A diamond painting is a blend of paint-by-numbers and cross-stitch. It is used by an applicator to apply numbers of shimmering resin rhinestones, one by one, on a sticky color-coded canvas painting. The final result is a brilliant, bright piece of art. Each piece can be framed and can become the embellishment of your office or home. It can be presented to a loved one or kept for yourself to enjoy. 

A decade ago, the diamond painting was started in Asia. This unique art has attracted crafters looking for a creative break, especially during the pandemic. It’s a stress-free exercise that sets your mind at ease. According to Jennifer Chu,
“It requires minimal effort and can be extremely addictive as this creative outlet is great for relaxation, stress relief, and overall mental health.“

How To Select the Right Diamond Painting Kit: 

Before you get your hands on diamond painting, you should consider a few aspects before selecting a kit. With the availability of a wide range of diamond painting kits, it can be challenging to determine what kit will be the best for your project. And after choosing you must read How To Do Diamond Painting? A Detailed Beginner-Friendly Guide. So, here we are guiding you regarding how to choose a suitable diamond painting kit. 

1. Find The Right Retailer:

It may look a little difficult to buy something from someone at first, but it will be just like another online purchase experience once you get a few transactions done. But make sure to choose the right and reliable retailer. If anybody is offering a lower price kit than a market, just beware. It is suggested to pay attention to other customers’ reviews, so you may not end up with the poor quality of diamonds and cheap canvases. 

2- Select Your Design: 

There are various designs available in the market, so all you need is to select your designs according to your taste and frame of mind. Remember, this is an investment of your time and exertions, so find something that brings relaxation to you and that fits your style to end up with a comfortably achievable task that gives you joy and satisfaction altogether. 

With some of the most common designs like landscape, flowers, animals, fantasy, and holiday patterns, you should have no problem discovering something that fits according to your mood and likes. Moreover, some companies allow you to make a custom design by simply uploading a picture of something you love, a photo of some memorable moment that you want to paint to add so much special meaning to it. 

3- Design Should Be Legally Licensed: 

Legal licensing on art and designs are an essential part of selecting the suitable kit. You have noticed some similar designs being sold by various resellers if you have browsed Amazon or other major online retailers before. This is because those sellers use such designs without giving any credits to the original artist and without the original artist’s permission. So, it is crucial to buy a legally licensed design to provide the artist with the due credit they deserve to produce that specific design. 

4- Choose A Complete Kit: 

You must have a deep insight into all the necessary tools to finish a diamond art uninterruptedly. For this purpose, every kit you buy should comprise a canvas and all the diamonds you need to paint on the canvas. A diamond painting pen, a tray to store the gems conveniently, some wax or glue to dip the pen in, and stick the diamonds in places. Some kits also include tweezers and other tools to make the painting art easier. You can read full blog about 10 Best Diamond Painting Kits and Why Are They Best? Let’s have a brief look at the items of a diamond art kit. 

A. Diamond Painting Drills Or Beads: 

Drills or beads are made of shiny hard resin, shaped into diamonds. Diamond painting drills made from plastic or acrylic have less sparkle or shine. So, drills made from resins are the highest quality alternative. They should be given with your diamond painting kit with proper packaging. Or you can buy it separately if you need more. There are two types of diamonds, i.e., “round and square.” 

• Round diamonds: 

They are generally easier to use and quicker to place, and don’t require much accuracy. But, they can’t fill the canvas space correctly. As a result, the colored canvas can be seen in the space between the diamonds. 

• Square diamonds: 

They tend to have sharp and higher facets, giving more sparkle and filling the canvas space. But square gems are difficult to place and align properly, creating much time to complete the process. Another issue that arises when dealing with square diamonds on a full drill painting is that the diamonds may fit too tightly and cause the drill to pop up off the surface of the canvas. However, this problem can be easily resolved by trimming drills or using transparent adhesive glue to hold the diamonds appropriately. Some people prefer mixed types of diamond styles as they offer some extra spark in various projects and give more options. Furthermore, some kits also come with rhinestone diamonds to accent your paintings with a bit of bling. When you are reading about diamonds here then there is a very helpful blog is must read now about 3D & 5D Diamond Painting Kits Differences – Which One To Choose?

  

B. Diamond Painting Tray: 

A diamond painting tray is an essential tool to transfer your diamond painting drills for picking up. It has little canals or folds to line drills in for easy pickup. These trays also have a funnel with a small opening. The purpose of this funnel is to make it convenient to pour the beads into any storage vessel for drills, especially if it has a small opening. 

