We LOVE diamond painting. There's absolutely nothing better than unboxing a new kit, prepping your canvas and tools, and spending countless hours putting diamonds to canvas to slowly reveal a masterpiece of your own making.
Fortunately, we're not alone in our addiction to this amazing new craft hobby! The passionate folks over at the official Paint With Diamonds Support Group are always sharing progress, tips, and tricks that make paint with diamonds lovers absolutely giddy!
We've gone through hundreds of posts to find the best paint with diamonds tips and tricks. Read ahead for our favorites!
7. Use egg cartons to organize your diamonds
Raise chickens? Or did you just cook an omelette and use up all your eggs? Use the container to organize your diamonds! Courtesy of Niña Conklin.
6. Tape or glue your diamonds next to their symbol on the canvas.
Easily reference the diamonds you need at quick glance! Tip courtesy of Heidi Proctor and Angela Earley!
5. Use a marker to put the number or symbol on each diamond bag.
If egg cartons aren't your style, simply sort the diamonds into the plastic Ziploc bags included in your kit. Then write the corresponding number or symbol on the outside of the bag. Tip thanks to Kelsey Kelso Bjork!
4. Use a cutting board as a flat surface for your canvas.
Can't find a good surface to use to complete your paint with diamonds? Just tape the canvas to a normal kitchen cutting board! Just wash it first ;). Thanks for the tip, Suzie Pini van Deurs!
3. Use a multi-diamond applicator tool to speed up the process!
Don't be afraid to pick up more than one diamond at a time! Most of our kits come with a double-sided tool that lets you pick up one diamond at a time, or a bunch! Tip courtesy of Brooke Stubbs.
2. Flatten your canvas by sleeping on it. Literally.
This one comes straight from Ali King, who says, "put it between two pieces of cardboard. Put that under my mattress and sleep on it overnight. Works great! I do that once I'm done with it as well, just to make sure all the diamonds are fully adhered."
1. Stop static cling with dryer sheets.
Isn't it annoying when your diamonds stick to everything BUT the canvas? PWD fan Ariel Rocha recommends cutting up a dryer sheet and placing small pieces of it in whatever you are storing the gems in. Game changer!
Have an awesome tip that we missed? Leave it in the comments below! And don't forget to share this post with your fellow die-hard paint with diamonds fans!
Comments
Debbie said:
After reading the questions and challenges, I am so glad I watched the u-tube videos before starting. Most supplies you can find in the jewelry section of craft stores. Michaels has a bead travel binder that holds several containers similar to the pharmacy weekly pill boxes. They slide into a plastic tube for easy travel. I’ve seen where you can buy extra containers or even non sectioned ones so your can put your pens, tweezers, etc in them. If you only need a few beads, you can tap into the tray or I use a baby spoon to scoop them into the lined trays. I also use the small plastic containers like coffee comes in to keep my wax fresh. Clean pizza boxes work great to keep your projects separated for the smaller canvases. I store my leftover drills in small jewelry bags and place them inside individual baseball card sleeves to they stand up in a decorative box for easy access
June 21, 2019
Georgia said:
How do you frame these different size pictures.
June 21, 2019
Karen said:
I use the egg carton but never thought of taping the color of the drill to the number on picture
June 21, 2019
Mary said:
I use a thin coat of glossy mod podge to keep any drills from popping off.
June 21, 2019
Cindy Engel said:
I would love to see some glow in the dark paintings. I just love sitting and working on my paintings. It’s hard to stop once you get started, I spent 7 hrs on a painting today and the time flew by so fast. But i would love to do some glow in the dark paintings, I think they would be beautiful.
June 21, 2019
Heather said:
I buy the small disposable condiment cups at our grocery store to store my diamonds in..and cut out and tape the number from the bag on the lid..they seal tight
June 21, 2019
Tiffany Travers said:
Use a rolling pin to completely flatten those stubborn ones that don’t “click”!
June 21, 2019
Nancy Weyde said:
Buy a light to place under your picture. It will prove to be the best investment, if you keep doing diamond painting.
