Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Diamond Painting

One of the greatest joys in the diamond painting community is how excited everyone is to learn this new craft together. Diamond painting as a hobby is still relatively new, and we’re on a mission to figure out the quickest and most effective way to start and complete these beautiful projects.

As each of us discovers new methods and techniques, we’ll eagerly share our discoveries with our other crafting enthusiasts. Let’s dive right in and have a look at the Top 10 Tips and Tricks for Diamond Painting we’ve picked up along the way.

1. Choose a kit that makes you smile

While this may seem obvious, it’s important to pick something you like to look at and which you’ll be happy to display on your wall. Since you’ll be spending extended periods of time working on the piece, be sure to pick out a kit that will be fun and won’t bore you.

Also, be sure to take the size of your piece into considerations. If you’re new to the hobby, it might not be the best idea to pick the largest option available. Completing the smaller options will leave you with a sense of accomplishment for a job well done. Don’t get me wrong – completing the enormous 30” piece provides enormous satisfaction, but we recommend moving on to the bigger pieces only once you’ve learned the ins and outs of the hobby. 

2. Use a multi-tool for those large chunks of color

It can get frustrating to try and cover a large space with only one color. Thankfully, we have a multi-tool that lets you pick up nine drills at once and place them in a straight line. This tool is absolutely fantastic for borders and vast spaces of a single color. For smaller areas, there’s also a 3 and 7 drill tool as well. Pick one up here!

3. Use a toothpick

In most of my work, I used the setter tool, but I found keeping a toothpick handy was excellent for nudging wayward crystals back in line or picking up those that had fallen. I found the humble toothpick as valuable as the setting tool itself!

  

4. Work in sections of color blocks

If you’re starting out on your new project, you need to peel back the transparent sheet covering the adhesive on the canvas, in small sections.

This will keep the adhesive sticky while you place the gems! If the piece is large, snip slits in the clear sheet to let you peel back smaller sections at a time so the adhesive won’t dry out.

Conventional wisdom says to work on one color at a time; however, after pulling away the film to expose the adhesive, this might reveal lots of colors, especially in smaller pieces. It helps to choose four different colors that are entirely unalike to work on at once, so they don’t get mixed up. In designs with palettes closer in color to one another, working with a single color at a time might be more helpful.

5. Use dryer sheets to combat static

Since the drills are made of resin and are lightweight, they tend to stick together. Cutting up small sections of dryer sheets to store with your diamonds will keep them from clumping together.

 

6. Tape down your canvas to keep it from curling

This is especially helpful when working on smaller pieces, which like to curl up when taken from the shipping box. Tape down around the sides– similar to preparing a watercolor piece for painting– to keep the canvas from curling.

7. Store your diamonds in resealable containers

Any kind will do. Plastic resealable bags, small jars, even a tackle box! Whatever system works best for you will help keep you organized. Though this option on offer in our store started out as a jewelry container, it’s perfect for storing diamonds.

8. Label everything

It’s a good idea to label the containers, whatever they may be, with the number of their color as well as the corresponding symbol. As for the key on the margins of the canvas, you can tape down samples of each color. You can get the Sticker Set here - it works great!

   

9. Use a gentle touch

The only problem I’ve ever encountered while working on my painting was when I would occasionally press too hard, and the adhesive would pop out of my setting tool. No harm done, I simply had to replace the gum and scoop it off of the gem.

However, it was annoying to stop the rhythm of placing gems to fix it, so from my experience, I can advise using a gentle touch. The adhesive on the canvas is much stronger than the gum on the tool and doesn’t need a heavy press in order to get it to stick.

You can also use a roller to avoid the drill popping-off issue.

10. Clean the gum off of the gems and seal it.

Sometimes the gum adhesive stuck on the setting tool dulls the shine of the diamonds. Get a damp cloth or a glasses cleaning chamois and carefully rub over finished areas to obtain a sparkly shine.

And lastly, seal your finished project to prevent the diamonds from popping off. Check out how to seal diamond painting here! 

 

We’re still discovering new tricks and tips as we all learn this hobby right alongside you all. Have you found any diamond painting tips of your own? Share them below; we’d love to hear them!