Art Snacks May Box Review: Unboxing & Peacock Art Demo

Unboxing the May Art Snacks Plus Box

The May Art Snacks Plus box features premium materials for serious artists. Opening reveals Strathmore 400 Series Bristol paper (15 sheets of 9x12 heavyweight paper), ideal for dry media. The exclusive Plus items include Marabu Graphix Fineliners (4-pack: black, green, blue, red) with color-coded caps. Standard box contents feature King Art brush pens in navy, turquoise, mauve, and peach, plus surprises like a Copic Multiliner SP (0.3mm black) and Iro-ji-ten Hello Kitty Aqua Pen with dual brush/bullet tips. Notably, the India ink marker with chisel nib offers waterproof properties after drying.

Professional Testing Methodology

I conducted systematic swatch tests under controlled conditions:

1. Paper Performance: Strathmore Bristol handled mixed media well with minimal warping
2. Water Resistance: India ink and Copics proved waterproof after 15-minute cure time
3. Blendability: Marabu fineliners and King Art pens showed high water-solubility
4. Nib Durability: The Aqua Pen's brush tip required gentle pressure to prevent splaying

Key finding: The India ink marker needs vigorous shaking and nib priming before first use. Its rich black creates excellent contrast with water-soluble colors, but requires patience during drying.

Creating a Peacock Illustration: Step-by-Step

Concept Development and Sketching

I explored peacock anatomy through thumbnail studies, focusing on the bird's distinctive plumage structure. The final concept merges a dancer with cascading feathers using symbolic integration - her pose mirrors the peacock's neck curve while the ponytail echoes feather flow.

1. Composition Planning: Used pencil to block dancer's silhouette against feather backdrop
2. Anatomical Accuracy: Referenced avian skeletal structure for believable joint placement
3. Dynamic Posing: Created swooping S-curve body line for movement

Inking and Color Application

Waterproof inking first: Copic Multiliner outlined dancer; India ink added bold feather details. After 20-minute drying:

• Marabu fineliners colored peacock body (blue/green layering)
• King Art pens applied feather "eyes" (purple/green gradient)
• Selective blending: Brushed water on tail patterns for soft edges

Expert Technique Tips

• Color Theory Application: Complementary purple/green made feathers pop against orange accents
• Texture Creation: Dry-brush fineliner created feathery barbs
• Negative Space: Left dancer's dress uninked to contrast detailed bird
• Problem Solving: White gel pen recovered lost leg definition after over-inking

Artistic Insights and Materials Analysis

Professional Assessment of Supplies

Unexpected standout: The Strathmore Bristol outperformed with wet media despite its dry media labeling. Critical limitations emerged too:

• Marabu fineliners bled significantly when layered
• Pastel King Art colors showed low pigment saturation
• Aqua Pen's soft brush demanded delicate control

Pro tip: Combine waterproof and water-soluble tools strategically. The India ink's crisp lines anchored the chaotic water effects, demonstrating how contrasting media properties create dimensional artwork.

Creative Application Beyond the Demo

These materials excel in:

• Illustration: Comic inking with Copic/India ink
• Mixed Media: Fineliner drawings over watercolor washes
• Lettering: Brush pen calligraphy on Bristol's smooth surface

Industry perspective: While not professional-grade, these curated supplies offer exceptional experimentation value. The Copic Multiliner alone justifies the box's cost for illustrators needing reliable waterproof liners.

Artist's Toolkit

Immediate Action Steps:

1. Test waterproof claims with water-spritz swatches
2. Shake India ink marker vertically for 30 seconds
3. Cut Bristol paper to smaller sizes for studies
4. Layer dark fineliners under light watercolors
5. Practice brush pen pressure control on scrap paper

Advanced Resources:

• Color and Light by James Gurney (essential color theory)
• Strathmore's paper sampler pack (paper comparison studies)
• Inktober community (daily inking challenges)
• Da Vinci Maestro brushes (upgrade for water control)

Final Thoughts

This Art Snacks box delivers exceptional value through its strategic pairing of waterproof and water-soluble media, enabling complex layering techniques in a single project. The peacock demonstration proves how limitations can spark innovation - forcing restricted color choices led to unexpected harmony.

Question for fellow artists: When working with subscription box supplies, what's your approach to unifying seemingly mismatched materials? Share your solutions in the comments!