Whether you're currently working on your 17th kit or just beginning on your first, there's always something new to learn in the wonderful world of Diamond Painting!
No need for surgery to separate diamonds that are melded together! Just use two diamond trays you have lying around. Place one on top of the other and press down - you'll hear a satisfying “POP” when they separate.
For any stubborn diamonds that are resistant to the squeeze, rub trays back and forth until they can resist no more!
Have you ever framed a painting and can't help but notice the DMC grid peeking out of the side of the mat or frame? They won't notice it, but it will bother you forever! Catherine Woodward suggests using nail polish remover or acetone on a cotton pad to remove the diamond legend and other writing before framing.
Waiting on your Light Pad in the mail? Have an old or unused iPad lying around? Open up a Flashlight app or a display a blank page in your browser to illuminate your diamond painting experience. Let there be light!
Thinking of flying back from vacation early because you just can't live another moment without your diamond painting? Use a puzzle carrier to transport your WIP.
If you have more space and less money, just place your diamond painting in between two pieces of foam board and tape them together.
After you're done with your diamond painting (congrats!), you'll want to keep it looking as gorgeous as the day you finished it. Grab some Mod Podge and apply a coating to lock your diamonds in place and keep your painting pristine for years to come.
For more on sealing your finished kit, check out our full guide here.
Refilling your diamond containers can be a real bore, especially when you have a large painting. You have your symbols on your vials, but your symbols are not on your bags of diamonds.
The solution? Use Dry-Erase Tape and multi-colored markers to put the symbol, DMC code, and color on your container lids.
Going crazy over large areas with the same color? Mix things up (and keep your rows straight!) by using what we call the "Checkerboard Method."
Just place a diamond in every other box and then go back and fill in the spaces. You'll get a satisfying "click" when you fill in a blank space with a diamond!
Whoops! Drop a piece of paper on your canvas? Just dampen the area with a baby wipe and then swipe away the crud! Wait a bit for the canvas to dry before continuing on your project.
Have a hot tip or trick we missed? Leave it in the comments down below!
I had to wait for replacement diamonds. By the time I got them the canvas was no longer sticky. What can I do to get the missing diamonds to stick to the canvas.
I need to know how to properly remove you round grid without it tearing apart. And how to properly use the square grid. The few videos I’ve watched weren’t alot of help.
I have found that when you seal the picture with Mod Podge, it takes the sheen away so I found Mod Podge with glitter to seal my picture. It makes it shine like the original picture before sealing. Try it instead of the regular Mod Podge.
I accidentally got two colors mixed up on my picture. I was able to pick them all off and redo it but all the diamonds I had extra that I picked off are all sticky now and sticking together. Is there anything I can do to help with this?
I WILL BE DOING MY 1ST PAINTING, IS THERE A TIP I SHOULD KNOW AND USE RIGHT AWAY.
SOME OF THESE TIPS I HAVE KNOW IDEA WHAT UR TALKING ABOUT. LOL
ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.
THANK yOU
Love the idea of painting the edges before framing thus making it look like a mat. That’s where I find the hardest thing is the framing cause all the ones I have done are not your standard size like a 8×10, 12×14 etc. Thanks for the tip. Going to try it on my next one.
Don’t throw away your pens.
My diamond dotz pins weren’t picking up the diamonds any more. I found, that if you remove the built up old wax from your pen, you’ll be able to pick up your diamond dotz again.
I only remove a 10 drill x 10 drill square of the paper to expose adhesive, cutting it away. Don’t have to worry about anything messing up the work surface that way. Also, small Dixie cups from the dollar store work perfectly to hold drills. I can write number and draw shape inside cup and stack them alpha, numerical, and symbols together. Makes organizing very easy.
These are helpful tips and good comments. Blu tack can be useful to stick the diamonds onto your work project with the pen.
Use blue wall stick for the adhesive in your drill pen instead of wax. it lasts a thousand times longer. and it’s cheaper too..
Use baby powder around the edge of the picture where the adhesive extends beyond the DP area
Thanks for sharing all of your tricks very helpful . I have only done one so far but I have 10 or 12 more waiting for me to do . I think I found my
The helpful hints on here are great.
I ran into a problem after completing a picture and covering it with Mod Podge. There was a missing diamond that would be noticeable, but a full diamond wouldn’t fit. I placed the diamond, flat side down on a piece of scotch tape and trimmed it, double faced tape would have worked, but the other tape was handy. A tiny dab of glue holds it on the canvas. A tiny dab of Mod Podge covers it without it being noticed as an after finish addition.
