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.
January is here, and I was so ready to ring in the new year! After a challenging 2025, I needed a fresh start—and here we are. One of my New Year’s resolutions this year was to start crafting more. My kids are at very busy ages with sports, so I may need to get creative to make this resolution work. Luckily, this month’s SketchBox arrived just in time to help me get started during our break! Read on to see what I 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
Each month, SketchBox sends a lovely curation of supplies in a simple white box featuring key information and a QR code. Everything is packaged in bright blue tissue paper and arrives safe and secure. It’s always a special treat when I see this in my mailbox!
What's Inside the Box
Content Pamphlet
Instead of the traditional postcard, SketchBox has switched 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 information on how to enter a giveaway. This month even features a written (and illustrated) tutorial!
You’ll also find the winner of the monthly contest highlighted in the pamphlet—a spot that used to be reserved for the shipping box. This month’s winning artwork, created by @vittattoos, features a really cute fancy hat with a peacock feather. It’s charming in both color and texture—be sure to check out their Instagram; the tattoos they’ve done are amazing!
SKETCHBOX SIGNATURE Watercolor Brush Markers - Retail Value $17.30
These watercolor brush markers come in gorgeous shades like sunflower, Himalayan poppy, rose, peach blossom, stem green, and lilac. The flow is amazing—they’re juicy with pigment and incredibly vibrant right out of the brush. Featuring a real bristle brush, they were really fun to color with and felt high quality in hand. I was a bit heavy-handed at first and still need practice learning how to apply lighter pressure so I can go back over them with water for a more subtle effect. Even though they were harder to use than they look, I had a great time experimenting with them and absolutely loved the colors.
Akashiya SAI Brush Pen Thinline- Purple - Retail Value $5.05
The next item I received was a purple thin-line brush pen. It was perfect for linework and fine details, with a really beautiful dusty purple tone. Easy to use and a color that blends seamlessly with all of the brush markers, this pen was a fantastic addition to the box.
Akashiya Said Watercolor Brush Pen - Burnt Umber Brown - Retail Value $3.61
The Burnt Umber watercolor brush pen was another great inclusion in the box. It’s a high-quality watercolor brush marker that fit the curation perfectly. I really enjoyed muting the tones with water and experimenting with the depth of the color. It added a nice warmth and versatility to my piece.
Toison D'or Graphite Pencil B - Retail Value $1.10
This watercolor box just wouldn’t be complete without a pencil. We received a Toison d’Or Graphite Pencil (B), which is very high quality and sketches beautifully. I used it to sketch out my drawing this month and loved how it felt in my hand, as well as how smoothly the lead flowed across the paper.
Copic Multiliner .3 - Cobalt - Retail Value $3.99
If you’ve ever read my reviews, you know that Copic Multiliners are some of my favorite pens, and this one is no exception! With a 0.3 mm nib, it’s tiny but perfect for fine details. I don’t have many blue pens, so this was a great addition to my art collection—and one I know will get a lot of use.
Sketchbox Signature Brush - Round 2 - Retail Value $8.99
The SketchBox Signature Brush in Round 2 is a great brush with a versatile flow that’s easy to control. It performed especially well for florals, allowing for both delicate details and expressive strokes. This brush quickly became a favorite for adding organic movement to my work.
Van Gogh Watercolor Paper - Retail Value $8.75
The last item I received was a pad of Van Gogh watercolor paper. With ten white sheets, this 300 gsm, 4" × 6" paper is usually only available in Europe, but SketchBox brought it to us! It withstood a ton of water and performed beautifully for watercolor, making it a fantastic addition to the box.
Testing
Aren't these bright colors gorgeous?! I loved the curation this month!
SketchBox January Project
I’m really happy that SketchBox has started including tutorials with their box content flyer. This month, we received step-by-step instructions to create a floral watercolor piece. Watercolor is my jam, but brush markers are still a bit new to me. The tutorial gave me some helpful tips and introduced a few new techniques, though I was still a little too heavy-handed. Overall, I really enjoyed the beautiful colors and design, and I plan to try it again in the coming weeks for a more polished result.
The Verdict
SketchBox is a fantastic subscription service that delivers high-quality art supplies across a wide range of mediums. This month’s Floral Watercolor Premium Box offered a medium that I love, though was challenged with the marker aspect! With enough products to make multiple pieces of artwork, I was really happy with the amount of products in this curation. While my schedule has been busy, I am looking forward to utilizing these more in the near future. Overall, I had a ton of fun, and I can’t wait to see what February’s box has in store. Any guesses?
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Value Breakdown
You can find some of these items as a set in the Sketch Shop listed at the top of the page as the Color Shift Watercolor Box for $30. The included contents card had a $48.79 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 January box was December 21st, but you can still subscribe to get next month's box or buy this box in their shop as the Floral Watercolor Premium Box.
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