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
Arts and crafts probably rank number one as my favorite past-time, so you can imagine my excitement when I receive a SketchBox on my doorstep. While I am an amateur artist, I not only love testing out these utensils and mediums myself, but also enjoy sharing them with my family and friends. Finding a box that includes all of the necessary items to create one-of-a-kind art keeps my stress level low, and challenges me to create something using all of the included products - fueling the fun! This month I received some really neat sketching supplies and loved testing them out after the kids headed to bed, paired with a glass of wine. Self-care evening for the win! Read below to find out what I thought of March's box.
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 each month. There's information on how to enter their monthly contest on the info card.
What's Inside the Box
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Each month, SketchBox includes a detailed list of each product included and why it was chosen. Also featured is a link to the SketchBox School, which is the perfect place to go if you are a beginner like me, or if you just need a little inspiration. I really enjoy the videos they create as they go through each product individually and show exactly how they can be used.
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Also included is a card with a drawing by the month's featured artist. For March we received a figurative piece done by Paulette Jo. I suggest checking her out on Instagram as her #100headschallenge work is remarkable!
Each month they also send a sticker that fits the theme of each box. This month we received this awesome sticker depicting a collection of art supplies - how fun!
Derwent Tinted Charcoal Paint Pan Set - Retail Value $28.99
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Charcoal is a medium that I do not have a lot of experience with, so I was excited to receive this unique set of charcoal pans. Tinted in a variety of white, dark moss, thistle, glowing embers, burnt embers, and mountain blue, it took the meaning of charcoal to an entire new level. Using a brush with a small amount of water, the charcoal becomes activated to form an almost watercolor like paint. Blending beautifully and working in a fantastically natural way, I enjoyed this new take on charcoal.
SketchBox Signature ¼” Chisel Tip Brush - Retail Value $10.25
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I am a sucker for brushes, and this chisel-tipped version was a perfect addition to my collection. Used to activate the included charcoal pans, I found the tip of this custom brush perfect for fine details along with broad brush strokes. Versatile and well made, I was happy this was included!
Faber-Castell Pitt Pastel Pencil - Retail Value $1.98
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Another medium I don’t use often is pastels. Way back when, I gave them a try and just found them to be messy and hard to use. Little did I know, they make a pencil version. This cream pencil is fantastically clean to hold, while still being easy to blend and build on. I found the cream color to be more on the yellow spectrum but found it to brighten the earthy tones of the charcoal pans, accenting them perfectly.
Faber-Castell Pitt Charcoal Pencil - Retail Value $2.90
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Along with the pastel pencil, I also received a charcoal pencil. Interestingly enough, it was not sharpened, but once it was, it created beautiful dark lines. Combined with the other supplies, I had a lot of fun with this, and can’t wait to try it out using a few new techniques I picked up from a couple of YouTube videos!
Koh-I-Noor Woodless Graphite 4 Piece Set - Retail Value $6.66
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Now these are some smooooth pencils. I have mentioned previously that I am a pencil person. When I write, I prefer pencils. These graphite beasts are heavier and darker than a traditional pencil and look oh so elegant. While they don’t come with an eraser, they really are magnificent. And I love the fact we received 4 different sized leads for more versatility.
Faber-Castell Extra Large Kneaded Eraser - Retail Value $6.25
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Working in education, I have experienced quite the array of erasers. Did you know they make an eraser to look like just about anything you can imagine? Recently I had a student stretching out what looked like putty only to find out it was a kneaded eraser - exactly like the one we received. This stuff is so cool! With the ability to be molded into any shape or size, it is adaptable to any artwork and is super fun to play with.
Arnhem 1618 Custom Pad - Retail Value $6.98
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To complete this month’s set, we received a pad of bright white, cotton 4” X 6” paper. With a small amount of texture and absorbance, this worked great for the watercolor-like charcoal pans we received and is the perfect size for small prints.
Testing
Earthy and natural, these pigments work well together and can be used in a variety of ways.
SketchBox March Project
I have been toying with the idea of getting a new tattoo and have been finding myself drawn to the more traditional rose design. While I am definitely not artistic enough to design my own tattoo, I decided there is no better time than the present to try out my new graphite pencils and charcoal pans to see what I could come up with.
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Sketching out a very basic - almost cartoonish - rose with the 6B Progresso pencil, I loved the smoothness and heaviness the pencil had. Adding soft lines using the HB, 2B, and 4B pencil I also added dots for more dimension. With the cream-colored pastel, I colored in the rose and rose bud. Dipping the chisel brush into water and activating the charcoal pans, I added the green to the leaves, just like I would watercolor. Using a variety of the other colors, I dabbed them around the petals. For the finishing touch, I decided to add the cream-colored pastel to the background, blending it in to create a soft glow. While not my favorite work, I had a lot of fun trying out all of this month's tools and am excited to use them on a more time-consuming application in the future.
The Verdict
When it comes to SketchBox, I always find myself surprised with its contents. Because they always send high quality art supplies, I know I won't be let down, but am rather excited to tear into the box to see just what I get to work with next. This curation was really fun and opened my eyes to new mediums and techniques that I otherwise would have probably never discovered. I can't wait to play around with the charcoal pencil and pans more - any suggestions for what I should try and create next? Let me know in the comments!
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To Wrap Up
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? According to SketchBox's website, the cutoff to purchase the March box was February 21st, but you can still subscribe to get next month's box!
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: SKETCH5
Value Breakdown: This month we had a pretty even mix of custom created items for SketchBox, and ones that I could find available online. Using the included retail values for the custom items, but finding the other items online, I estimated the value of this box at $54.52, which is close to a $20 savings. Because I otherwise would not have discovered these art supplies without this subscription, I find the $35 price point to be right on par. What do you think will be in store for April?
What do you think of SketchBox?
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