7 Common Diamond Painting Mistakes And How To Get started
Meta: Diamond painting is not a fad that is going to vanish anytime soon. If you are new to this craft, read our intro to get you started today.
Diamond painting is an enjoyable and simple activity for both young and old crafters. Based on the same idea as paint-by-numbers and Mosaics, diamond painting utilizes tiny “diamond” like facets to create patterns and colorful designs that sparkle.
Arranging the diamonds is an easy three-step process that is relaxing and meditative. Once you get the hang of it, you will spend hours of enjoyment as you create and re-create your design. The kits you need for this craft is available in numerous styles and sizes.
You can find kits that are simple as well as those that are more elaborate. For whatever level you are on as a diamond painter there are kits for every project for you to enjoy.
In this article, we are going to discuss how to begin, what comes in a kit, and. 7 Common Diamond Painting Mistakes And How To Get started
First, let's talk about the kits.
What Comes in a Kit
Each diamond painting kit is going to have different tools and gadgets. What you get will vary from one company to the next. However, they all will have primarily the same materials, and these are:
Colorful Diamonds
Fabric printed with the design chart
Square of Wax
Diamond Applicator Stylus Pen
Diamond Holding Tray
Tips to Know Before Getting Started
When you get your kit, you will need to review your legend and chart carefully before you begin. You will notice the back of each package has a label with the color number and name. It would be handy if you label the bag adding the symbol for that particular color. That will help you with identifying the proper color as you work.
You will notice that there is a plastic film protecting the fabric design chart. The recommendation is to not remove the protection film all at once. When you do peel it back, that chart area will be a bit sticky. You will want to peel the plastic film slowly as you work.
When you take breaks from your project, be sure to re-cover your work with the plastic film. That is to avert your work from drying out and losing the stickiness as well as preventing dust from gathering.
The easiest and best way to begin is to start from the bottom and work your way up. You will notice a small tray in your kit. That tray is to hold your diamonds as you work. The tray works fantastic if you do as recommended and work with one color at a time.
However, if you would rather work your project row by row, and changing colors as you flow down your chart, you need to a different strategy. For this, you need to have small crafting tubs or small bowls to separate the colors as you work. Make certain that you label the tub with the color to work faster.
When putting your diamonds in the bowl or the tray, you will be doing yourself a favor by positioning them with the flat side down. The reason for this is because that is how you will use the applicator tool.
You need to wrap your applicator with plastic to prevent it from drying out as well as closing your wax tubes securely between uses. If you by chance lose your applicator tool, or your wax dries out, there are options. You can find rhinestone appliers generally in the manicure and nail polish tools. If not, try your local hobby store.
How to Start Diamond Painting
1. The first step is to dip just the tip of your applicator tool into the wax. The wax is what enables you to pick the diamonds up.
2. Check your chart to find which color to use. Next, gently press the tip of your applicator to the rounded side of your diamond.
3. This step is when you pull the plastic film carefully to reveal the area you want to work on next. Be sure to place the diamond onto the proper symbol carefully.
4. Now, just repeat these three steps until you complete your design.
5. Once you position your last diamond, replace your protective film to cover the top. You can use your rolling pin or anything similar and carefully roll over your design. This step is to secure your diamonds to the sticky surface carefully.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r4HfvgdM4sM
Displaying your Work
If you have a room that you want to add a touch of pizazz to the décor, diamond painting designs can do just that. If you are stuck on deciding how to display your artwork, the following are a few options to help get you started.
Wall Hanging: If you would like to hang your project on the wall, you can do this even if you only have a few sewing skills. All you need is a fabric that coordinates with your colors to use for backing and border. The combination makes a unique wall hanging for any room.
Frame: Framing is of course the simplest option. Be sure to remove the glass from your frame to prevent it from dulling your designs sparkle.
Book Cover: As you will see, a finished diamond painting design is sparkly and eye-catching. For that reason, they make flashy and unique covers for books, scrapbooks, photo albums and even school supply covers. All you need to do is trim the completed design to fit your book. Next, adhere it to a smooth, flat book cover using double-sided foam tape. To make your cover interchangeable, use hook-and-loop tape to create your unique cover.
Pillow: Depending on the size of your project, diamond painting designs make excellent accent pillows for your sofa or chair. For this, you need coordinating fabric to design the backing and border for your pillow. Next, stuff with either a pillow form or fiberfill. In the following section, you will find the care instructions.
