Smart Art Box February 2017

The Smart Art Box is a monthly subscription where you receive full size art supplies each month.

DISCLAIMER:  This is not a sponsored post or video.  I purchase my Smart Art Box every month and look forward to receiving mine each time.  I do not receive any sort of compensation for this and all opinions are my own.

The theme is different every month, and is a way for you to try different things that you may not normally try.  It is also a nice break between pieces to just have fun and not worry so much about everything being just right.

So if you would like to kick back and have some fun…give it a try.  You can sign up here.

THEME:  Chinese Brush Painting and Calligraphy

Supplies:

• Mini Buddha Board (my favorite)
• Chinese Calligraphy Brushes (3 sizes)
• Calligraphy Drawing Pens (3 sizes)
• Tom Norton Walnut Drawing Ink
• Hanshi Calligraphy Paper
• Brochure​​

One thing I love about Smart Art Box is that you get to try new mediums that you have either wanted to try or maybe wouldn’t try otherwise.  I love that you get full size craft supplies as well.

This month, well, didn’t go so well.  I was not able to get a completed project, but I did have a lot of fun just playing with a new medium and trying to get some sort of control over it.
​I have never worked in this medium or with these brushes or paper, so it can be expected.  I love to learn new things and this was a great introduction to this, even though it didn’t go as I would have liked.

My brush strokes improved as I did more and I would definitely try it again in the future.  It is nice to just let go and not have to worry about making everything just right, which is another benefit of these boxes.  I think I will try it on different paper though.  Was not a fan of such thin paper.  I think with a thicker paper, I will be able to gain more control, but will have to see how the ink reacts to that paper.

My favorite item in this month’s box has to be the Buddha Board, hands down.  I love that you can create something or practice your strokes or layout and it just disappears and you can create it again using the same area.
​It is very much living in the moment and not worrying about being perfect.Letting go is something I really need to work on and not nitpick about every little thing in my pieces.  I know usually the only one to notice is the artist in many cases, but sometimes it is just hard not to work toward that “perfection”.

I am very much looking forward to see what next month brings in my box.  It’s always like Christmas on the day it arrives.  Whether I am good at the medium or not, it is well worth the exploration and gives me more ideas for future projects.

Until next time…Happy Arting!

Artista 365
​Wendi O’Brien