Diamond painting
Sparkling pictures made of tiny stones, glued onto a numbered canvas according to a chart, come together easily and are fun for children and adults alike. Diamond painting covers complete kits with canvas, stones, applicator and wax, separate accessories as well as ready-made designs in various sizes and themes. A distinction is made between round and square drills, partial and full designs, and canvases from small postcards to large wall pictures. The choice depends on the design, the size and on whether the kit contains everything needed.
Diamond painting
Putting a picture together from thousands of sparkling stones is calming, fun and in the end leaves an ornament that can be hung on the wall or given as a gift. Diamond painting works much like paint by numbers — coloured stones are placed onto a canvas with an adhesive layer and symbols according to a chart until a glittering design appears. It differs mainly in the size of the canvas, the shape of the stones and in how much of the picture is filled in.
Shops most often sell complete kits and separate accessories. A kit usually contains the canvas, bags of stones, an applicator pen, wax or adhesive gel and a small tray for the stones, so all it takes is to begin. Spare stones, multi-tip applicators, organisers and light pads are bought separately and make working with the chart easier. Designs range from animals, nature and cities to abstractions, pictures from a photo as well as seasonal and children's motifs.
The key difference comes down to round and square drills. Round ones are placed faster and suit beginners, square ones fit together exactly and give a fuller, more solid surface. By coverage, a distinction is made between partial designs, where only part of the picture is filled, and full designs across the whole canvas. Smaller canvases suit quick creating and make a good gift, large ones are for more demanding works.
When choosing, it's above all the size of the canvas and the number of colours that matter — a simple design with a few shades is within a child's reach, a detailed picture with dozens of colours pleases the experienced. It pays to look at the quality of the adhesive layer and the clarity of the symbols, an extra pack of stones in case of loss and the sturdiness of the canvas. With a gift, a nice theme and a format that fits the intended spot help, whether it is a smaller decoration or a large picture for the living room.