ARTSNACKS AUGUST BOX REVIEW

Hey Everyone!
This month’s Artsnacks box had some familiar favorites in addition to fun new products. My subject matter for my test illustration also inspired an obsession that I’m currently exploring with peony flowers. Let’s have a look at this month’s box!

Items in the Box:

• L’Aquarelle Canson Heritage Watercolor Paper (BONUS ITEM)
• Dixon Ticonderoga #2 Pencil
• Robert Simmons Watercolor Brush Round Size 1
• Daler-Rowney Aquafine Watercolour, Half Pan Twin Set
• Kuretake Nihondate Kabura Fude Brush Pen No. 55
• The Snack – DumDums

L’ Aquarelle Canson Heritage Watercolor Paper (BONUS ITEM)
This 300gsm cold pressed watercolor paper was previously also featured in the April box. The thing I like the post about this paper is that it doesn’t warp hardly at all when wet. For me, that’s always a good sign in the quality of a watercolor and especially in something this small.

Dixon Ticonderoga #2 Pencil
Well hello, flashback! This pencil has been around for quite some time and is known for its distinctive yellow color and green ferrule. Its exclusive formula graphite core makes it smooth to use and its latex-free eraser works quite well when erasing. I’m not sure exactly why its know as “The best pencil in the world” but those I know who love it, won’t use anything else.

Robert Simmons Watercolor Brush Round Size 1
The Robert Simmons brush in this month’s box is made of a unique blend of synthetic filaments designed to mimic red sable hair. While I thought this brush performed well, I wasn’t blown away by it. It held its shape relatively well and worked well in holding the pigment. Daler-Rowney Aquafine Watercolour, Half Pan Twin Set
I love the idea of these half pan sets from Daler-Rowney. If you like working monochromatically especially these would be a real treat. I loved how saturated the pigment was, and how rich the color felt. My only complaint with the set that I got was that the purple hues seemed to be more similar than the packaging implies and were also really hard to tell apart at a glance. Something to consider if you are planning to purchase this particular set of colors.
In my test drawing, I used a lot of light washes to build up my colors. In other areas, I used a heavier pigment to water ratio to fill in and establish where my darkest areas would be. The pigment layered really well and I only needed very little of each color to create this painting.

Kuretake Nihondate Kabura Fude Brush Pen No. 55
I think I may have to learn Japanese because all of my favorite brush pens seem to be made by this company. Aside from being aesthetically beautiful with the gold kanji decorating the body of the pen, it also performs with just as beautifully. While I’m typically not a fan of not waterproof black pens, this water-soluble dye pigment pen allows for versatile applications and illustration styles.

Overall, yet another solid box from Artsnacks. In truth, there hasn’t been one that I’ve hated yet, aside from a few rogue products that may or may not deserve a second chance on my part. Even though Artsnacks has a dedicated subscription just for watercolor enthusiasts, I love that we still get the occasional went media in these boxes. As someone who loves the experiment with different mediums all the time, this is a real bonus every month and helps keep me inspired to try new things.

For a more in-depth look at my process behind these drawings and to see the products in action, check out my YouTube video below.

 Sign up for your own Artsnacks box by following the link: http://www.artsnacks.co/

Have you tried any of the items in this review? Which did you like best? 
Share with me in the comments!

Please Note: I am in no way being paid to promote this product. The opinions in the blog post are my own.