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SketchBox Subscription Box October 2022 Review + Coupon

Becca Peterson
ByBecca PetersonOct 6, 2022 | 4 comments

SketchBox
3.5 overall rating
16 Ratings | 8 Reviews

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

Time sure flies when you are having fun! In Minnesota, the leaves are at their peak as far as color changing goes, and this weekend's summer-like temperatures have left me in hog heaven! Being back in the swing of things, school wise, I have been very much in need of some stress relief, so this month's SketchBox arrived in the nick of time. Like always, I was excited to see what this month's curation might be and was hoping for something to mimic the beautiful fall colors. Read below to find out what I discovered.

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 the artwork featured a lovely bird created by @erinwags. Included in the 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

 

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

 

This month's artist card was created by Aliya Smith. Aliya is based in Atlanta and creates art that focuses on surreal femininity and nature. Not only are her pieces gorgeous, but her featured piece is also on this month's paper pad as well. How inspiring!

Sticker

We also received a sticker that coordinates with the theme of the month. I'm loving the little pot of ink - suited perfectly for this fall box!

Koh-I-Nor Rapidogaph Ink Black India and Orange - Retail Value $10.78

While I am familiar with a variety of watercolor brands, I don't have much experience with rapidograph ink and was excited to give it a try. With a screw top nozzle, this ink was easy to pour out onto the palette and fill the paint pen. I appreciate the secureness of the screw on cap and noticed how clean it kept the bottle and surrounding areas. Orange and black are our school colors, and just in time for Halloween, so I was happy to receive them. I found the colors to be highly pigmented and brilliant as well as waterproof. I love that these are made in the U.S.A. and I have my eye on a few more of these ink colors because they are absolutely divine.

KingArt Inkline Painting Pen - Retail Value $8.99

 

I am fascinated with calligraphy and have tried a variety of pens, but just haven't found anything I am very good at using yet. When I first took a look at this tool in the box, I wasn't sure what it was for, but quickly discovered it was a painting pen that can be used for calligraphy! Easy to hold and highly detailed, this is perfect for tiny letters and has superior ink control. Also including a cleaning tool, this might just be my new favorite letter writing device as it has a bit more of an organic feel when compared to my other contraptions.

KingArt Inkline Set - Retail Value $9.00

 

There is no such thing as too many pens, so I was thrilled to receive this set of 3 Inkline's. Featuring three different nib sizes, these tips are perfect for sketching, coloring in areas, and writing. All three sizes are versatile, and work to create a dark, distinguished line.

Princeton Flat Wash Brush - Retail Value $3.00

 

Princeton brushes are some of my faves because of how well they hold up and how comfortable they are to use. This flat brush is no exception, and this red and gold tool not only looks distinguished, but paints really nicely too.

4 Well Palette - Retail Value $1.50

While I have a little collection of palettes from other art boxes, I like to have the ability to trade some of my grungier ones out from time to time, so this inclusion was perfect for me. With 4 wells, you are able to create a variety of color gradients with this month's ink. Storing easily these are always great to have on hand and wash up really well.

Marabu Aqua Pad - Retail Value $10.99

 

The last item in this month's box was a custom watercolor painting paper pad by Graphix. With 20 sheets of 4.1" X 5.8" paper, this pad gives you the capability to create 20 different pieces of artwork. When using this paper, I did discover it isn't as heavily weighted as I typically like for watercolor. I did have a lot of curl action happening, but the inks did not bleed through. It's the perfect size for a postcard, and I made a few to send out to friends.

Testing

Brilliant orange and fantastic blacks come together for the perfect October box!

SketchBox October Projects

 

Because the main color we received in this month's box was orange, I had pumpkins (and calligraphy) on the brain. Starting off slow, I first just painted an entire postcard in varying gradients of orange, testing out the painting pen to write "Hello." From there, I decided to sketch out a tree using all three inkline pens. Diving into my pumpkin visions, I created two using the inks, paint pen, and inkline pens. Opting only to use the Black India ink, I created a butterfly with the painting pen, followed by a tiger.

What a fun curation! I just couldn't stop!

The Verdict

This month of SketchBox was definitely right up my alley. Because orange and black are two of my favorite colors, the possibilities for me were endless. While the media was a bit new to me this month, as was the painting pen, I had so much fun testing everything out and just plain creating. Not only was this curation exciting and interesting, but the supplies included were high-quality and substantial in size, giving me the opportunity to create more than 20 pieces of art with one box. Without SketchBox I wouldn't have discovered more than half of the brands I've been exposed to, and my boys' lunch box notes would be so boring! I love this box!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

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 individual products from the Sketch Shop, making it easier to buy more of the items you love! The included contents card had a $52.19 value, which is almost $20 over the cost of the box. Being that I loved every product and this month's theme, I felt it was a very good value, and a neat 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 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

What do you think of SketchBox?

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SketchBox delivers premium art supplies right to your doorstep along with a unique piece of art to help inspire you. They feature a new artist every month and encourage you to share your art with the world. What would you make if art supplies were delivered to you every month?

Becca Peterson
Becca Peterson

I am a wild and crazy mom of 2 boys and work in the public education system as an Indigenous Support Advocate. I love all things outdoors, beauty, crafts, and food. Living the simple life in the country, we spend a lot of time hiking, camping, fishing, and hunting. Oh, and I absolutely adore my high school sweetheart aka my husband of almost 17 years!


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4 comments

Alice

What a great box. You are so creative and talented. Your Tiger is fabulous and has amazing personality and strength.

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Cc

Agreed! I love reading reviews for this box and seeing what’s created.

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Becca

Thank you so much CC!!! Your kindness is much appreciated! ❤

Becca

Thank you so much Alice! 🥰 I always appreciate your comments so much! ❤️

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