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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CODE: SKETCH5
So spring is well upon us, but here in Minnesota, today's low was 0 degrees. Wednesday we are in for a blizzardy mix, and I have to say I am just plain over it! I love all four of our very distinguished seasons equally, but I am ready for the vibrant hues of green, pink, and yellow that spring and summer bring. That being said, this month's SketchBox had those brilliant colors I've been needing in my life, and in my favorite medias: markers and watercolor! Read below to find out what I thought of April'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
Usually, SketchBox includes a detailed list of each product included and why it was chosen. But this month, due to a carrier delay, we didn't receive our product list and featured artist cards. The link to the SketchBox School is up to date with this month's tutorial, showing us exactly how to use each of our tools. I love this feature and find the tips and tricks very helpful. I have to say, I did miss the inclusion of the artist card this month (especially after seeing the sneak peek online) and am hoping we get both the April and May's artist card next month.
Each month we also receive a sticker that coordinates with the theme of the month. This time our custom sticker features one of our trio markers, which happened to be my favorite item in the box. Cute!
Spectrum Noir TriColour Aqua in Floral Meadow - Retail Value $14.69
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Markers are a staple in our home. My kids love to draw, paint, and color, and while their collection is that mostly made of Crayola, mama has her own collection. While my stash manages to keep on growing, I don't have any of these Spectrum Noir TriColour markers, and I have to say I love them! Breaking apart into three colors each, these brilliantly colored markers are also water-soluble, which makes them perfect for mixing and blending like watercolor. I am obsessed with the array of colors, and the fact that the set includes nine different hues, means they take up less space - now I can order even more! Woot Woot! I also love the workability of the tips, and how easy they are to create depth by adding layers. I am definitely a fan!
Ecoline Liquid Watercolor - Retail Value $4.84
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I have several bottles of liquid watercolor, and though I find it to take up more space, I prefer this version to palettes. The colors itself is dye-based, and offers an intense, yet transparent color. Buildable and vibrant, I loved this blue and had a lot of fun splashing it onto my projects.
Caran d'Ache Water Brush - Retail Value $9.85
Instead of including a typical brush with our paint, this month we received a fiber tipped water brush for easily blending colors. When you fill it with water, it dilutes the pigment of the markers, blending them ever so nicely. I also read you can fill it with the ultramarine blue watercolor to create your own custom marker but skipped that as it sounded too messy....envison blue paint EVERYWHERE....I am just not that committed or steady handed! 😂 I have a few water brushes, and compared to the styles I own, I can see why this is more on the spendy side. Complete with a plunger, push button, and tight-fitting cap, this is the real deal, and I am happy to add it to my supply collection.
Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Marker - Retail Value $2.83
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Like I have said before, Faber Castell markers are my go-to. I have almost every shape and sized nib in black, and a few in varying colors as well. I love the feel, look, and water-resistance these markers offer and just can't get enough of them. I didn't yet have a walnut brown marker and was happy for the inclusion. Pairing well with the floral theme, I appreciated the thoughtfulness put into this month's curation.
Custom Fluid 100 Cotton Pad - Retail Value $13.00
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To round out this month's collection, we also received a 20-sheet pack of 4" X 7" hot press, 140-pound paper. Made of cotton, and being extremely absorbent and durable, this paper held a lot of water and a lot of color. There was no rippling or curling, and it made for some really cute postcards. The only oddity I found, was the paper pad was adhered on both sides, which made it a little more difficult to rip out than normal. This actually worked out in my favor, as my kids had to bring me the pad to get another paper, which was probably a good thing as they were pretty into creating....
Testing
Bright and beautiful, these colors give me happy thoughts through and through!
SketchBox April Project
After checking out this month's supplies, the vision of a radiant sunset came to my mind when dabbling with these colors. I also was envisioning floral patterns, so I opted to go both ways. Because my kids also wanted in on the action, they too tested out the trio markers, creating memories (and artwork) that will last a lifetime!
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Deciding to try out a floral design first, I sketched out a jungle type floral print with pencil. Adding color with the trio markers, I also used the water brush to blend the colors together for a more fluid look. Though I liked the contrast with the white background, I just had to try out the blue liquid watercolor and added it to the background. And to keep the elements from getting lost, I outlined everything with the Faber walnut brown marker. Bright, lively, and different, I plan on filling this out as a postcard for one of my school buddies as a spring surprise.
Other Work
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Like I said above, I had sunsets on my mind, and created a rough sketch of one using the markers and the water brush. Adding some trees with the walnut brown marker, this was a real quick doodle, but turned-out kind of fun. Hank also wanted to create a sunset postcard but envisioned one of more traditional colors, which I thought turned out fantastic. And Charlie took his creativity to the next level, skipping the bright markers entirely to use the walnut brown marker to create an "old looking treasure map". Charlie hid a candy surprise where "X" marked the spot in our house, sending Hank on a scavenger hunt. Fun for the entire family, we had a great time trying out the tools in this month's SketchBox.
The Verdict
With SketchBox, you just never know what you are going to get, and this month I was extremely impressed. Because the curation was full of items I tend to gravitate to, I couldn't wait to dig in and play with the materials. Because the supplies were easy to use, the kids were excited to give them a whirl, and felt extra special as they are so high quality. I can't wait to create some more postcards to share with friends and play around with new techniques I picked up in the SketchBox school tutorial. I can't wait to see what they have in store for May!
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Value Breakdown:
Unlike last month, this month only featured on custom created item, so I was able to find everything else available online. Using the included retail value for the custom paper, but finding the other items online, I estimated the value of this box at $45.21, which is a little less than usual, but still over a $10 savings from the $35 subscription price point. Because of the thoughtful curation, and the fact that we were able to create projects from start to finish using the supplies in this box, I felt it was fair - though one could always use more markers...... What did you think of this month's curation?
To Wrap Up
Can you still get this box if you sign up today? According to SketchBox's website, the cutoff to purchase the April box was March 21st, but you can still subscribe to get next month's box.
ACTIVE DEAL: Save $5 off your first box!
CODE: SKETCH5
What do you think of SketchBox?
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