No products in the cart.
7 brilliant diamond painting tricks you need to know before starting (And the 3 game-changing home tools painters love)
There’s a new viral craft taking over Instagram and Facebook feeds lately. And it’s guaranteed to keep you relaxed and give you all the sparkle you need. What’s behind these irresistible glimmering masterpieces? Two words: diamond painting. And it could be the next best thing to every girl’s best friend.
What is a diamond painting you may ask? Simply put, it would be the glamorous offspring of cross stitch and paint-by-numbers. But instead of thread or paint, you use glittering diamond-cut resin beads.
Hot products
Sale
from $20.00$14.40
from $18.52
Sale
from $20.00$14.55
Each diamond painting kit contains the following:
- an adhesive canvas;
- diamond packs;
- a tweezer;
- a drill pen;
- a wide tip you can attach to the pen to place many beads at once;
- a bead tray; and
- a block of wax
But before you dive into your first project, here are some diamond painting tricks you’ll be happy you knew before starting.
1. A quick way to flatten your canvas that works like a charm
When you get your diamond painting kit, the canvas is most likely rolled up and eager to stay in a curl. This can make it difficult for you to stick on the drills, another term for the diamond-cut resin beads.
You may have seen suggestions about placing books over your flattened canvas overnight. There is another one about placing a layer of cloth on top of the canvas before ironing it to smoothen it out. But there is an easier way to flatten your canvas without the heat ruining its adhesive strength.
What you just have to do is flatten your canvas, peel back the cover of the adhesive halfway, and place it back. Do this on each corner and you’ll be impressed at how effective it is.
(Sam Studio, Youtube)
2. The secret to keeping your canvas sticky
You can ensure that your canvas remains sticky by dividing it into sections. Peel off the protective layer into manageable portions. This way, you can prevent exposing the part you are not yet working on to unwanted fuzz, dust, and sweat.
In case you still end up in a non-sticky situation, you can gently wipe the area with baby wipes. You can also use clear double-sided tape.
3. Protip that will save you time worrying about beads
Spend less time wondering which drill goes where. Stick your diamonds beside their symbol in the legend of your canvas to make it easier to figure out.
4. Where to begin for the best diamond painting experience
Many prefer to start at the corner and work their way from the bottom to the top. This way, you lessen the chances of your hand sticking to the adhesive as you place your drills.
As for left to right, consider which one is your dominant hand. If you are right-handed, then it is best to go right to left to avoid getting your hands tacky with the adhesive. You want the canvas to be sticky not your hands.
5.The simple trick to stop beads from popping off
The main reason why your drills are not staying put is because of air bubbles trapped within your canvas. You can solve this by lightly slicing through wrinkled parts using a box cutter. Doing this lets the trapped air escape. Just be careful not to cut through your canvas.
6. The technique to keep beads straight many swear by
If you’re working on a whole section with the same color, you can use the “checkerboard pattern.” In this technique, you skip every other pattern, leaving gaps resembling a checkerboard.
Fans of this method say drills end up straighter. But there is another reason this technique is getting lots of raves. It is the odd satisfaction the audible snap gives painters every time they place a bead snuggly in the gaps.
Of course, there are other diamond painting methods out there you can explore.
7. Cut mistakes with this must-have gadget
Many diamond painters blame bad lighting for mistakes in placing beads. Putting a light pad under your canvas can make you see the symbols better. This puts an end to your worries of sticking on the wrong diamond color.
But this isn’t the only ingenious tool you can use to make your diamond painting experience exciting. Some of them are surprisingly just lying around your home. We have three of them here:
1. DIY bead organizers
Working with tiny bead pieces that can get mixed up and end up everywhere can drive you nuts. You can get your craft on and repurposed empty pill boxes, condiment containers, or egg cartons. Just don’t forget to label them.
You’ll be surprised how this can help you focus instead of wasting energy looking for your diamonds.
2. Wax on, wax off? The dupe that will outlast your wax
Many painters have ditched the pink wax for the blue tack which they find works better and lasts way longer.
3. A hack for keeping the static out
To get rid of pesky static, you can throw in a piece of dryer sheet along with your drills when you store them. Or you can place the clumped beads in one bead tray, place a second one on top then press down to break them apart.
But whatever you do, remember to take your time with it. It’s a de-stressing hobby so play your favorite music or podcast and sparkle on.
