![[PWD 101] EXPLAINED: How To Choose Between Round And Square Drill](http://paintwithdiamonds.com/cdn/shop/articles/Square_vs_Round_Drill_1024x1024.jpg?v=1576615372)
If you're new to the wonderful world of Diamond Painting, you're probably a bit overwhelmed. Well, overwhelmed AND super excited to get started!
Well fear not, friend! We're here to hold your hand as you embark on your Paint With Diamonds journey!
In our new PWD 101 series (PWD stands for Paint With Diamonds btw!), we'll walk new diamond painters through everything they need to know about this incredible new stress-relieving hobby.
THIS WEEK: We're going to take a quick look at the difference between square drill and round drill diamond paintings!
DID YOU KNOW: In PWD, the term "diamond" can be used interchangeably with "resin" or "gem."
Square Vs. Round Drill: What's The Difference?
In Paint With Diamonds, a "drill" simply refers to the shape of each individual diamond you'll be applying to your canvas. If it's confusing, just replace the world "drill" in your head with the word "diamonds."
- Square Drill --> Square Diamonds
- Round Drill --> Round Diamonds
In choosing between square and round drill, it's important to know that there are no right answers. As with so many things in life, this is more or less a subjective preference! Your goal should be to choose whichever shape that YOU personally think is most beautiful :).
QUICK SIDE NOTE: "5D DIAMONDS" - Confused about what "5D Diamonds" are? This is essentially a marketing buzzword that refers to the shape of the diamonds. With the resin diamonds featured below, "5D" refers to the shape you see that so beautifully reflects light to make the diamonds sparkle!
Square Drill (aka Square Diamonds)
What People Are Saying
Creates A Fuller, More Complete Looking Painting.
Square drill diamonds look a bit "cleaner" than round drill diamonds. They line up more easily and create a "fuller" mosaic look when enjoyed from a distance.
Square Diamonds Satisfyingly "Snap" Into Place.
Sometimes it's the little things that matter! When you start making progress on a painting and begin filling in gaps, you get a satisfying "snap" and a sense of achievement, as dorky as that sounds!
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Round Drill (aka Round Diamonds)
Easier (And Faster!) To Pick Up And Apply Diamonds.
Round diamonds just seem to stick to the diamond pen better, making the transition seem more seamless.
Finished Painting Feels Less "Complete."
Given the round shape of the diamonds, gaps between diamonds may appear more apparent when you're close up with the painting.
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Final Word - What Do Hardcore PWD Fans Think?
We polled our Paint With Diamonds Support Group audience, and the answer couldn't be clearer. Have a look for yourself!
The overwhelming majority prefers SQUARE over ROUND (383 vs 87!). In fact, almost twice as many of you are indifferent to whether your diamonds are square or round than actually prefer round!
Do you agree with the consensus? Tell us why or why not in the comments down below!
Comments
Bez said:
I prefer the round drills vote cone beautiful personalised pictures for presents
Answer for a lady asking what a full drill is. It is a full canvas of drills, some are only half so you tend to put drills some if the canvas ..
May 17, 2023
GqBaJburXLUtWRMn said:
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April 17, 2020
Francaisa Bergeron B said:
I just started this hobby of PWD and the one painting I ordered is a Owl and it is a square drill, I do love it but it is a little hard to do as I have a hard time to see it and now I have ordered a round drill painting. I am anxious to try it out, the picture is of a dog, sure hope I will love doing this one , of course I will continue with my square one but of course it will take longer, very happy to have a new hobby to do!!!
January 26, 2020
Ann said:
I prefer round drills by far. They are neater, shinier, easy to line up straighter and the “gaps” people are talking about do not make a difference since good canvases match the drill color. Square drills have to be perfect or they look sloppy and out of line, they pop off if not placed perfectly and if not a consistency shape, look messy. You have to be careful where you buy the kits because drills can be very irregular thus making the picture look awful, especially if the drills are square. Sometimes you have to pay a title more form quality products. I’ve done many many paintings and prefer round.
January 16, 2020
Ivy Lowe said:
Do you have a book you mail out to your customes? I order a Diamond Kits and love it. And I’m going to order again abd I want to ouder both square and round
Bottom line I LOVE. It and I will remain a customer in ordering the Diamond Kits
January 09, 2020
Linnie Madden said:
My hands are a little bit shaky as I have emphysema and am on Albuterol which makes most people shaky. I have trouble getting the square diamonds exactly straight in the squares provided. After I have done a bunch will it show that they are a little wonky? I am having a dickens of time straightening them with tweezers.