June 21, 2019
Julialee Jones said:
Are the diamonds for one picture the same as the same number of other pictures? In other words are the same numbers the same color on each picture?
June 21, 2019
Nana Log said:
I like to use a light board to make it easier to see what I’m doing and when it’s finished I use clear glue over the top.
June 21, 2019
garalyn Mcalpin said:
I go to the dollar tree store and but there little cup with lids works wonders
June 21, 2019
Moira said:
Great ideas…
I’d like to see enough baggies for all colors..I’m always short..
June 21, 2019
Carrie Derosa said:
I use little party clear trays I got at the dollar store. I label them with the bead number and then pour the beads into the trays for easy access and pick up when working on a painting. Then I store them in a storage container I got at the craft show so your animals cant get to them.
June 21, 2019
Carrie Derosa said:
I use little party clear trays I got at the dollar store. I label them with the bead number and then pour the beads into the trays for easy access and pick up when working on a painting. Then I store them in a storage container I got at the craft show so your animals cant get to them.
June 21, 2019
Susan Woodward said:
As fort No.5 I write the symbol the color number and the number in order of it. Ie: 1-@ 150 on the baggie and/or the storage compartment I use.
June 21, 2019
PeggyAnn Smith said:
Some good tips…thanks! 💜
I use Small Plastic Ziplock Jewelry size bags I buy in bulk to put my drills in after I open each color! 💜
June 21, 2019
Roberta Barker said:
Love doing these, I have just finished the “Spices and Spoons”, I call the Diamonds “Tiles” I think I am addicted now,. I have ordered the “Butterfies” about to do that for one of my granddaughters, for her Birthday, she was very interested at my work. I find them very relaxing. Thank you , Roberta
June 21, 2019
Lori Durbin said:
I buy round plastic containers at Dollar Tree. You get 10 round or 10 square containers in a package for $1.00. Then I just reuse the containers.
June 21, 2019
Melanie said:
I use bead trays – the ones that are individual round cups- to keep my diamonds in. I use mounting board behind my canvas when I’m framing, as well as gluing the mat to the canvas, and use the snuggest fitting glass I can find to help prevent diamonds from popping out. When it does happen a small drop of clear nail polish under the diamond or double sided tape if it’s more than one works well
June 04, 2019
Michele Greenberg said:
Love your art painting thank you for your site I’m also try to find the frame that was the began it no longer on your site it said is u want to buy go to site I did no frame but love the pictures thank you
June 04, 2019
Roberta Maynard said:
What is a drill? I’ve seen several comments regarding them. I’m new to these, but I love them.
June 04, 2019
Roberta said:
Thank you for these tips. #3 explained a lot for me.
June 04, 2019
Sue Webb said:
I get a heavier zip lock bag and store the extra diamonds in them and store by what picture it is in a larger bag
June 04, 2019
Sue Webb said:
I got one of these last year in August and so far I have 9 finished love doing these
June 04, 2019
LaNae Myhre said:
When I am finished with a picture, I feel over the top of the diamonds to make sure all are down flat and adhered. Then just for good measure i will lay the picture on the counter, place a towel over it, and use my rolling pin (dont put to much pressure) but some. You will hear little pops as you go over it
June 04, 2019
Linda Miller said:
I paint all mine with Elmer’s glue
June 04, 2019
Tammy said:
I went to the local craft store and bought empty paint holders I think there are 3 in a pack and 8 or so in one. I just pop the top and put my diamonds in them with their number on top. Easy storage and easy to find.
June 04, 2019
Kim Godfrey said:
I went to Michael’s and got some round containers with lids and the round stickers to put on top of it with the symbol/number of the color and you can reuse them when your done, just put another sticker on top
June 04, 2019
Elaine said:
Wish sells nice little bead containers, with multiple slots and snapping lids. I just label tape and stick on for removal later.
June 04, 2019
Linda Wetherbee said:
Go to wal mart ,you can buy round cantainer, and I used white out,to label them.and all are reusable, by Scratching off the white Out
June 04, 2019
terrich1986@gmail.com said:
I hold my picture up to the lite,, holding it with the back towards you,u can easily see if you missed a spot… But now I bought the lite and so much easier….
