What is Diamond Painting?

Since its conception in 2015, diamond painting has taken the crafts world by a storm. It is an exciting and engaging form of art that appeals to both children and adults because of its fun process, attractive colors and the fascinating results.

Diamond painting is a form of art that is a cross between cross-stitch and paint-by-numbers. The distinct feature of diamond painting is that it uses “diamonds” also known as drills. Each diamond is 2.5 mm - 2.8 mm in size and is color-matched to the images printed on the canvas. Each canvas is a high definition image that has been broken down in a way that a small symbol or color becomes a denotation for where to place the diamond. It is a meditative craft that helps you create stunning art that you can display in frame, make a notebook cover of, stitch onto your pillows and so forth!

Components of Diamond Painting:

Each diamond painting kit comes with the following components:

• an adhesive canvas to put the diamonds on
• a grooved tray to help keep the diamonds sorted
• a diamond “pen”, which is a tool to help pick up the diamonds
• diamonds or drills, the main, sparkly component of the kit

Now that we have acquainted ourselves with the components of diamond painting, let us move on to breaking down the terminology.

What is a drill?

A drill is a diamond or a tile that goes on the canvas to create a beautiful mosaic. Each diamond or drill is multi-faceted, and each side reflects off the light falling on them to give the sparkly effect that sets diamond paintings apart. A drill can have two shapes: round and square.

• Round Drills

Usually preferred for beginners, round drills are easier and faster to pick up and place on the canvas.

• Square Drills

Square drills are a better option for creating larger canvases. They fit in next to each other with a “snap!” and leave no gaps behind, hence creating a fuller, sparkier canvas.

The drills are usually colored and opaque. They are mostly preferred while creating the canvases However, the recently-introduced translucent shimmery gem style drills are gaining popularity as well. They are also known as AB Accented Diamonds. AB Accented diamonds are special gem-like drills which give off a shine much like that of rainbows when they reflect light. Apart from the common drills, certain kits also come with special drills that are of different shapes and sizes and are used to accentuate the beauty of the canvas.

5D diamond painting vs. 3D diamond painting:

5D diamond painting means that the drills have five facets, whereas 3D diamond painting means that the drills have 3 facets. As each facet reflects off the light falling on it, the more facets there are will make the drill sparkle brighter. A five-faceted drill gives off a more sparkly finish to the painting, hence enhancing the beauty of your very own diamond painting!

Types of Diamond painting Canvases:

There are three different types of diamond painting kits.

1. Partial Drill Kits

In partial drill kits, diamonds cover only a partial portion of the painting. The canvases for such kits are printed using high definition technology, but there are only certain portions on the canvas which are reserved for diamond painting. Different symbols on the painting indicate where to place the diamonds. Often times, the portion without the diamonds on it is a high definition background. In such kits, the diamond painting shines through on the canvas in an interesting setting of contrasting surfaces.

2. Full Drill Kits

In full drill kits, diamonds cover the entire painting. Full drill kits have canvases that are covered entirely with adhesive, which makes them a tad bit difficult to handle as the process is long and tiring. However, the end product of such kits is a canvas full of sparkling diamonds which make the onlooker stare in awe. Full drill kits are better suited for people who are well-acquainted with partial drill kits.

3. Multi-Paneled Kits

Multi-paneled kits are partial or full drill paintings that include more than one painting in multiple panels to complete the final piece. These kits feature multiple panels with different images printed on them. These kits are a must-have for diamond painting experts, who can create large passion projects and decorative pieces using the pluralistic features of the kits.