January 09, 2020
Tamika Michelle Bolton said:
November 26, 2019
Tamika Michelle Bolton said:
November 26, 2019
Roi Ann said:
Could the pictures be marked square if the are square and round if the pictures are round? I prefer round.
November 20, 2019
phyllis albert said:
I actually like doing the round ones simply because of ease, however the tacky backing is never as tough as the squares. I have done both and I do think the picture is better looking with the square diamonds. I am curious as to what pen someone you used other than the pink one that you use with the wax . They referred to a different type of pen and also said they could lay several resins at a time with their tweezers. I am pretty new to this so I am not sure of all the lingo and all of the things you can use. I did learn very quickly to have a light source underneath your picture to help determine the different letters numbers and symbols was almost a must, so I did order a package that had several things in it. I am unsure what the wide end of the pink pen does unless it is to pick up several resins at one time. Any answers someone can give me would be greatly appreciated. Even though I do think the squares are harder to do. I like the finished product better so I think that is what I will stick with.
October 06, 2019
Karen Coker said:
So far I have only picked the square diamonds, but I have wondered about the round drills, the responses I have read people only like the square, so I will probably stay with them.
My only problem and it’s major is that I cannot find my drills for my John Wayne canvas that I am trying to make for my husband. I just want to buy the diamonds. Can I do that?
October 06, 2019
Miriam Andrews said:
I like the round diamond because they don’t pop up like the square diamonds
October 06, 2019
Marguerita said:
Pin to use for each? Round and Square
October 06, 2019
Terrie said:
I like the round better and that is why I order round but twice now when my kit arrives they are square not happy at all
August 05, 2019
Jessica Lynn Gormley said:
I like the round only because I’ve had major issues with the square ones staying flat afterwards a lot of mine have popped back up even after using a rolling pin like it says to
August 05, 2019
Cristiana Kelley said:
Squares. I have always preferred squares, but I thought I’d give a round one a try while I wait for my Square one on the slow boat from China. I have to use that pink pen. The pen isn’t my problem, it’s the pink wax stuff, or the moldable tack stuff. It’s all frustrating, I have to reload all the time and I can only pick one up at a time. I use tweezers with my square ones and it’s so much better, no sticky frustrating stuff and I can pick up and place 2-3 at a time. I can also push the diamonds around to get them perfect with my tweezers. The pink good just collapses when you try to push the round around with the end of it, so you better get right the first time.
August 05, 2019
Geraldine Kurkjian said:
I received my order # 114-1096915-8224259 and it came in round diamonds and I want square diamonds, how do I exchange this product correctly?
August 05, 2019
CINDY said:
i tried the square but didnt like it but it was my own fault I used the round pick. I’ll retry and send my answer.
August 05, 2019
Donna said:
Can you use square diamonds on a round diamond canvas?
July 18, 2019
Millicent said:
I couldn’t really give a fair vote as I have not tried the square diamonds yet.
July 18, 2019
Catherine Roberts Clemmer said:
I love my squares. It is prettier
July 18, 2019
Bonnie said:
I have done both round & square drill. I do this for relaxation & to ease my stress. The round drill are much more calming & relaxing. I really don’t see that much difference between the two when finished. Please give this minority an option for round drill on ALL paintings. Thanks.
July 18, 2019
Ambhar said:
I’ve tried both round and square drills.
I prefer the square more than the round.
July 18, 2019
Linda said:
How do I see a pic in
June 21, 2019
Daralee Donathan said:
I much prefer the square drills. Yes, it takes a bit more time, but the finished product looks so much better than round drills! I don’t care that the round drills can be placed “faster”, I am not looking for fast, I’m looking for the best when I’m finished. I’ve never had a problem with the square drills. Love the products!
June 04, 2019
Sue LaRose said:
I use round but allot of the kits use only square, I also find the square ones stressful, not calming
June 04, 2019
corrine baca said:
how can i framemy picture? under glass? do i need abacking?
June 04, 2019
Kedrin said:
I prefer the round diamonds. The square ones have to be right on and if they’re just a hair off the others won’t fit in place and it throws off the whole painting. Also at the end you have to push down on the drills on the painting to make sure all the diamonds click into place. Then I spray Mod Podge Super Glossy Acrylic spray to set the drills in place. Hope that helps others when picking either square or round.
June 04, 2019
Pat said:
I love square drills. They really complete the picture. I would like to see more.
June 04, 2019
Beverly Burton said:
Linda,
Did you ask them here at this site if they could send you the ones you wanted???? They might give you a break on the price also.
