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Disclosure: This complimentary box was sent for review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own and no compensation was received.
Smart Art Box
Cost:$49.95/month.
Ships To: United States.
Coupon Code: N/A
Smart Art provides artists with diverse high quality materials that inspire and nourish creativity. Each month subscribers receive a new box featuring a different artist that highlights their time period, 8-11 trial/full sized art supplies, a suggested project and a detailed pamphlet introducing a new art medium.
Smart Art ships via USPS and ships on or around the 1st of the month. If you sign up on or before the 28th of the month you will get the box that will be released on the 1st of the following month, All orders processed after the 28th will ship the month after following month. For example, a purchase made on March 28th will be shipped April 1st. A purchase made on March 29th will be shipped May 1st.
Smart Art sends all sorts of different art supplies and project ideas out, so you never quite know what you will receive.
This month’s Smart Art focused on Venetian masks. These masks date back to the 13th century and were typically worn during Carnevale. They are a symbol of freedom and a way to conceal the identity and social status of the wearer. Wearers are then able to act more freely and interact with others beyond the limits of everyday assembly. The box included the following materials:
~White Paper Mask (Colombina Half-Mask) (~$5): The box included two plain white paper masks to help get you in the spirit for Venetian Carnival. They are
~Ebony Short Handle Paint Brushes (Round 4) ($3.59), (Wash: 1/2″) ($5.99): These brushes are made out of Teijin fiber hair and, according to the information card, are considered one of the best in the world. I haven’t finished my masks (and may post a picture when I do), but I have found these to be amazing. They are firm, but not hard and seemed to make my painting skills better.
~Turner Acrylic Gouache Set of 6 (Retail $48.25, Online: $14.39): Acrylic Gouache is quick drying (which is a good and a bad thing), water resistant and has little to no color shifting after you apply it. Once I got used to them I found that they were really fun to play around with. The colors dry to a “velvet matte finish”.
~Creative Mark Ultimate Glitter Glue Bronze ($0.99): The final item in the package was a bronze glitter glue. The information / instruction booklet has some great examples on how to use it, but I haven’t gotten quite that far yet. It seems to be easy enough to apply, although I know my hand is not steady enough for some of the amazing detail they achieved.
I can’t say that my Smart Art projects ever look like the pictures in the booklet (or even close), but I do have a good time with them. You really don’t need to be an artist to enjoy this box, just someone who likes doing art projects!
What do you think of Smart Art? If you are interested in subscribing or want to learn more you can check them out here.
