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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October is here, and we are already at mid-quarter in our school session! How in the world does time fly so quickly? With the temperatures slowly cooling off and the leaves starting to fall, I am happy to welcome this change of season into my life as it involves a little more inside time and more time to create! With cross country and baseball ending, I was sooo ready for this month's SketchBox and couldn't wait to carve out a little "me" time. Read below to see what we received!
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, but this month there was a twist. This was a recycled box from a previous month, so the new art was included with the pamphlet instead. It sounds like this will be a change until January, when the new boxes will arrive. The portrait was still cute though!
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! Here you can see the winner of the monthly contest that is usually featured on the shipping box. Created by @Eppowersart, it was a beautiful drawing of a pineapple.
Artist Card
This month's artist card was created by Eun Chang and showcases one of her awesome huskies, which then inspired my monthly art! More of Eun's art can be found on her Instagram page @mozart_carmen. Check her out, she is very talented!
Kuretake Brush Writer Pink - Retail Value $9.95
This month's theme is "Premium Pink Ink" and since pink is one of my very favorite colors, I was excited from the get go. The first item I received was a pink brush writer. This pen was activated once the yellow ring was removed and then squeezed to fill the brush with ink. The vibrant hot pink color was absolutely gorgeous, and the coverage was second to none. To create more gradients of color you are able to dilute with water, so it was a really fun inclusion for this watercolor loving gal! I have not had experience with a brush writer like this before, but I can tell you, I am a fan!
Kuretake Ulimate-Zero Black Ink 20 mL - Retail Value $8.99
The next item we received is exclusive to SketchBox! This 20 mL bottle of black ink is so very dark and beautiful. Drying without shine, the contrast this creates with the pink brush writer is amazing. With a fine nib applicator tip, I utilized this in the bamboo reed pen, as well as with a brush, and had fun diluting it with water for more versatility. Another fun inclusion, I'm excited to play around more with this ink!
Topic Area Dark Rose - Retail Value $4.45
When I received this month's SketchBox, I was secretly hoping for a set of paint pens, so I was really happy to see at least one included this month! On the pamphlet, this Copic Acrea Dark Rose paint pen was listed as a new product, and I was excited to try it out! With a small nib, this pretty pink pen created really nice lines and details when compared to other brands of paint pens. I loved the bubble gum pink color, and appreciated the slight shine to the finish. A great addition to this pink ink box, it helped add some details to the art I created this month!
Bamboo Reed Pen - Retail Value $2.99
The next item I received was one that is definitely new to me. I have never really heard of bamboo reed pens before, so I was intrigued by this. This two sided bamboo stalk has two sharpened ends with an area to hold ink. When you drag this across the paper it creates dynamic textured ink lines, and felt very rustic to use. While I didn't utilize this in my art this month, I did dabble with it on the testing page, and had a lot of fun creating some beautifully dark thick lines!
King Art 7950 Gold Grip - Retail Value $9.99
If you have read my previous reviews, you know I am a brush hog, so I was very happy to receive this size 8 round brush. With an easy to hold handle, and nice sized bristles, this created lovely washes as well as some pretty small details. I was really happy with this inclusion.
Art Alternatives - Retail Value $2.99
I am always up for my palettes, and this cupcake well version was new to me! Featuring two deep wells, this palette has enough space to dilute a variety of colors and mediums. It worked great for diluting the black ink, as well as the pink brush pen. Easy to wash and store, this was a welcome addition to a great box!
Bienfang Mixed Media - Retail Value $9.99
The last item we received was this 20 sheet pad of Bienfang Mixed Media paper. At 160gsm, and 4" X 6" in size, this paper is wonderful for wet and dry media. I saturated this pretty heavily with ink and water, and there was no soaking through of ink. While the edges did turn up slightly after drying, when pressed down, it laid pretty flat when placed in a frame.
Testing
How fun are this month's colors!? I had wayyy too much fun doodling and playing with the bamboo reed pen! Funny coincidence - these were my wedding colors almost 20 years ago!! 🖤💗🖤
SketchBox October Project
If this art looks familiar, you are right - I was inspired by the artist card we received. While I skipped out on some of the technical pink and purple additions, I did have fun creating this design. My version is definitely not as cool as Eun's, but I had so much fun playing with the brushes and adding texture, while learning new techniques along the way. I can't wait to test these out more this weekend when the boys have time to create with me!
The Verdict
SketchBox is a really great subscription that sends high quality supplies in all sorts of different mediums. This month featured a really fun theme that I ended up falling in love with. The colors were right up my alley, and while it was ink, it worked well with my watercolor -loving background! With all high-quality tools, we are geared up with enough supplies to create over 20 pieces of pink and black ink art! I can't wait to see what we will discover in November. 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 $49.35 value, which is close to the cost of the box, but allowed me to discover products I probably wouldn't 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 October box was September 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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