Static cling was causing a problem filling plastic containers from the little plastic bags. I placed a few bags out on my lap tray. On top of them, I placed a frozen lunch bag pack. On top of the pack, I set some of the plastic containers. One at a time, I slipped a cold diamond pack out and poured the diamonds into a cold plastic container. It took just a few minutes to fill 30 containers with no diamonds stuck where they didn’t belong, like on my hands and sweater sleeves.
I use a seven day pill containers (will hold 28 colors) for all my projects. The lids snap securely and each section holds most if not all the diamonds needed for a project. Perfect for travel – they’re flat and the lids snap securely – just grab the container and mat and your off. I use a labeler to print the number for each section but you can also write the numbers on paper and use double sided tape. Takes a little time but worth every minute!
To help keep the drills apart I wipe out the trays with alcohol wipes to remove the oily feel of the trays. I also use chux wipes soaked in fabric conditioner and let dry and cut into small pieces. Place into the containers to help with the sticky drills. Works well for me. Happy drilling.
I love doing the 5D paintings. It is very relaxing for me & it keeps me busy I am 71 years old & it is an excellent pass time. I have 16 paintings done & I have 8 more to do, I have giving some away for gifts. They make beautiful gifts for people who have everything. Enjoy.
Another way to travel with your diamond art is to roll it up into a clean towel that is larger than your canvas. Thanks for the tips! :-)
Any ideas on why the pink was keeps trying out in the pen tool? After awhile, even tho I keep the lid on the wax, it seems I have to keep reapplying the wax in the top of the pen tool and it falls out of the pen too. Please help???
On some small DP’s sometimes the eye or other detail does not show up-I use a black marker on the finished DP and paint it in.
I have enjoying Paint With Diamonds. I have several done.
Great tips
I found the sticky paper hard to remove and to put back on. I used parchment paper to cover my diamond painting easy to remove and to place back on to protect my painting from dust or dirt. I love my diamond paintings. I was always into doing crafts. then in 97 I had a stroke which left my left side paralyzed so all my crafts came to an end since I’m 1 handed now, most of my crafting came to a stop. Thank you diamond painting for letting me do crafts again. It is a very relaxing hobby. So very rewarding when its all done.
Is there a way to sell the diamond painting (new unfinished -not completed)
what is the best way to remove wrinkles in a partial painting also what is the pen people are using for the drills, the one that comes in the kits I am not having very good luck with them
I am always hitting the tray to keep diamonds “right side up”. Anyone know a better way????
I have really enjoyed looking and reading all of this it really helps when you are a first timer lololol Thank You For Sharing…
I tried the modge podge on a picture and it took off the shine of the drills. So I am removing it. It is a tedious process
I make a copy of the DMC grid. The paper one that usually comes with the kit. Then I cut the codes apart and tape them to the top of my containers. Then I don’t have to try drawing the symbol and can’t figure it out later cuz sometimes the symbols are hard to copy, and taking the tape off for the next project is easy.
I have also found that two sided tape works VERY WELL if you have a spot that is not sticky on your picture. That has happened to me several times
Love your tips, and tricks, Thanks
Awesome tips
Note number 9 is very important
Thank you so much! I had questions and this info answered it for me. I especially wanted to know how to stabilize my project before I handed it over to a framer. Continue the good work. All hints are greatly appreciated.
Being the new kid on the block with PWD,I can use some help. Bought a light pad to put under the canvas. But can’t figure out how to place under and still keep canvas from not moving.
My husband dropped a piece of paper on his custom diamond painting and I used your tip of using a wipe to remove it. It worked beautifully!!!
How to you remove saran wrap stuck to the canvas?
great tips
I really enjoyed getting some tips on how to make diamond painting easier. I especially liked the checkerboard method to break up the boredom of large areas. The roll-up mat is also a great idea for storing unfinished work. Sometimes I get gems that are hard to separate so using two trays on top of each other and pressing down is a good idea and I will be trying that with my next kit! Thank you for some helpful tips on diamond painting.
Instead of rolling the canvas up. I use pool noodle, and wrap the canvas on that to transport.
Also I use a small hand held snow scraper to push up the rows, or a small kitchen spatula.
keep the tips coming their great
Use aqua mono liquid glue from tombow you don’t lose sparkle and it’s water based so you can spread it on with water and a paint brush dries very nicely. Mod podge is awful dulls the sparkle and after all the work you put in it sucks when the sparkle doesn’t show.
Excellent suggestions!