Good Luck
June 04, 2019
Michelle McIntyre said:
Using the square is more tedious and nerve racking. If they’re not exactly straight they buckle. Some diamonds are not cut completely making them to big for the space thus creating lines that wobble. Using round, things flow better, I can enjoy doing the picture and it is done faster. The only way you actually see spaces if your up on top of the painting. The background is the same color as the diamond so it blends in nicely. And the shiny effect is more brilliant. I’ve done 30 of these so far and round is my choice.
June 04, 2019
Nita Grimes said:
Got my first PWD the other day. A little confusing at first but love it. Now looking for a larger picture to work on.
June 04, 2019
Ernest Smith said:
I have tried both. I actually prefer Round. The Square ones take a LOT more time and the canvas printing is to hard to read The colors of the blocks on the canvas are Very hard to see, hence much more difficult to use the proper Diamond.
June 04, 2019
Tina Meier said:
Still doesn’t explain what “ full drill “ means .
June 04, 2019
YVONNE WESTPHAL said:
I’m new! Love this… I’m on my 2nd round drill and have a square on the way. This is FUN and beautiful!! I’ll stay in touch. My question is how to know the quality of canvas when ordering? The first painting wad from yous and canvas was great, and very sticky. This 2nd one not so much. Differant company.
June 04, 2019
Linda said:
The round diamonds always come with the background the same color as the diamonds therefore you can hardly see the spaces also the printing is shaped round not square.
June 04, 2019
Susan Skillin said:
So you use the same type of pen to put the square diamonds in?
June 04, 2019
Sandy said:
Hi Rena FYI this is a comment section only not Q&A. that’s why no answers. Go to contacts and send questions to PWD and they will get back to you.
June 04, 2019
Carol Jackson said:
Tried all the tips to flatten the canvas. What works like a charm for me is putting the canvas between 2 pieces of cardboard and slipping it between my mattress and box spring overnight. Works!
June 04, 2019
Carol Jackson said:
I too have had trouble with the square diamonds. I found in large areas of the same color they start not lining up. Not giving up because portraits do look more realistic. Going to try a tip I just saw, stagger in a diamond pattern – lines up and just fill in. We’ll see! The ‘pop up’ s real & frustrating. Used glitter Modge Podge in the ‘pop up areas’ – kept beads glued and a little glitter effect to hide them.
June 04, 2019
Debra Scott said:
Hi all, I have tried both square and round and the rounds you can go faster, the trick to squares is to center it on the drill pen and place it dead center on the canvas. I’m getting real fast at.
Deb
June 04, 2019
Carolyn Woodard said:
I have done 3 pics with square drill and love doing them. My sister is doing them with round drills and I don’t care for the looks of finished product. Mine were very enjoyable to do.
June 04, 2019
Jamie said:
I did an owl for a friend and working in a couple more. I prefer the square because the round looks incomplete. It leave too many gaps and the squares don’t leave gaps and looks finished and professional.
June 04, 2019
Heather Smith said:
I’m working on my first PWD. My order came with square drill. I like how they fit into place and its pretty easy to place 1 at a time. However using the tool to place multiple diamonds at once, it starts to get sloppy and its really hard to get each of the squares to line up perfectly. They are hard to remove and replace, so I’m having some trouble with diamonds popping back up. I am planning on framing and hanging this piece, and in the long run I think it will be fine and not noticeable, but as a I work its very annoying for them to pop up and sometimes as I try to “smooth” the gems sometimes they pop right off.
If I do this again, I will have to try the round cut :)
June 04, 2019
Dorothy Zierke said:
I Hate square, won’t use!
June 04, 2019
Deborah Isaacs said:
The first two paintings I finished were using round diamonds. One was a partial painting and the other was a very large, white tiger, partial painting. Turned out awesome. Then I’ve started using square drills and the finished painting is fuller and
Looks more professional.
March 05, 2019
Betty Matlock said:
I’m on my third painting. First two used round drills. Easy and quick to place. Organized by number. Now, Using square drills, hard to place; Different cuts
are different sizes. Some concave drills too large for canvas pattern. Smaller drills look flat. Also uses symbols, not used to makes for slower work.
March 05, 2019
Sara said:
I have made over 50 of these for myself and as gifts. I prefer the ease of the round drills but the look of the square drills. Square drills take longer because you have to be more precise but the time invested is worth the quality of the finished product. I also frame them and embellish the frames with flowers, butterflies, feathers, etc. to match the picture. People love them and I have even been able to sell a few!
March 05, 2019
Deborah Dillow said:
I have done both round and square I love them both but find the square more challenging and take more time to do
March 05, 2019
Lora said:
I’ve done many of both, and like each technique. My frustration lies in the fact that with the squares, you’ll hear them “snap” in place; then later you’ll see that many have popped up and you then have to go back and snap them down again.
That is taking the fun out of it for me.
March 05, 2019