C. Canvas With Design: 

Canvas is the essential tool that comes with every diamond painting kit you order. Canvases are made of primarily sticky textile material with a chosen photo or design with its pattern guide to put the colored diamond painting drills on. Diamond painting drill packets are labeled with a code provided with a good guide. At the top right or left side of your canvas, a drill code is linked with a color and symbol that will work as a guide to which beads go to which part of the design. 

The canvases are also available in various options, in which the ‘size of a canvas’ is the central issue. You have to select a perfect size, especially if you plan to have a customized diamond art because the smaller-sized canvas can give you lesser details as a finished product compared to the larger one. 

D. Glue Or Wax: 

Special glue is used in diamond art kits. The tip of your stylus should be sticky enough to pick up the diamond drill skillfully. 

E. Diamond Painting Roller Tool: 

This applicator has the same function as a rolling pin. It is used to roll over the finished parts gently, so the drills must be pressed down properly and stick firmly onto the canvas. It gives an excellent finishing to your art. You can buy a roller separately if you are missing in your diamond painting kit. 

 

F. Diamond Painting Sealer: 

If you want your finished diamond painting to preserve its sparkle for a long time, then you need to use a brush-on sealer on your diamond painting to lock all your gems in a place and significantly increase the life of your painting. There is also a spray-on sealer uses for the same purpose. 

G. Diamond Painting Drill Storage Box: 

These jars are specially made to store your gems neatly and conveniently. They are presented in different shapes and sizes. Different qualities are also existing in the market. Some are made of plastic, whereas some are of premium quality. So, this is what a typical kit should look like. One should ensure that their kit must contain everything they need to finish the project, and if there is something lacking, they must ask the seller immediately. Be sure to check the contents before buying and examine the whole kit thoroughly once you receive it. 

5- Choose A Full Or Partial Drill Coverage Painting: 

As you have chosen to be part of this thrilling subculture, you should have probably learned some of the lingoes. But one most common question that arises when first starting is the difference between full and partial drill diamond painting? And this could be a real surprise for you if you don’t know the difference between these two. 

A. Full Drill Coverage Painting: 

Pros: the entire surface of your canvas is covered with diamonds to give it a complete look. They take a longer time to work on giving you the satisfaction that you are getting your money’s worth. 

Cons: as it is more time taken so it can make you feel tiring and exhausted. It keeps you busy for months or even a year to finish your task. 

B. Partial Drill Coverage Painting: 

Pros: they can be easy to go and give a finished look quickly. Sometimes partial painting drills can only highlight the beauty of the given theme and give it a 3D effect. 

Cons: they sometimes look cheap or a bit disappointing of how little actual space they allow covering with diamonds. So, it is a sensible decision to try both of the drill paintings first to check your preferences. 

6- Kits with a Lifetime Warranty: 

With all the efforts that go into crafting a sparkling and gorgeous diamond painting, one thing you need to make sure that your painting lasts a lifetime. When you are purchasing a kit with a lifetime warranty, it means that you are getting a quality product and your art will last longer, and if something wrong is going to happen with your painting, like falling off the diamonds or if the diamonds start losing their shine by time, then the warranty keeps you covered against all these issues. That’s why lifetime warranties are so important. Moreover, a good lifetime warranty assures you against any defects in your ordered product. For example, if your canvas arrives with creases or tears, if there is any defective tool given to you, or if your kit is missing gems or any other material, this warranty allows you to get a refund or get your tools replaced. 

7- Price is Important: 

We all love to get good deals on anything we purchase. But when we talk about buying something that will consume our time, our energy, emotions, and dedication, price plays an important role. So, if you come across diamond painting kits that are being offered noticeably less than prices you have seen elsewhere, then be careful. You must read the reviews thoroughly, search ratings, and review the seller before you place your order. Trust your instincts when you are in doubt. If it seems too good to be true then it might not be a good purchase. 

8- Kits With A Good Packaging: 

The most crucial element to make sure that the kits come to you should be packed properly. If the packaging is weak, then there would be more chances that the product inside will be crushed or defective. Some delicate items like canvas or diamonds could be scratched or broken. So it’s better to have a thorough overlook before receiving your product to avoid any mishap in the future. 

Final Verdict: 

So, the idea that you must be aware of all the things mentioned above before buying a diamond painting kit is essential for two main reasons. Firstly, it will give you firsthand information about everything and the craft itself. And if you are a beginner, it is going to help you loads. Secondly, if you purchased a kit all by yourself and without necessary awareness, you realize later that it is not what you were looking for. So, in such a situation, you will be cursing yourself because there is hardly any second hand market for tools like these. So, it is always advised to both experts and especially beginners to gather all the necessary information before buying any such products to save yourself from the potential hustle.