What is diamond painting?
Diamond painting, also known as "Diamond art," is a relatively new crafting hobby that allows you to create beautiful works of art using beads called "diamonds" glued onto a canvas.
Diamond art is halfway between traditional cross-stitch embroidery and paint by numbers. Let's say it's a modern and playful version that can help you exercise your brain and significantly reduce stress. That's why it became in a few years extremely popular in Russia and the United States, and is contributing greatly to the DIY (Do It Yourself) trend.
Seeing your work taking shape little by little is definitely addictive: sticking the beads with the diamond painting pen or the tweezers while following the symbols, and then hearing this little "click" sound every time you position a diamond: in short, it's the best!
In this article, we will explain in details everything you need to know about diamond painting, what its advantages are, and most importantly, how to get started.
DIAMOND PAINTING: HOW DOES IT WORK?
Diamond art is a method that allows you to create a "painting" in relief from thousands of small sparkling rhinestones that you have to glue onto a pre-printed adhesive canvas. Each bead goes into a specific location, each location has a symbol and it's therefore a kind of large puzzle that you assemble and takes shape progressively.
The final outcome is a beautiful and sparkly painting that can be framed!
And there really is something for everyone, from landscapes, animals, cities, and many more.
While this hobby is simple and can be compared to cross-stitching, diamond painting is much faster to complete (and frankly more fun), so you can make great creations at home, alone or with your family.
Whether you're already a fan of crafting hobbies or just starting out, give diamond painting a try!
Generally, it is said that diamond art is more relaxing than any other manual activity. So if you can relax while creating Art, it's really heaven, isn't it?
THE ORIGINS OF DIAMOND PAINTING
Diamond painting appeared in 2015 as a new crafting hobby that combines creativity and maximum relaxation.
The concept was launched in China and quickly exported to the world, especially in Russia, where manual activities are popular and later in the United States, where other arts like paint by numbers have already been democratized for many years.
There are often similarities with paint by numbers, but let's just say it's more accessible.
Initially, the first diamond paintings had a simple canvas printed with small relief squares, but it quickly became necessary to improve the concept because the diamonds did not hold well in place.
And here is the solution of the century!: making the surface adhesive by putting a sticky film that is gradually peeled off during the diamond art process. That way, once in place, the diamonds do not move and your work remains immortal.
EVERYONE CAN DO IT
Diamond painting has been created for both adults and children (from 5 years old). Adults will appreciate the relaxing anti-stress effect, while teenagers will improve their concentration, work on their creative side, and then, above all, discover a new fun activity without screens.
And what about seniors? It's the perfect retirement hobby! Artistic activities are excellent for staying in shape, memory, dexterity, and developing well-being. It can also be a good way to come together as a family and share a manual project.
STRESS AND ANXIETY REDUCTION
Diamond painting allows you to forget about the daily troubles and let your mind focus on the present moment. This calm and relaxing activity is perfect for reducing anxiety and moving forward.
TRAINING THE BRAIN TO STAY FOCUSED
Diamond painting requires all of your attention. Each diamond must be placed with precision. For young people who struggle to stay focused in school, this can become an after-school activity that will help them work on their concentration.
DEXTERITY AND MOTOR SKILLS
Sorting, selecting diamonds, identifying areas, and gluing them is clearly an excellent precision job.
SHARING WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS
You can enjoy making your creation with your loved ones. It's the ideal activity in the evening or on the weekend, everyone helps and you create beautiful works of art together. There are many groups for people who want to meet and share common passions. Perfect for getting advice and making new friends.
DEVELOPING CREATIVITY
Although this method is guided, it is certain that diamond painting greatly improves creativity. The final realization will give you a boost of inspiration to create other works of art with your own hands!
So now, let's dive into the process of creating your diamond painting project!
Starting your first diamond painting is incredibly simple. Here are the 3 main steps to follow:
- Choose the design you like from our Figured’Art shop
- Each area (pixel) has a symbol and an associated color reference, so you can refer to the nomenclature indicated on the side of the canvas
- Use the diamond painting pen to stick the right diamond in the right place
And there you go!
Each diamond painting kit contains all the necessary tools to complete your work:
- An adhesive canvas printed with symbols to create the chosen pattern
- All the diamonds needed to complete your work, all clearly identified in reference bags.
- A tray that will allow you to separate the diamonds and place them so that you can correctly pick them up with the diamond painting pen.
- A diamond painting pen, different heads and wax
What are the different diamond painting options?
There are different variations possible, try them out to find your favorite!
Square or Round Diamonds? You can choose the shape of your diamonds, squares or rounds. Generally, it is considered that square diamonds give a better result and this is the most commonly used option, especially for larger sizes. Their square shape means they are perfectly aligned and from a distance this really creates magnificent works.
Round diamonds, on the other hand, give a more sparkling effect.
5D or 3D diamonds? In fact, it depends on the number of facets per diamond, depending on the shape.
Our survey is conclusive, 75% of our customers prefer square diamonds. But it's always best to try for yourself!
What size to choose for your diamond painting?
You can choose the size of your diamond painting, ranging from 8"x12" to 32"x40"! The most commonly used standard size is 8"x12" but you should know that the larger the format, the better the result! It's like a photo, the more pixels there are, the sharper the result will be!
Small sizes are therefore not recommended unless you take a simple image or you want to test the concept before embarking on a large work.
Custom Diamond Painting
We also offer 100% custom diamond paintings made from your own photo! The concept is simple, you send us your photo and we create a 100% complete custom kit for you to create a unique diamond painting!
Perfect for immortalizing your best moments or giving as a gift!
Full or partial diamond painting?
At Figured’Art, we prefer 100% full diamond paintings, meaning that the entire design is to be created with diamonds, it's much more fun.
WHY STARTING DIAMOND PAINTING?
For all the reasons we previously cited, it will allow you to reduce your stress, boost your creativity, and improve your concentration and memory. It's a chance to do some good, and yes, art therapy works!
And soon you will fill your home with beautiful creations made by your own hands! No need to buy home decor, your diamond painting artwork will be a handmade, beautiful art!
TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED WITH DIAMOND EMBROIDERY
When you start, you will quickly learn the tricks and tips for easily creating your diamond paintings and making them as beautiful as possible.
Here are some tips below for you to start off on the right foot:
- Keep your diamonds in a storage box, well separated to avoid mixing
- Keep your canvas flat to work in good conditions
- Work on a flat and well-lit environment
- Remove the sticky film as you go to avoid the canvas from drying
- Work with one diamond color at a time, especially when sorting with the plate
Have a look at our entire collection of diamond painting and start you next project!
With the largest online collection of diamond painting and over 1000 designs, you'll be sure to find what you need! Each kit is delivered with all the diamond painting accessories and tools, just relax, we'll take care of the rest!