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
December is my very favorite month because Christmas is my favorite holiday. This year however, I have found myself so busy, I can barely keep up! Stepping back from the hustle and bustle, I dedicated an evening to sitting down to craft without worrying about the never-ending "to-do" list. The December SketchBox arrived just in time to accompany me in my self-care evening, and I had a blast utilizing this month's goodies. Read below to see what we discovered in the December SketchBox below.
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
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SketchBox runs an ongoing contest to put a subscriber's artwork on the lid of their box. This month the artwork featured a portrait created by @zachariahlebaron. 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
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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
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This month's artist card was created by Nikoli Shaver. Focusing on portraiture and floral illustration, he also helps to create the educational content for each SketchBox and illustrates the monthly sticker! Check him out on Instagram @56minor for more inspiration!
Sticker
This month's sticker (designed by Nikoli Shaver), is a perfect depiction of the Holbein Acrylic Gouache tube we received this month. Cute!
KingArt Pro Fineliner Set - Retail Value $10
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Created custom for this box, this set of 12 fine liners feature water-based ink that reactivate with water. With 0.4 mm lines, they are very thin and perfect for details. I utilized these in this month's artwork as the base sketching tool, and loved the look when water was applied. My son also enjoyed these pens, but didn't test them out with water. A great addition to my collection, these have come in very handy on a variety of medias!
Daniel Smith Dot Card - Retail Value $6
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Also custom created for this box, we received a sheet with 16 colors from Daniel Smith. These watercolors are exquisite, and even with a small amount of each color, last quite some time. Because of the large range of primary colors, less mixing was necessary, and they were bright, brilliant, and beautiful!
Holbein Acrylic Gouache in June Brilliant, Light Green, and Magenta - Retail Value $14.25
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While I have used gouache one or two times previously, I don't have a ton of experience with this medium, so I was excited to give it another try in these fun, bright colors. The directions say this particular acrylic version can be diluted like a watercolor or be used for opaque details like a traditional acrylic paint. Beware, however, that this paint is permanent when dry, unlike traditional gouache. I played around with this both described ways, and really liked the looks of it when utilized dry. It seemed to add more dimension to my work, and was really easy to use.
Princeton Pointed Filbert Size 4 - Retail Value $8.95
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Because watercolor is my jam, these small pointed brushes really are my favorite. Giving you the ability to cover a large amount of space, while still creating fine details is why I choose these over others. Princeton brushes in general are comfortable to hold, look stylish, and don't shed. I was very happy to receive such a great brush in this month's box!
Rembrandt Watercolor Paper 10 Sheets - Retail Value $12.95
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The last item we received this month was a 10 pack of 4" X 6" paper created just for this SketchBox. This highly absorbent, hot press paper, works great with wet mediums. It is textureless and allows for smooth lifework and gradients. Pairing excellently with the fine liner pens this month, it held up to a significant amount of water, and didn't curl at the edges. Something that is very important to me!
Testing
While I feel this box gives more of a June color vibe than December, I am loving the bright colors and variety of mediums contained in this box! Happy vibes all around!
SketchBox December Projects
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As I mentioned before, this month, though barely started, has my anxiety level on high. With the list of things to do, I had to put myself first and take a break. While I didn't necessarily feel "artsy" at the time of opening this box, I was immediately drawn to florals when I discovered the color palette of this month. Reminiscing of a quieter season of my life (I'm off in June from school), I went back to that period through some floral paintings. First sketching it out with the fine liners, I then used the dot card paired with the acrylic gouache to let some of my tension run free. A bit messy and unorganized, this picture is sort of a glimpse into my December mind, which actually helped me be able to sort a few things out!
Hank has suddenly been obsessed with basketball and the NBA, so he used the fine liner pens to draw the logo of the Oklahoma City Thunder team. While not finished, he has a great start, and loved using mom's "fancy pens". He has been throwing around the idea of adding a bit of water to blend some of the harsh lines, but isn't 100%, as he is worried he might ruin it. What do you think?
The Verdict
I love SketchBox, and the fact that this month it helped to reduce my anxiety is a huge bonus for me! Before I was a SketchBox subscriber, I wouldn't set aside time to create, and began to notice pent up emotions I just couldn't express to others. Receiving this monthly box not only helps me release some frustrations but also helps me set aside some "me time" to play around and have fun. Because watercolor is my fave, I loved this month's curation, and was really excited to get more experience with the gouache. I can't wait to see what I discover next month!
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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 $52.95 value, which is over $10 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 December box was November 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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