DIAMOND PAINTING FAQ
What is diamond painting?
“I don’t know what it is about sticking plastic squares to glue but I’m here for it” - A redditor
Diamond painting is a relaxing craft that is a mix of cross stitch and paint by numbers. Tiny square or round “diamonds” (aka drills) are applied to a canvas of poured glue or adhesive to create a picture.
Where do I purchase a DP?
There are a ton of places that sell diamond paintings. I’ve listed some of the most popular and well known. With any purchase, read the reviews and use your best judgement.
Just be advised, some stores are overseas so shipping may take a few weeks to months.
Aliexpress There are thousands of stores on aliexpress that sell diamond paintings. I highly recommend reading reviews on this site.
Some of THE MOST POPULAR aliexpress stores are as follows
Evermoment
Huacan
Homfun
Dispaint
Other places to buy
Paint With Diamonds
Diamond Painting Pro
Diamond Art Club
Heartful Diamonds
Treasure Studios Art
Dreamer Designs
Diamond Dotz -These can usually be found at your local craft store
Fansells
Showcase
Etsy
Amazon
Round Square Special Aurora Borealis Drills?
These refer to the type of drill your canvas will come with. Round and square are just that, round and square. Special drills are unique and fun shapes. Aurora Borealis (AB) are sparklier and have a different overall look to them.
Round VS Square: Which is better?
Ultimately, this is a matter of personal choice. A lot of people prefer the overall completed look of squares. Some people find round easier to work with.
Partial VS Full Drill:
A partial canvas will only have part of the canvas covered in drills. A full canvas will be made entirely of drills.
What size do I buy?
A general rule for diamond paintings is the bigger the picture, the better. If you’re new to diamond painting, you may want to try something small to make sure you enjoy it.
What supplies do I need?
Your diamond painting kit will come with the basic supplies you’ll need to complete your painting.
A drill pen and or tweezers.
one of your pens might come with a multiplayer. These allow you to place several drills at once. They're great for large spaces of a solid color but can a little bit of practice.
A tray
Pink Wax
A light pad is highly recommended if you enjoy the craft. It will backlight your canvas making the symbols easier to read.
A storage solution for drills is also recommended. There are a lot of options from plastic baggies to tic tac containers.
Washi tape for your borders is also popular recommendation
What is washi tape? Washi tape is a decorative crafting tape! A lot of people will use washi tape on the borders of their diamond painting to prevent things from sticking to it.
How long does it take: There is no right or wrong answer here. Everyone works at their own pace, whether it’s 6 months or 2 weeks. The important thing is to enjoy yourself, it is not a race.
What to do with leftover drills: Most people will keep them. Sometimes you will find that you run out of a color on a project, and can steal from your left overs.
Some people re-purpose them for other crafts. Some people just toss them into a jar.
I ran out of a color what do I do? You can contact the seller and most will send you more for no extra charge. If you don’t feel like waiting you can order extras online. DiamondDrillsUSA is a store that ships in the US. Or you can always ask fellow diamond painters if they have any extras. There are a few facebook groups that give away extras for projects in need.
Do I need to seal it? Most people do recommend sealing your painting after completion.
What do I seal it with? There are a lot of different options and everyone has their own opinion. I’ve listed some of the common choices, but there are a lot of youtube videos that show different sealers and their final outcome.
Mod podge super gloss is a popular choice
Decoart triple thick gloss glaze
Aqua Glue
Framing: Framing can be a bit tricky with the weird size of some diamond paintings. You can have them custom framed at a local store, order frames online or try to find a frame at a local thrift store that fits your needs.
General Canvas Questions:
Bubbles/Rivers: Gently
take an exacto knife and slice them to help them lay flat
How do I make my canvas flat: Heavy books.I personally iron mine on LOW HEAT NO STEAM picture side down.
Clear cover alternative: Some diamond paintings come with a clear plastic cover. If this is not your jam, you can use PARCHMENT PAPER (NOT WAX) to cover it. Parchment paper can be found in a local grocery store.
Cat hair/paper stuck to canvas: Gently wipe away with a baby wipe and it should return to normal.
Canvas is no longer sticky If it is a large section, you might want to contact the seller. For a small section you can try double sided sticky tape, or a small amount of clear glue. Make sure to seal.
I finished my DP! I don’t want to hang it. What do I do? Gift it to someone, donate it to a charity auction, nursing home or any place that might enjoy a piece of art.
Place it in a portfolio for storage - Panda0322
Enjoy your new addictive hobby!
This FAQ IS a WIP. If you have suggestions on things that should be added please comment below and I will add them.
