Diamond painting is a paint-by-numbers-style craft that is addictive and oddly satisfied. This ‘90s bedazzler dream has become increasingly popular. Olympus 7th Street Station is here to help you get into this de-stressing hobby. 

Before You Buy

Especially when purchasing online, be aware of a few important factors before you purchase a diamond painting kit. Most of the kits will show the image the diamond painting is based on but not what the final product will look like. Diamond art has more of a pixelated look, so you won’t see a lot of fine details. There are kits available that include pre-painted portions, and the “diamonds” are used as decor for small parts of the picture. Make sure you get a good idea what type of project you’re tackling as the picture is frequently deceiving. 

Another big thing to note about diamond art is the difference between square drills – the “diamonds” are called drills – and round drills. Square drills are a lot more difficult to work with because they have a tight fit on the surface and will require tedious care to keep your rows straight. Overall, they will make a crisper image, but they’re not suggested for beginners.

Drill quality matters. You’ll notice slang terms like “3D” or “5D” painting. These terms have to do with the dimensions of the drills. The more facets each drill has the more sparkly the picture will look afterward. Another term to look for is AB. AB stands for aurora borealis, which are a type of drills that have an iridescent effect to them. They’re the most sought-after type of drill. Most kits only provide an average of one to two AB colors. Cheap brands will have zero.

The last thing to know before you buy is size. Pay attention to how large the canvas is. While diamond painting is relaxing and fun, you don’t want a daunting task to ruin your self-care time. From cheaper kits, the canvas print quality can be low and more prominent as the canvas gets bigger.

Know Your Brands

Now that diamond painting is popular, there are a variety of cheap brands out there, especially online. And you get what you pay for. Try to stick to one of these well-known brands:

• Staroar is a trustworthy brand that sells on Amazon for reasonable prices. 

• Diamond Art Club is sort of the king of the diamond painting world. They have expensive kits, but they’re high quality and offer a large selection. 

• Diamond Dotz sells canvas prints as well as pillow covers, greeting cards, and other crafts you can choose from. 

Now What?

The big question is what do you do with your diamond after you’re done? You might want to frame it and hang it on your wall, if that’s your style. But, for the most part, this hobby is about the journey and the brief feeling of a job well done when you finish. And then you just start a new one. 

The other question is what to do with all the extra drills. Most kits come with about twice as many drills than you actually need to complete the project. Check out this article of a few crafty ideas on what to do with your drills after you're done. 

If you’re looking for more craft ideas stay up to date with the Olympus 7th Street Station blog.