My Diamond Painting Projects

Posted by Padmini March 20, 2022

My Diamond Painting Projects

I'm very excited to share my second Diamond Painting project with my readers. It's a 40x80 cm canvas with a world map design and took me about 30 hours to complete. Some months back, when I was searching for craft activities for myself, I came across diamond painting and decided it give it a try. My first project was on a 30x40 canvas and took me about 4-5 hours to complete.

Here are some pictures of my first Diamond painting project :

The experience of doing it was enjoyable, and the result was satisfying.

Diamond painting is known to have advantages like :

It improves hand-eye coordination
It improves your patience
Helps you concentrate
Reduces Stress and Anxiety etc
And, of course, it unplugs you from your phone/laptop.

But Diamond painting requires a lot of patience and time. Do consider this; else, you may start it but leave it mid-way.

So, with all the plusses and minuses evaluated and the ground rules set, let me answer some basic questions.

What exactly is Diamond Painting?

Diamond painting is not exactly a painting as you don't use paints and brushes to create this piece of art. It is actually thousands of tiny resin "diamonds" that you stick to a coded adhesive canvas using an 'applicator pen' and 'wax' to create shimmering Diamond Art. Sounds confusing? Don't worry! It is straightforward.

First, let me take you through some considerations that one needs to make when deciding on the kit to purchase. Then I will take you through the kit's contents, followed by how to make a diamond painting.

So, here are the considerations you should make before buying your kit :

Google for the online shops that deliver to your location. I go with amazon as it is simple and delivery times are predictable. Plus, they have many designs and patterns to choose from.
While choosing, decide what you would like to use it for. Would you like to frame and hang it on the wall? Or would you like to make a diamond painting greeting card? The choices are many. So, choose accordingly.
Once the purpose is decided, choose the right size. I would highly recommend starting with a smaller size. If it is your first time, start with something small. It will help you gauge how you find it -exciting or boring. Also, a small project will get over quickly, thereby giving you the boost and enthusiasm to go for something big.
Another thing to be thought over is the size of the canvas, especially If you have chosen to frame it after completion. Usually, 30x40 cm and 50x70 cm, 40x80 cm frames are easy to find in the market. Unusual sizes like 25x35 or 45x60 may be hard to find. Customized frames cost more. One alternative is to choose a pattern that comes with a frame, so you don't have to worry after completing your project.
Also, consider whether you want a full drill or a partial drill. Full drill means that you will be filling your entire canvas with the stones to complete the design. Partial drill means that your final work will be partial painting/printed design and partial stones.
Think about the shape of the stones too. Do you want circular stones or square ones? I prefer the former because with these I don't have to worry about how I stick the stone to the canvas. There is no worry about aligning the sides, edges, and corners.

Once you have decided on the design, go ahead and order your kit.

You will typically find the following things in your kit

A coded adhesive canvas covered with a plastic sheet
Packs of colorful stones
Pen
Wax
Tray

So, how do you make a diamond Painting?

Have a good look at the pattern and the codes. It is a good idea to start from the edge and move further towards the center of the canvas till the other edge. The idea is to expose the canvas to air and dust as little as possible. Since the surface is sticky, it can easily attract dust. So, peel off the plastic sheet just as much as is needed. After sticking the stones, cover it back again. It will keep your canvas protected.
Refer to the legend on the side of the canvas to understand which packet corresponds to which color. Then open only the pack with which you plan to start. Take little at a time and take more when needed. In one shot, don't empty the entire pack into the tray.
Then use the applicator pen and push it into the wax. The pen tip is hollow, and the wax goes into it and fills up the space. The pen can then easily pick the stones from the tray and stick them to the canvas. When you feel that the pen is not holding the stone well, push it once again to the wax, and you are ready to go.
Use small spare boxes at home to store the leftover stones. Keep these stones safe as they may get used again. Make sure you make a note of the code. For simplicity's sake, I just put the leftover stones in the box along with the packet in which it came as it already contains the code.
Continue this way but make sure to cover the canvas with the plastic sheet every time you finish your work.
In the end, when your project is complete, protect it with a thin layer of pod podge.
Place your finished work somewhere where you get sunlight. When the sun's rays fall on the painting, it shimmers and shines and looks lovely.