I’ve always thought the monthly boxes coming to your house seemed fun.

Getting a surprise in the mail every few weeks, who wouldn’t love that? But the reality is fashion and makeup boxes wouldn’t get enough use to justify their price for me.

Till a friend of mine showed me ArtSnacks. It’s pretty easy to understand, every month you get 4-5 new art supplies. I saw several benefits to a subscription like this.

• I love drawing, painting, and hand lettering. My job has me on the computer a lot but writing and drawing is still my home base. New supplies is always fun.
• As much as I love new stuff making the jump to purchase is hard for me. I will agonize in a store over a purchase over simple pens and end then not make a purchase at all. Having a few samples choices made for me takes the stress out and lets me decide what I will want more of.
• When I buy things I stay in my comfort zone. I never buy things without some sort of research or prior experience. Being supplied with the things I would walk right by if I was in a store would give me monthly challenges and room to grow.

So I asked for a subscription as graduation present from my in-laws. My first box came in a few weeks ago, along with the supplies there was a piece of candy, brand stickers, and a “menu” describing your new tools. Starting with my least favorites in the box and working up to what I loved…

• K-12 by Krink (paint pen) Eh, this is definately a “challenge” medium for me. I like the paint itself, it has a beautiful, rich color but ultimately I felt like I was working with white out in the 90’s (because I’m pretty sure that the last time I used whiteout, has it changed?). Would I buy it again? Most likely not.
• Caran d’Ache Grafik Pencil (it’s a colorful pencil) I am certainly not a person who buys pretty pencils. My notebooks and what I use to write in them does not have to match. Usually “artist” pencils are plain black anyway so I don’t typically have options. But I like this pencil. It’s fun colors make me reach for when it’s sitting among among my boring pencils. So yes, it’s just another pencil but I like it. Would I buy it again? Probably not but I’ll use this one till it’s a nub.
• Kum 4 in 1 Sharpener Things I never thought I would love… A pencil sharpener. Maybe I should have seen it coming. I am one of those designers who practices the frowned upon habit of using pens, even the most preliminary stages of design. I do this not because I hate pencils but I hate pencil sharpeners. All the ones I have used in the past break open in my bags and are more pain than they are worth. This sharpener has changed that. It securely closes so when I am not using it I don’t have to treat it like a baby bird. Also it is big enough that I don’t have to empty it every time I sharpen. Would I buy it again? Absolutely and throw out every other sharpener with too.
• Faber-Castell PITT Artist Big Brush Pen This was the only product from this month that I have had prior experience with. I have several smaller brush pens in the same brand and have loved the cost effectiveness and quality of them. I saw the big brush pens in a Blick store but as usual talked myself out of the purchase. This size is defiantly my new preferred. I like thicker weights when I hand letter and this really delivers but still gives nice hairlines (is it still called a hairline it is about the thickness of yarn???) Either way, big brush pens are my new favorite and I will probably choose to order more colors online since local art stores in Augusta don’t carry this size. Would I buy again?  Yep! and I will be!

Overall, I’d say this month was a success. If you add up the individual costs it isn’t too far off from what I would pay in a store and since we don’t have a great art store here and I would probably have to ship most this anyway, it is about the same. It has been a busy few weeks but I have some time off and can’t wait to start messing around with these for real.