What Is Diamond Painting? What It Is, How It Works, A Guide
If you happen to be an artist or a crafter then it’s highly likely that you’ve heard of Diamond Painting. Diamond Painting is a relatively new craft hobby that has gained immense popularity. In this article, we will provide a comprehensive overview of what diamond painting is and how it works. But before we go into more detail, here’s a quick answer.. What is Diamond Painting?
Diamond Painting is a craft hobby similar to Cross Stitching and Paint By Numbers, but easier and faster. Hundreds of square or round “diamonds” of about 2.5mm are applied to a colour-coded self-adhesive canvas. The result is a vibrant, sparkling mosaic painting.
Now we’ve given you the quick answer, let’s get into more detail… Taking its basics from the concept of mosaics, cross stitching and paint by numbers, shiny little coloured “diamonds” are applied to a colour-coded self-adhesive canvas. Every Diamond Painting comes with beads in a unique set of colours. Each colour has its own code which corresponds to the colour codes on the canvas. The diamonds are about 2.5mm in size and are applied one by one to the canvas. When finished, the diamonds form an extremely vibrant, glittery painting. Making a diamond painting is an easy and enjoyable activity for people of all ages.
Diamond painting - types of diamonds
There are two known types of diamonds that one might use for painting; square diamonds and round diamonds. Before you begin working on your first painting you must know the difference between the two.
Square diamonds are about 2.5mm in size and effectively cover the entire surface of a diamond painting. Square diamonds create sharp, clean and straight lines. Because of the shape, square diamonds are comparatively difficult to pick up with tweezers and put neatly onto the canvas. This is probably their only drawback.
Round diamonds have a size of about 2.8mm. Because of the shape of the round diamonds, there will be gaps between the diamonds in the finished painting. This is especially noticeable when up close. However, round diamonds tend to be shinier than square diamonds. Additionally, round diamonds are a lot easier to pick up and align. This is their main advantage over square diamonds.
How to Diamond-Paint
One can create a diamond painting in the following two ways:
- Partial diamond painting: When some part of the printed area is not filled with diamonds and is left uncovered.
- Full diamond painting: When the entire printed area is covered with diamonds
Things needed for diamond painting
If you happen to be an artist and new to diamond painting, there’s no need to worry because it’s very easy to learn and a seasoned artist or crafter will already be familiar with the kind of exercises and intricacies required.
But before you begin, make sure that you thoroughly read all the instructions on the kit and familiarise yourself with the creative art process.
Your first step would be to buy an appropriate diamond kit. Therefore, it’s also a good idea to familiarise yourself with all the tools that comprise a diamond painting kit.
Some basic tools present in every kit include:
- Design Charts
- Vibrant and Shiny Diamond Beads
- Diamond Sticking Tool
- Wax
- Tweezers
There is a wide variety of kits. Some kits contain round diamonds while others contain square diamonds, so be sure to check what diamonds they have based on your preference ... or try both!
Trying both will allow you to determine which one you prefer after seeing the finished result. Square diamonds result in a clean and neat painting, somewhat similar to a mosaic. Round diamonds result in a painting that resembles a cross-stitch piece.
The Canvas and Picture Size
You should make sure you’re well aware of the difference between the picture and canvas size.
Those who are new to the art of diamond painting are often unaware of the difference between canvas size and picture size. The canvas size tends to be bigger than the final picture size, as there is some space next to the picture on the canvas that is not part of the final painting. Here, there is the legend with colours and also a white frame around the picture.
So, if you order a painting in size 40x40, the picture will be size 40x40 (good to know if you plan to frame the painting, but the canvas size will be slightly bigger.
For beginners, it would be advisable to start with a smaller picture area. Experienced crafters, however, can go for a larger picture size … The larger the canvas, the more vibrant and colourful the end result.
To finish...
We hope this has given you a good overview of Diamond Painting, what comes with the packs, how it’s done and diamond sizes. As well as tips for beginners and seasoned artists!
We hope this has given you a good overview of Diamond Painting. You now know what is included in the kits, how to diamond paint and what types of diamonds are available.
If you want to know more, please get in touch and we’ll be delighted to help you choose the right kit for your level and needs.