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.
November is here, and the weather is finally starting to turn! I still have one beautifulhollyhock flowerhanging on, untouched by the frost, but I have a feeling its days arenumbered. Football is officially over, andit looks like we have three weeks this month withouta single sports practice. I’d say that’s a much-neededbreak!
As I write this, I’m actually enjoying six days of being family-free. The men have headed outon a hunting trip,leaving me home all by myself. I didn’t realize just how quiet the housecould be without all the usual hustleand bustle. And yet, here I am, only two days in, andalready feeling a little lonely! On the bright side, I’vemanaged to squeeze in some creativetime. Not having to prepare a big dinner for anyone has given me thechance to sit down,relax, and create—and it feels so good!
This month’s SketchBox brought a project that’s a little different from what I’m used to, andI’ve already hada chance to dip my toes in and give it a try. So, let’s dig in and see what newsupplies I have to play with andput to good use!
This month's SketchBox arrived packed with fresh art supplies and an awesome step-by-step tutorial, giving me the perfect opportunity to try out some new artistic skills that I finally had a little time to explore. Read on to see what was included and how my project turned out!
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 (this time with white lettering) 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 included in your box, along with extra tips, helpful information, and details on how to enter the monthly giveaway. I especially love that this month’s pamphlet even includes a written and illustrated tutorial!
You’ll also find the winner of the monthly art contest featured inside the pamphlet. This section was previously showcased right on the shipping box, so I think it’s a fun way to continue highlighting the talented artists who participate. This month’s winning artwork, created by Carie Varner was a beautiful portrait of Dolly Parton! Check out more of her work on instagram at @carievarner. She's truly talented!
Zebra Fountain Pen 7 - Set - Retail Value $25.31
I have to say, now that SketchBox includes illustrated tutorials in their pamphlets, I tend to look at the pictures before even reading the title of the monthly theme. And let me tell you, I was a little intimidated when I saw the intricate mandala-style artwork we would be creating this month! I knew we would receive all the necessary supplies, but the design looked a bit time-consuming and, honestly, a little scary!
That being said, I was thrilled to find the first item in the box: a seven-piece set of fountain pens! I honestly had no idea Zebra made these pens in such fun colors. The set includes black, blue, fuchsia pink, purple, red, green, and turquoise. Each pen features a stainless steel 0.6 mm tip and gives me that old-fashioned feeling of writing with a feather pen under the glow of an oil lamp. There's just something charming about them!
I did notice that some colors had a much freer ink flow than others. I'll be honest, they didn't work quite as well on the vellum as a felt-tip marker would have, but I absolutely love writing with them on regular paper! They worked well enough for the included tutorial, but I think I'll be tucking these away with my cards and stationery for writing thank-you notes and sending cards. I love the colors, and they are just so much fun to write with!
SketchBox Circle Drawing Tool - Retail Value $13.99
The next item we received was a tool for creating circles in mandalas. In theory, it should work great, but I had a really hard time getting the hang of it! I held it in the center as instructed and used a mechanical pencil in the hole to spin it around. Unfortunately, my pencil kept breaking, and no matter how firmly I pressed down in the center, the tool would shift, causing my circles to come out uneven. My finger holding it in place also kept getting in the way, so you'll see that my mandala ended up a little lopsided!
I gave it quite a few tries and did learn from the online tutorial that drawing arcs is much easier than attempting full circles, so it's best to start there. However, I really wanted to complete this month's illustration to share with you!
This is definitely a tool I'll need to practice with, but it was fun trying something new! I've never used anything like it before, so I was excited to receive it. Despite the learning curve, I can definitely see it coming in handy for some of my future art projects!
Edding 1880 Drawliner Black, 0.3mm - Retail Value $3.35
You know I love a good fineliner pen, so this was a great inclusion! This black 0.3mm pen has a metal tip and a fine nib that delivers rich, dark ink. It worked beautifully on the included vellum and was perfect for adding details and tracing. I just love these pens!
SketchBox Signature Brush Liner in Straw and Smoke - Retail Value $5.50
The next item I received this month was a set of SketchBox Signature Brush Liners in Straw and Smoke. These little brushes are thin and lightweight, making them great for coloring in the spaces of the mandala. They did tend to smear a bit on the vellum, but I still enjoyed trying them out! A fun inclusion that I'll definitely be putting to use in future pieces!
Clearprint Design Vellum Bristol - Retail Value $8.82
The last item I received was a pad of vellum paper. This 4" x 6" paper is thin and transparent, giving your artwork a unique look. You can even add ink to both sides for different effects! I used vellum for my wedding invitations 20 years ago and loved the look, so it was fun to work with it again after all this time. A neat and unique addition to this month's box, and a fun set overall!
Testing
I sure love the colors these pens and markers came in! They are so bright and cheery!
SketchBox November Project
As I mentioned above, this month we received a step-by-step tutorial for creating a mandala. If you don't look too closely, you might not notice that my circles are a little off... or maybe you will! Ha! Looking back, I probably shouldn't have colored the design in the center green, as it ended up looking a bit like a giant pot leaf. Oh well!
I did find the process therapeutic, just as the theme suggested, but I wasn't completely happy with how my circles turned out or the lines left by the pens. Overall, though, it was fun to experiment with these new supplies, discover some new tools, and play with vellum again after so many years. I'll just have to keep practicing those circles!
The Verdict
SketchBox is a fantastic subscription service that delivers high-quality art supplies across a wide variety of mediums. This month's Therapeutic Drawing Premium Box featured a medium that was fun to work with, included some really beautiful colors, and offered a great opportunity to try something new. With enough supplies to create multiple pieces of artwork, I was very happy with the overall curation and variety in this box and absolutely loved the included tutorial!
Although my schedule is still a bit busy, I'm looking forward to putting these supplies to good use during my little break from sports. I can't wait to experiment with some more mandala designs and continue practicing with these new tools. Overall, I had a lot of fun with this month's box, and I'm already looking forward to seeing what December 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 Therapeutic Drawing Premium Box $40. The included contents card had a $56.97 value, which is quite a bit 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 November's box was October 21st, but you can still subscribe to get next month's box or buy this box in their shop as the Therapeutic Drawing Premium Box.
What do you think of SketchBox?
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