I paint the border canvas with acrylic paint so that the grid don’t show plus that border then works as a mat for the frame.
wow thank you for all those tips. they have help me a lot. No matter how careful you are you still have some kind of problem. Thank you again.
These are great tips, wish I had known the remove the grid for framing. But it will be great for the next one. I’m on my second one.
Excellent suggestions! Thanks you!
Keep getting stuck on extended sticky area in the margin. Just get a little talcum or bath powder on your finger and rub it in
Spots without glue what do I do?
Instead of spraying your beads for static, use a dryer sheet. Pour the beads into a dryer sheet and fold it over and push down on the beads so they all make contact.
To keep my rows neat I use a medium size plastic puddy knife.i saw ome I a store or on Wish.but Hubby said try his.it works real good.
The tips were wonderful, thank you very much.
GREAT IDEAS!!!!!
THANKYOU,,, THANKYOU… thankyou for your tips.. I have 99% finished a large paint with diamonds and accidently dropped a piece of paper on it.. have left and started another… Now , thanks to your tip with the baby wipes I can finish it .. Thanks again
These are very good ideas. Never heard of the things that you have suggested. I will be trying the things you have suggested.
These are very good ideas. Never heard of the things that you have suggested. I will be trying the things you have suggested.
Thank you very much. I am now on my second one and have had three more bought for me. I like the idea of the indiviual containers and numbers on them.
Thanks for this tip: Use nail polish remover to remove the legend before framing.
One of my first paintings, I dropped a piece of paper on it. YIKES! Days of work down the drain! I didn’t know you could remove paper with baby wipes. I bought an entire new kit. Way too expensive. I thank you for this tip so that IF I happen to have paper on my surface, I’ll know what to do. Thanks.
I have been #2 since I started doing these. It’s an awesome trick.
I find that using a 7 day pill container to hold my drills works great. Usually I use two or three containers for each project.
Thanks for the helpful hints
Watch “Survivor, Kickin’ Cancers Butt” on You-Tube! Ella is great! She helps a lot! VEry
How do I get the tips 1 to 9?
Great tips, quite a few I wish I had of known by now! /What can you do about the square diamonds not all being the same size. One pkg. I have, all of the square diamonds are stuck together, and I do not think rubbing two trays would of even helped. Some pictures I have ordered and done, do not resemble anything like being shown on the web page. Colours are not the same, and there are parts of the pictures not appearing. It is greatly dissappointing to have spent the money, and time, having it not turn out to be what you expected and ordered on line
These 9 tips were SUPER! I have one more tip…“Don’t start your new painting late at night or you won’t get any sleep..” LOL…
As your eyes start to tire, and you start to squint, I use a full page magnifier (can be bought a dollar store) to see broader areas.
Wow
when picture is done use mod podge. and a brush. First lay your picture down and with your brush dip into mod podge and then in warm water. Tap off any dripping of water. The shine is better and the strength is great.
Plus this will save you money. thank you
I have one diamond painting section that has no stick’em. What might I do to correct this? I very sadly bought from another company and they refuse to get back to me. Am learning whom to buy from and whom to not buy from.
Thank you if you can help me……
Sharon Gudmundson
P.O.Box 279
Merlin, OR 97532
542-479-5544
sharonmkx@me.com
Thanks for all the helpful information.
Thanks for all the helpful information.
If you have the opportunity, you can buy big rolls of parchment paper at stores like Costco or Sam’s Club. I use a quilting ruler and an exacto knife to perfectly cut 3" strips of parchment paper and I replace whatever is covering my canvas with these strips. The canvas will lie flat and the parchment paper is super easy to work with.
Thanks for the tips! I’m a beginner so I appreciate the helpful hints!
Love the Static Guard fabric spray tip! I keep a steady supply for my coats and clothes especially during the winter.
Thank you for the good tips they will help a lot.by the way I am buying most of mine from you people
Thanks for the great tips. I find the more paintings I do the more little helper tips I pick up.
Thank you for the great ideas!
To keep ur easel from sliding use a piece of rubber shelf liner. Yippee! No more sliding easel.
Good info. Thanks. For #3, I make a copy of the codes and numbers and then cut them up and put on my containers.
Thank you I love the tips
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Anna Allison
February 11, 2021
I spilled my diamonds on the floor while pouring them in a container out of the bags they come in. I tried sweeping them up with my hand but that didn’t work out to well. Then I spotted a roll of lint remover and it worked great. I just rolled it around the area picking up all the diamonds. True it picked up a little of everything on the floor. But once you have them just pick out the diamonds from the lint remover sheet.