Care Instructions for Diamond Panting Projects
If by chance your fabric were to get wet while you are working on it, you can gently wipe it with a cold, damp rag. Do not scrub the material, just dab it in the wet area. Also, do not dry clean, iron, or wash.
How to Correct Common Mistakes in Diamond Painting
1. Diamonds Will Not Stay in Place:
You will have a tool called a “drill” when you begin collecting the tools needed for diamond painting. This drill, once you apply it to the sticky adhesive on your canvas, is quite resilient to handling and bending. However, there will be times when one of the gems may pop off.
That typically is an easy fix by just pressing it back in place using a toothpick of the setting tool. Keep in mind; a finished piece needs storing in an upright position. Also, avoid allowing the adhesive to dry out before completing your project. A helpful way to do this is to cut the protective film into sections so that you can peel up as you work.
2. Your Diamonds are Crooked
That is actually a pretty common issue when you work with square drills. That is because they need arranging in careful rows. If one single row is misaligned, the entire picture is going to warp a bit. To correct this, take a pair of tweezers or the edge of a knife and carefully nudge your drills back into a straight line.
The good news is, round drills are more forgiving with a replacement, but you can nudge them back in place. You must do this while the adhesive is still sticky. Therefore, it is essential to check every row as you go.
3. You Place the Wrong Color
Sadly, the only way to correct this is to unpick it with tweezers or a toothpick gently. Unpicking a diamond is faster than the time it takes to put them down. Therefore, be extra cautious not to scratch the adhesive layer while scraping them off accidentally.
Work gently to remove the gem but do not hesitate to pull. Remember, moving one only work if you still have sticky adhesive. Therefore, double check your work as you go. Keeping your station organized is the best way to prevent this from happening.
You may want to label the color on the side with a sample of the gem to easily tell them apart. Another alternative is to mark each bag with the color number as well as a symbol as discussed earlier. While you are working, make an effort to work with various colors at one time.
A good example is once you complete a green section, move over to a light blue, then onto another blue. That will help you with keeping track of all your colors.
4. OOPS! You Spilled all Your Diamonds onto the Floor
Who has not accidentally spilled tiny pieces of stuff at one time? Our first reaction is to panic, right? If you drop all your gems, the best thing to do is to sweep them. Beings they are tiny, you stand a better chance of salvages many of them if you use a more modern, simpler sweeper.
The reason for this is you will build up static on the cleaning sheet. That will help with attracting the resin diamonds which usually sticks easily with static.
5. What if You Lose Some of Your Diamonds?
There is no reason to panic here because you can find additional pieces to buy from the company direct or in hobby stores that sales Diamond Painting kits. Each kit typically comes with enough for extras because accidents do happen.
6. You Cannot Unroll Your Canvas After Rolling It Up
Sometimes this does happen. One of the phenomenal things about canvas as well as diamond painting is that you can roll up your entire piece. However, there are times when it attempts to form back in place, and that can be annoying.
Take your rolling pin and roll it over your canvas on the front and back with the protective sheet in place. If that does not work, put tape on each side and all the way across. Do this with it on a hard surface such as a cutting board or desk.
If that little trick fails, put it under some heavy books, or under a mattress. Either one of these methods should tame those curls. Do not ever try to iron it! You will have a huge mess because the adhesive will stick to your iron.
7. You Do Not Like the End Results
The thing about diamond painting as well as other crafts is there will always be at least one project you are unhappy with the results. Small diamond painting projects can easily lead to disappointment when one section is not what you were hoping for when you chose the kit.
When this happens, take a step or two back and look at the big picture—literally! These type of dazzling, sparkly masterpieces look their best from a distance. Back away far enough that you can see the image appearing from the stones.
Now that you have an interest in Diamond Painting you will find yourself wanting to know more and more. Keep in mind as a beginner everyone makes mistakes, especially when you are trying something new.
The good news is, most of the issues you face have simple answers to correct them. Keep in mind, staying well organized is the key to happy painting. Keep your gems separated and adequately stored as well as the other tools. Also, remember to make sure you properly seal your wax and your applicator to prevent drying.
As you learn more, you will progress to more significant and dazzling projects. Until then, take your time and enjoy the calming effect your new hobby has to offer. As with most arts and crafts, you should enjoy yourself and most importantly, always have fun.