The fascination of Diamond Painting - 10 interesting facts

Diamond Painting as a DIY trend

The big DIY trend used to be called "painting by numbers" - today it's called Diamond Painting. Some would describe it as a modern form of mosaic or puzzle, while others would say it is reminiscent of cross-stitch pictures. This is probably due to the fact that Diamond Painting combines many of the basics of various creative leisure activities and has thus invented a fascinating new form of creative activity that is not only completely uncomplicated to carry out, but also leads to beautiful results. The activity of diamond painting not only involves a great deal of manual skill and creativity, but also offers amazing relaxation mechanisms. The up-and-coming DIY trend and all its positive qualities have definitely convinced us and inspired us to launch our company Carat Art. Today, we would like to introduce you to 10 exciting facts about diamond painting that may be new to you.

1. the origin of diamond art

Unfortunately, despite extensive research, we are unable to name a specific inventor or location. What is certain, however, is that the origins of this craft are very old and can be found in Asia. Its beginnings probably go back to an old tradition in which beads and similar materials were glued onto velvet or felt to form patterns and ornaments. Nowadays, a canvas is used as a base and, of course, the associated technical methods have also become more modern. Printed canvases, including a special adhesive in the form of a self-adhesive surface so that the diamond stones can form a permanent bond with the canvas, are now the basis of modern diamond painting, with which anyone can easily create beautiful works of art. The first diamond painting sets as we know them today came onto the market in China in 2015 and have since taken the DIY scene worldwide by storm.

2 The positive effects of diamond painting

At first glance, this DIY hobby seems to be all about creating a visually appealing picture using a simple process. However, there are actually far-reaching aspects with many positive effects behind the seemingly simple activity of sticking on stones. Because while you're busy sticking stone by stone, this activity also promotes a number of motor and mental skills that offer further benefits. While you keep your hands and brain busy with the structured and repetitive process of picking up and placing stones, your mind can rest. For this reason, many people use "painting" to reduce stress and relax. It is an ideal balance after a stressful day at work and can distract and calm people who are prone to anxiety or inner restlessness. It is no coincidence that diamond painting is also used in art therapy. Diamond painting is ideal for finding a balance to hectic and often stressful everyday life. Working with the small stones has an extremely calming effect on body and mind and leads to a state of deep relaxation. All fears, worries and problems can be banished from the mind, as only the moment and the diamond image are perceived. Working with the glittering stones not only creates beautiful pictures, but sorting and gluing the stones also has many positive effects on your whole life. And although the motif and pattern are already predetermined on a canvas, working on a diamond painting still trains your imagination and creativity. The individual work steps required also train and improve your fine motor skills. In addition, diamond painting also satisfies the psychological reward system in the brain - individual completed sections and, of course, the finished picture at the end give you a strong feeling of satisfaction. Not to forget, it promotes discipline and patience, which such work demands of you. What's more, diamond painting is not just an activity that you can do all by yourself. If you wish, you can share your artistic work with others. Particularly large or multi-part motifs such as our "Elephants in the sunset" or "A morning in Paris" are particularly suitable for working on with several people at the same time. The whole family can help out and spend some quality time together. Finally, the finished artwork can be hung up together and used to decorate the walls of your home individually.

3. particularly easy to learn & master

When painting by numbers, you need a steady hand and sufficient practice to draw the brush correctly and confidently over the lines and fields to achieve an appealing result. Painting or drawing freehand is even more difficult, as you need a lot of practice as well as a certain talent and plenty of spatial imagination. The result is often not what you had imagined, which is disappointing and demotivating. There is also a high potential for mistakes in pottery, clay, embroidery, crochet and many other creative leisure activities. In addition, many creative hobbies require a lot of equipment, utensils, space and often years of practice to achieve beautiful results. Painting with diamonds, on the other hand, does not require any extraordinary skills or artistic experience, especially due to its easy-to-understand principle. All you need is time, a systematic approach, patience and a little dexterity to get closer to completing your individual work of art stone by stone. Diamond Paintings can also be created in different levels of difficulty thanks to different sizes and several diamond shapes, and the choice of infinitely different motifs means it never gets boring!

4. not all little stones are the same

The small Diamond Painting stones are available in different colors, shapes, sizes and materials.

• In total, there are around 450 different colors, each of which has a name and its own individual number, the so-called DMC code.
• Diamonds are available as standard with either a square or round basic shape, with the square ones having a side length of 2.5 mm and the round ones a diameter of 2.8 mm.
• In principle, both round and square stones are available in two different materials: resin or acrylic, which is poured into the corresponding mold using special machines.
• In addition to the round and square shapes, there are also special shapes (drops, hearts, etc.)
• The special shapes are mostly rhinestones, which have a very special and sparkling effect and look like glass. They are available in various sizes (1mm to > 25mm). There are also square and round stones in rhinestone design
• The round and square diamond stones are also available in various special designs
  • AB stones: An additional coating causes their surface to shimmer in various iridescent colors. This makes them shine and sparkle even more in the light. The abbreviation AB comes from "Aurora Borealis", as their shimmer is reminiscent of that of the northern lights in the polar sky.
  • Diamonds with a "glow in the dark" effect. They can be used to highlight parts of the picture or hide secret lettering that can only be seen in the dark. In normal light, these stones are usually white-greenish.
  • Also new are stones with a metallic effect in gold, silver, iron and bronze look.

