The Ultimate Diamond Art FAQ with Links
(A continuing series of excerpts from my Amazon Kindle Book)
Previous Question Answered: Diamond Painting Basics - Table of Contents
Next Question to be Answered: Diamond Painting Basics Introduction
Table of Contents
Disclosure
Diamond Painting Lingo
Choosing a Diamond Art Painting Kit
Before I get started, and lock myself into something, which drill shape is best? Square or Round?
What is the difference between 3D drills and 5D drills?
Drill Trays or Boats
How do we get the drills to lay flat in the tray?
What is that single line for that is perpendicular to all the other grid lines in the boat?
Can’t I just use cellophane tape, painter’s tape or duct tape as the STOP line in my tray?
Is there a trick to not spilling the drills when we empty the tray into our storage container?
We’ve noticed that the little green tray slides around too easily on a table. Is there a way to keep from spilling it or knocking it off the table accidentally?
Is there something better than the little green tray that is either larger, or has higher sides, or that doesn’t get spilled so easily when we shake it?
I have heard that there are trays created specifically for square drills and they line up better than they do in the standard round drill trays. Is that true?
What can we do with the 1001 little green trays we’ve been collecting with our kits over the years?
Help! We are being overrun by little green trays! How can I use them rather than purchase the item in the solution above?
I use square drills and they don’t always line up well in the trays I have. Is there any tray that is specifically designed for square drills?
Drill Picker Pens and Styluses
This pink pen looks very simplistic, like it’s made from a plastic straw
Is there something more comfortable than this ubiquitous pink pen?
Pink Clay, Wax, Putty, Mud, etc.
How do you get the putty from the pad into the pen?
Help! I’ve run out of sticky pad before I’ve finished my project!! What did I do wrong?
Is there some other tacky medium we can use besides constantly poking this little pink pad of “sticky stuff”?
Drills – the Heart of the Art – Part 1
Is there some easier way to work with these drill packets that are connected in the kits? They slip and slide before you can cut them apart, and you can’t stack them in any useful order.
Why do some drills stick to the inside of the bag, or the lid and sides of my storage containers, or even to each other in the tray? How can we stop this from happening?
What can we do when we come across greasy looking or sticky drills or ones that defy all the static removal methods?
I washed my drills like you suggested, but some are still stuck together. What do I do now?
What do we do when the kit doesn’t have enough of a particular color drill to finish the project?
Drills – the Heart of the Art – Part 2
How many styles of drills are there and where can I find bulk collections of them?
Drills – the Heart of the Art – Part 3
How do I find the special shapes styles?
Is there such a thing as special shapes for square drill projects?
Do they make black light drills?
I don’t want to buy 447 different colors when I only need one to finish the project. How can I find the right color and style of the missing drill?
If we run out of a particular color, how do we know if we have that same color somewhere in our stash or storage?
I am totally stumped trying to figure out this drill color code! What do you suggest I do?
Canvas Issues – Part 1
Did you know that it is possible to take the plastic film OFF the canvas incorrectly?
Did you know that it is possible to put the plastic film back ON the canvas incorrectly?
How do we section off the canvas so that we can work in those smaller areas?
How do we get the creases out of a canvas that was folded in transit?
How do we flatten a canvas that came tightly rolled and refuses to unroll?
Canvas Issues – Part 2
How can I keep a canvas from losing its stickiness?
What can we do if the project is missing the stickiness in random areas or even on the whole canvas?
My canvas arrived with no glue! Should I return it?
What of my drills keep falling off even after fixing the stickiness?
How do we keep our hand from sticking to the canvas when we accidentally rest it on the project we are working on? It’s both hard to remember and tiring to keep our hand in the air.
Work Area Organization
All my tools are cluttering my workspace. What do you suggest for organizing the mess?
How can we work on a large canvas if we have a small area that’s not big enough for the canvas?
Is there a way to tilt the tray in a more ergonomic position rather than constantly bending over it flat on a table?
Is there a more ergonomic way of working on a canvas than bending our backs and necks over a table?
Workflow for Efficiency
I work out of the slippery packets and do not save any leftovers. How can I sort the open packets in case I miss a spot of the color I was working on and thought I was finished?
What if we have a project with a large number of colors and want to be able to simply grab a tray that already has our diamonds in it rather than constantly pouring them out into the little green tray and back into storage?
Are there any other accessories that can help us with our workflow?
Visual Aids for Diamond Painters
How do those of us with poor eyesight work on a project if our glasses keep falling off?
What if we like to work on our diamond art in the bedroom, but our partner doesn’t like us having the light on?
What if the pattern on the canvas is so dark that you can’t see the symbol for the color you need?
I am so obsessed with working on my diamond art that power outages drive me crazy! How can I work on my project when it’s dark and there’s no electricity?
Alignment Techniques
Why do we have to be so precise to put a drill in exactly the right spot? Why can’t we just slap it on and move it over the correct spot later?
How can we make sure that we have put a rhinestone exactly on the coded spot? This is especially important if our hand tends to shake while holding it in the air, if we’re not using a release paper covering.
How can we make sure that our gems are aligned perfectly, both horizontally and vertically, once manually placed?