June 04, 2019
Tina Smith said:
To insure that my diamonds stay in place after I finish one, I MOD PODGE the whole painting. When it dries, the diamonds are all glued together and reinforced. It does not hurt the shine of the diamonds at all.
June 04, 2019
Marcia Mullings said:
Love Diamond painting a lot of fun
June 04, 2019
Tana Phillips said:
I got a frame from Amazon. It was 16×20 for 25 bucks. I used my exacto knife to cut off the borders of the canvas. I took out that border inside the frame and pic fit like a glove!
June 04, 2019
Debbie said:
I went to AC Moore and got plastic boxes I separated all my diamonds into the separate sections. I took the paper and blew up the size and cut the symbols and taped it to the lid above the corresponding diamonds. I use a plastic spoon to scoop out my diamonds. I am so addicted to this.
June 04, 2019
Bev said:
I have special containers just for my diamonds sold for diamond art you just have to put a little piece of tape on each container and I just stick that color diamond on the tape for each container. There kinda neat but diffenity orderly !!!
June 04, 2019
carol said:
When I have diamonds that don’t want to stay. I use gorilla glue that has a point and small finger nail polish brush. I just lightly dab the square with the glue and the diamond stays forever
June 04, 2019
Sisilcandy said:
Recently bought a diamond kit. The kit brought all the colors necessary it was an amazing picture no rinkles in the canvas everything perfect. But when I kept trying to pick up the gems with the red wax on the pink stick I couldn’t pick up but 2 and then it would stop working. I noticed that all the beads in my kit had like this powder coating that kept sticking to the wax when I picked one up and would not let me pick any more up. Any one had this problem??
June 04, 2019
Lynne said:
I am totally addicted to these. I went to the $ store and got pill boxes. I would rather buy another picture than spend more money on expensive boxes. That way everyone wins!!
June 04, 2019
Lynne said:
I am totally addicted to these. I went to the $ store and got pill boxes. I would rather buy another picture than spend more money on expensive boxes. That way everyone wins!!
June 04, 2019
INA DEFOREST said:
When I finish a picture it may be awhile before I frame it. I use a cardboard from wrapping paper and roll picture around it. You cut it to what ever length you need. Easy to store and takes very little space.
June 04, 2019
Mandy said:
To prevent beads from coming off the canvas, use double sided tape on areas that are no longer sticky, or a glue pen and put small dots on the canvas then the bead. To finish and maintain my art I apply a generous layer of puzzle glue to the whole piece. It does not change the shine or color of the beads!!
June 04, 2019
Jodie Ulch Bishop said:
I have purchased regular canvases. I attached my picture to the canvas with tape and work on it while it’s on the canvas. Then when I’m done I use puzzle glue to attach it to the canvas and use a thin layer of puzzle glue over top of my pic to keep all the drills in place. I then can hang my completed pic that’s attached to the canvas…😊😊
June 04, 2019
Allyson said:
Are the colours and symbols the same for each painting? Like embroidery cotton?
June 04, 2019
Kris said:
I save the plastic cover from previous pictures so when I am working on a large picture I wrap it around my forearm so it does not stick when I reach across unfinished areas to place diamonds. I generally do all of one color at a time instead of little areas.
June 04, 2019
Lisa Reardon said:
What I have found to be the best thing to write with on the plastic bags or anything that you are using that is plastic like. Wet erase markers are the best. Because it comes off the plastic bags or plastic containers with a little bit of water and a paper towel or a washcloth.
June 04, 2019
Mycal said:
I use the clear plastic bottle containers and instead of cutting/tearing little pieces of tape I just use a Sharpie and wipe clean with hand sanitizer easily.
June 04, 2019
Samantha Hite said:
I bought a pick me up pen from amazon and it’s been a game changer
June 04, 2019
Margie said:
The reason they pop off they are not the same size look at them some are to small there is a lot of them in all the Diamond paintings I got its a pain.
June 04, 2019
Connie said:
I use a flat cookie sheet and magnets instead of a cutting board. Works good for me
June 04, 2019