This is my #artsnackschallenge drawing for the month. I've been a bit busy and missed a few months of challenges, but I really liked the contents of this box so I wanted to do the challenge! Also, the colors were perfect for this character!

The ArtSnacksChallenge is to use all the materials that came in the monthly box to create a piece.



Here's a brief first impressions review of the contents of the box:



Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen, Twin Tip, Black/Grey: It took a while for this pen to wake up, really patchy and garbage flow at first. I thought it might have been ruined by sitting out in the cold for too long. But when I finally got it working, it's a fantastic pen! The black end is wonderfully opaque even over that bright red ink! And the grey ink is light enough that you can add layers to get depth in shading. I don't think I really put it through it's paces very well in this piece because I was just learning how to use it, but I have some drawings in my sketchbook where I really took advantage of layering that grey ink. I will be rebuying this pen when it runs out of ink!



Caran d'Arche Supracolor Soft Aquarelle Pencil: I like water color pencils a lot, but I have struggled to find a good set. Most of the ones I have tried, are more pencil and look like smeared pencil when water is applied. This pencil worked great! It transitioned from pencil to water color when I used my brush brilliantly. And the color was equally bright with and without water. I can't wait to put it through it's paces a bit more. If it continues to impress me, I might buy a full set of this brand.



Daler-Rowney FW Acrylic Artists' Ink: I love ink! It's one of my favorite options for traditional medium! This is a different brand from what I usually use, liquitex. It's also a smaller bottle than I'm used to. It is a great product though! The pigment is well mixed and wasn't trying to separate when I opened the box. When applied the color is very bright and it responds well to adding water and being used as a wash. It also played very well with the brush. It wasn't drippy and I had a lot of control. Overall, it's a great product, but I probably won't buy more because I'm already happy with the brand I'm using. I'll definitely use this bottle up though! I don't have a nice red like this in my collection right now.



Robert Simmons Short Handle Acrylic Paintbrush (number 8 round): This review goes hand in hand with the ink's review. The brush was great! I had wonderful control over where the ink went. Even when using it as a wash. The brush held the ink well and there was no dripping. I was able to maintain all the little details I had included in the sketch. So far, I like this brush, but my biggest struggle with brushes is how long they last. I won't be deciding if it's worth a rebuy until I see how long it holds it's shape. After one use, it looks good as new so we're off to a good start!



L'Aquarelle Canson Heritage Watercolor Paper: This was included as a 'bonus item' and isn't a full sized supply (my favorite thing about this service is that it provides full sized supplies and it feels a bit unfair judging a product on a sample size). That being said, I'm happy with the paper so far. It held the ink well and there was absolutely zero bleeding. It didn't compromise the quality of the other products either. I have been looking for a good paper for water color. I do still have two more samples to play with so I want to test out one of the pages with washes to see if the paper buckles or warps. If it holds up I might buy a full sized pad.



All in all, a great box! I'm really happy with all my new toys! I don't think there's a single thing in this box that will be used once and then rot in the bottom of a drawer. If I had to recommend one of these products based on my experience so far, I'd recommend the Tombow Fudenosuke Brush Pen. I definitely think this is going to become one of my go to products and if I had to send everything back but one, this is what I'd keep!