I seem to have trouble with putting the wrong color in the wrong spot. HELP!
Multi-Placer Tools and How to Use Them
Are we limited to tediously poking only one drill at a time onto our canvas? Working on solid backgrounds feels like a nightmare.
I’m sorry, but 8 is NOT enough! I want to place more, More, MORE drills at once!
Why is my multi-placer not filling up straight?
I am good at getting the drills straight on my multi-placers, but for some reason, I STILL can’t get them to line up on the grid correctly on some projects.
Drill Storage After Kitting Down
How can we store our leftover drills?
I’m not interested in sorting my leftover drills, but I don’t want to throw them in the trash either. Any ideas?
How to Use Extra Drills
How can we use up the extra drills if we really don’t want to continue buying kits anymore? Can we use them for something else?
Traveling with your Diamond Art
I have three locations where I work on projects. Is there an easy way to carry my tools back-and-forth to each one?
I’d like to be able to move my canvas to another part of the house when the mood strikes without too much of a hassle. Any ideas?
How can we carry our projects with us to do when we travel or at work or somewhere other than home?
Finishing Your Diamond Artwork
Is there some way we can keep the gems from falling off the project long after we’ve completed it?
Sealants for Diamond Paintings
Is the ink on the commercial canvases water soluble?
What can we use to seal a diamond art painting that won’t harm the sparkle?
I do NOT like the idea of sealing rhinestones, but I'm working on my first acrylic suncatcher, and the drills are sliding around much more freely than they ever did on a fabric canvas, so I guess I have to bite the bullet and seal this one. How can I put the sealant on AND wipe it off the top without the drills moving out of position during the process?
Framing Your Diamond Artwork
How do we frame our finished projects? They don’t appear to be standard frame sizes.
What kind of glue should be used to mount a diamond art canvas to a stretched canvas frame?
That was a lot of information to absorb! Can you please shorten that a little bit?
What about mounting on MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard)?
What about mounting on Foam Core board?
Can I put a piece of glass, plastic or acrylic over the framed diamond painting to keep dust off it?
I would like to pre-frame a canvas before I give it to my daughter to compete. Are there any caveats?
Should there be a backing of some sort so that the pre-framed canvas doesn’t stretch when the drills are pressed on?
Can I also put the mounted canvas into its final frame before I work on it?
Would it be better to mount a diamond art painting after the work has been done?
What if we have too many diamond art projects already finished, but we don’t want to hang them all over the house. Is there a way to store them and keep them clean and safe?
Cleaning Up the … What Mess?
I am not getting the hang of shaking the tray yet, is there an easy way to pick up frequently spilled drills?
I found out that the cat had been sleeping on my project while I was gone. How do I get rid of all the cat hair?
Creating Custom Diamond Art from Photos
Can you create new canvases of your own design? Turn a photo into a diamond art picture?
Is there any way to create your own designs that give you a color grid to work with?
How do the professionals do it?
Can you purchase unglued diamond painting canvas?
Are there any apps for iOS that can create a diamond art painting grid?
Are there any apps for Android that can create a diamond art painting grid?
I have seen blank diamond art canvas; how do you put the image on it?
Are there any businesses that can put a photo on a canvas for me that is larger than what I can print at home?
Fashion Statements
Do any T-shirts exist that promote the hobby of diamond art painting?
What about diamond painting mugs, tumblers and water bottles?
I’ve heard that you can make wearable jewelry with diamond art, is that true?
Miscellaneous Leftovers
How does pearl painting differ from “standard” diamond painting?
I’ve seen canvases where the image looks like it was made from a pile of stones. What is that kind of painting called?
If I decide to sell my finished diamond paintings, how much should I charge?
People are always asking where I bought my projects, or what I paid, or how long it took to complete, but I can never remember all that. Is there a way to keep track of such things?
I have so many kits I don’t know which one to start next. Any ideas for choosing my next project?
I am looking for a more complex project, something that will challenge me more than a door-sized canvas. Any suggestions?
Where are the existing diamond art painting kits assembled?
Are we limited to just canvases, coasters and magnets?
Diamond Painting Resources, Websites and Discount Codes
Are there any other sources for diamond art kits besides Amazon?
Acrylics, sun catchers, tabletops, and other non-canvas projects, these sites have a lot of variety
Canvases only, but some have accessories as well as replacement beads
Suppliers of various drill styles, shapes and colors
Specializing in miniature diamond art painting kits
Not dedicated diamond painting sites, but have an extremely large selection of canvases and are worth checking out
Final Words<
I would like to teach a diamond art painting class, but I don’t know how to go about it. Any advice?
Previous Question Answered: Diamond Painting Basics - Table of Contents
Next Question to be Answered: Diamond Painting Basics Introduction
I have been doing diamond art for over 10 years. My book was published under my pen name. You can contact me through my blog here at https://ei-kan.blogspot.com if you have any additional questions to add to this section or to notify me of any dead links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualified purchases. This book is available in its entirety on Amazon Kindle and there are some discount coupon codes for up to 15% off your purchases at select websites near the end of it And yes, I earn a few pennies from a few other sites mentioned as well, but not all.
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