Easier to hold than the sticks, these were a lot cleaner to use, and created amazingly fine details. While I definitely prefer this type of charcoal to the more natural version, it was really fun to try out both.
Rembrandt Pastel - Retail Value $5.75
Pastels are a little more my style, and I loved the inclusion of this Grey version. Rembrandt is a well known brand, and this pastel created a beautiful smokey highlight when compared with the charcoal. Easy and clean to use, this stick paired great with the charcoal and really rounded out this charcoal box.
Sharpie Peel-Off China Markers - Retail Value $3.06
I have been using Sharpie markers for many, many years, and had never known about these "Peel-Off China Markers". Designed to write on porous and non-porous materials, these markers work on glass, plastic, metal, and porcelain! Even better - there is no sharpening required, you just pull the string when you need more pigment! Fade and water-resistant, this marker is a great tool for artwork as well as around the house projects. A great inclusion for an already great box.
Hero Arts Blending Brush - Retail Value $3.99
The next item we received was this blending brush. In the shape of a fancy toothbrush, this soft brush is perfect for blending charcoal and pastels. With thick bristles, it creates a really subtle blend for a muted look, and is oh so soft on the fingers.
Kneaded Eraser - Retail Value $1.80
If your fingers or the blending brush have brought out too much color, we also received a kneaded eraser to crisp up edges! Soft and doughy in texture, this eraser can be manipulated into any form you need to clean up details and erase excess pigment. A fun fidget, this eraser is definitely one of my boys' favorite inclusions, and is really helpful.
Stillman & Bern Nova Series - Retail Value $9.99
The last item we received was a 15 sheet pack of 4"X6" grey paper. This mixed-media paper is great for dry media, ink, and light washes. It's slightly textured and allows charcoal to stick without losing the ability to achieve smooth blends. A great color combo with the charcoal and Rembrandt pastel, this was a perfect addition.
Testing
I'm no charcoal expert, but I love the varying looks of the charcoal kit and pencils. I love the many inclusions we received this month, and found the variety useful and fun!
SketchBox June Project
Like I mentioned above, this month I had a little more time to create, but found myself with a bit of an artist block. Charcoal is a medium I typically struggle using because I just don't love the messiness involved with it, but I gave it my best go. I started out sketching a rose, and ended up hating the blending result, so scraped it. I then moved onto a bird, which I became a little more comfortable with. Utilizing every single item in this month's box, I created the little guy, which turned out to be my favorite. After gaining some confidence, I tried out a landscape scene, and while I learned a few new techniques, didn't really appreciate the unrealistic result. I'm hoping to sit down with a charcoal tutorial soon, so I can create something I really, really love!
Charlie Project
Hank is typically my artist helper, but this month Charlie decided to give it a try. Creating a mountain scene with the pencils, he also utilized the Sharpie Peel-Off markers, the Rembrandt Pastel, and the charcoal sticks. Cute!
The Verdict
SketchBox is a really fun subscription that always keeps me guessing. Each month is a surprise, and you never know what type of supplies you are going to receive! This month's curation did not include my favorite medium, but did teach me a lot. We received enough supplies to create 15 pieces of artwork, along with the tools to create many more. The kits and sets were very high quality and great for beginners and experts alike. I enjoyed discovering the Sharpie Peel-Off markers, and overall thought this was a really fun box. I can't wait to see what we will discovered in July. Any guesses?
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Value Breakdown
Because some 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 $50.07 value, which is over $10 more than the cost of the box. 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 June box was May 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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