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.
August is here—and so are all the feelings. We've lived our summer life to the fullest, but I'm still not ready for it to end. To help ease the August blues, this month's SketchBox arrived just in time to get us inspired for the upcoming county fairs. Read on to see what we came up with!
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 used to have an ongoing contest where a subscriber's artwork was featured on the lid of their box. For the past few months, they’ve been sending out repeat boxes—likely to use up inventory—but they mentioned that new artwork would return in the new year. However, we've still been receiving repeat boxes up until now. But here’s a twist—there’s no artwork on the box at all this time! It looks like they’ve decided to continue showcasing the winning artwork on the back of the pamphlet instead, which you’ll see below.
What's Inside the Box
Content Pamphlet
Instead of the traditional postcard, SketchBox has transitioned to a full pamphlet that showcases the box’s contents. It includes a QR code for SketchBox School—where you can learn how to use the materials—along with extra tips and details on how to enter a giveaway. This month even features a written tutorial! You’ll also find the winner of the monthly contest featured in the pamphlet, a spot that’s usually reserved for the shipping box. This month’s winning artwork, created by @amysi_experiments, is a lovely still life of a pear. Simple yet detailed, the piece beautifully captures the fruit’s form and texture. Be sure to check out Amy Si’s Instagram to see more of her amazing work!
SketchBox Signature 6-Set Acrylic Brush Markers - Retail Value $23.94
The first item we received this month was definitely the hero of the box! Packaged in a convenient plastic storage case, we got six SketchBox Signature acrylic brush markers. I have to say, I’ve tried my fair share of paint markers—and while everyone goes gaga for POSCA markers, these perform just as well! Featuring brown, orange, green, blue, red, and purple, this set offers a solid color foundation. The hues are not only bright and beautiful but also seriously pigmented. The paint works on a variety of surfaces, is easy to control, and the markers pack away neatly. I was genuinely stoked to receive this set!
Karin Pigment Real Brush in Lilac and Ochre - Retail Value $13.98
The next items we received were another brand of pigment markers—this time, water-based. Beautiful in color, we received two shades: lilac purple and ochre yellow. These markers have slightly smaller brush tips but are just as easy to use. Their pigmentation and coverage are impressive, and they’re definitely comparable to POSCA. This month’s box is shaping up to be a great one!
POSCA PC-350 Brush - Retail Value $11.50
Ahhh, the coveted POSCA! I truly love this brand of marker, and I’m especially obsessed with the gold pigment. This one features a pump-action mechanism, which is a bit different from other POSCAs I’ve used, but it still delivers excellent coverage and rich color. The brush tip allows you to get into tighter spaces, though I find it better suited for covering larger areas. It also writes beautifully for bold calligraphy—I just can’t get enough of that metallic sparkle. Overall, a superb win for this month’s box!
Prismacolor Col-Erase - Retail Value $1.38
I have to admit, after the excitement of the amazing paint pens, seeing a pencil felt a bit underwhelming—but I did appreciate the fun pink color. It comes with a high-quality eraser and is definitely more of a sketching tool than a coloring one. It leaves just a light trace of your ideas, making it perfect for painting, watercoloring, or anything in between. I've found it's also a great tool for my kids, who tend to press too hard with regular pencils and go through a lot of paper. So while it’s definitely useful, it kind of felt like lighting a bottle rocket right after a grand finale of fireworks. 🤣
Clairfontaine Bristol Pad - Retail Value $8.99
The last item we received was a pad of Clairefontaine Bristol paper. It includes 10 sheets of 4" x 6" paper—perfectly suited for paint pens thanks to its smooth texture that holds the paint well without curling. A great finish to this month’s box—I can’t wait to get creating!
Testing
Aren’t these colors gorgeous?! I absolutely love how "juicy" the markers are! Every item in this box was truly amazing!
SketchBox August Projects
Over the past few months, SketchBox has been including step-by-step instructions, paired with beautiful illustrations, to help guide the creation of a featured art piece. This month, I decided to take my own creative path and ended up making a couple of different pieces.
The first was a sort of abstract poppy design that made full use of every item in this month’s box. I had so much fun experimenting with the markers that I couldn’t resist pulling out some of my other paint markers to create a landscape piece as well. These markers and pens are truly awesome!
Charlie Art
There was no way Charlie could resist the bright colors and fun these paint pens had to offer! Staying true to his signature nature-themed style, he created a flower piece and began working on a woodland scene. Honestly, there’s nothing better than making art with the ones you love!
The Verdict
SketchBox is a fantastic subscription that delivers high-quality art supplies across a wide variety of mediums. This month’s Paint Marker Premium Box might have just overtaken my love for watercolors! With a storable set and some fun extras, I was completely hooked. There were enough materials to create at least 10 pieces of artwork, and I was genuinely impressed with the curation. I’m looking forward to continuing to experiment with them throughout the rest of our break. Overall, I had a ton of fun and I can’t wait to see what we’ll discover in September. Any guesses?
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Value Breakdown
You can find all these items as a set in the Sketch Shop listed at the top of the page as the Paint Markers Premium Box for $40. The included contents card had a $59.79 value, which is higher than the cost of the box and 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 August box was July 21st, but you can still subscribe to get next month's box or buy this box in their shop as the Paint Markers Premium Box.
What do you think of SketchBox?
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