5. the number of diamonds in a set

The total number of diamonds contained in a set naturally always depends on the size of the canvas. A large-format canvas can contain several tens of thousands of diamonds. For round diamonds with a diameter of 2.8 mm, the number of diamonds on a surface can be calculated using the following formula: Picture width in cm x picture height in cm x 12. For a smaller picture of 30x40cm, this results in a total number of 14,400 little stones and for a large picture of 50x70cm, the impressive figure of 42,000 little stones. As square diamonds are slightly smaller with a side length of 2.5mm, pictures with square diamonds automatically contain a larger number of diamonds per set. The formula for calculating this is as follows: Picture width in cm x picture height in cm x 16. This means that a smaller picture of 30x40cm already has a total number of 19,200 stones and a large picture of 50x70cm has an impressive 56,000 stones.

6 The difference between 3D and 5D

When selecting products, you have probably already noticed the terms 3D and 5D Diamond Painting. If you've ever wondered what these terms mean, here's the explanation: it's not about different spatial dimensions of perception, but about the facet cut of the stones. This marking refers to the production method and the nature of the stones. 3D diamonds have 3 facets on each side, while 5D diamonds have 5 facets on each side. The difference therefore lies in the number of facets. When light hits the diamonds, it is reflected back from the facets, which causes the diamonds to sparkle and glitter and the more facets a diamond stone has, the shinier and sparklier it appears. For this reason, high-quality diamond painting manufacturers only use 5D diamonds for their diamond paintings.

7 Not just something for adults

Advertising sometimes gives the impression that diamond painting is only for adults, but the crafting trend brings great joy to young and old alike. Especially because this great leisure activity also trains many important skills, diamond painting is a great activity idea for children in particular. Activities in which children not only have fun, but which also encourage them in a playful way, are particularly important for children's development. Diamond Painting DIY sets are not only proven to be a lot of fun for children, but at the same time diamond painting supports skills such as:

• Fine motor skills
• concentration
• perseverance
• Attention to detail
• Sense of color
• dexterity

When children can proudly hold their own sparkling diamond painting in their hands at the end of their DIY project, it is a valuable experience that boosts their self-esteem and has a positive effect on their development. What's more, the end result can be displayed as a glittering diamond painting on the wall of the children's room and admired by everyone! We therefore offer extra small and particularly cute Diamond Painting Mini Sets especially for children, with which quick successes can be achieved and which, with their cute motifs, are a great gift idea for children who are enthusiastic about handicrafts.

8. diamond painting storage

Whether you want to store your DIY sets while you haven't worked on them yet, want to store them temporarily while you work on them or are looking for a solution to what you can do with your finished diamond paintings, there are various solutions you can choose from for all these questions. Unprocessed pictures can of course be kept in the original box for as long as you like. The pictures are neatly rolled up and safely stowed away to protect them from dust and damage. However, some people prefer to keep their pictures unrolled to keep them nice and flat and smooth. If you also prefer this solution, you can store your canvases either in a large art folder or in large-format boxes and store them under the bed or on a cupboard, for example. If you want to store a painting you are working on temporarily, you can always roll it up again and store it in the original box. Just make sure that the protective film is properly applied again so that the adhesive surface is not contaminated. It is also important to always roll up the canvases with the diamond side facing outwards so that the diamonds that have already been glued on are not pressed together. Diamond pictures that have already been started can also be hung on hangers with clips for pants so that they can be stored neatly and space-savingly on a clothes rail in the closet. Even when storing them in this way, you should always make sure that the protective film covers the uncovered adhesive surface well. Of course, diamond paintings that have already been started can also be stored flat in art folders or boxes. Of course, there is nothing better for finished diamond artworks than framing them and decorating your walls with them. There are different types of frames that can be used for finished diamond paintings. You can either opt for simple prefabricated standard frames, which are available everywhere in different sizes and styles. This way, the glittering artwork is protected from dust and dirt behind the glass frame. Otherwise, stretcher frames can also be used for framing. These are made of wood and the canvas must be stretched over them, wrapped around the stretcher bars and fastened from behind with nails. Alternatively, you can also glue your diamond artwork onto stretcher frames that are already covered with canvas. A diamond picture can be made ready to hang particularly quickly and easily with the help of magnetic frames. These frames consist of pairs of wooden slats that clamp the canvas between them at the top and bottom using magnets and can be easily hung using a string on the top pair of wooden slats. This type of frame also allows you to quickly exchange one work of art and replace it with another. If you don't want to frame your Diamond Painting, you can also store finished pictures safely in art folders or cardboard boxes. If you like to paint a lot but don't have room for more artwork in your home, you can also sell your finished paintings to diamond painting enthusiasts via platforms such as eBay, Etsy or Facebook.

9. poured glue and adhesive foil

Anyone who has already made one or two Diamond Painting motifs and is looking for new projects will sooner or later come across the terms: double-sided adhesive tape and poured glue. This refers to the adhesive surface on the canvases to which the diamond stones are applied. But what exactly is the difference between these two different types of glue and which method is better? The first method of applying an adhesive layer to the canvas surface is double-sided adhesive tape. Depending on the size of the canvas, two or more strips of transparent, double-sided adhesive tape are stuck to the printed canvas. However, double-sided adhesive tape unfortunately tends to curl and unsightly air bubbles often form. In addition, once the stones have been placed, they can hardly be moved without damaging the surface of the adhesive tape. The adhesive of the double-sided adhesive tape is also not very durable. Diamond Paintings with double-sided adhesive tape can therefore not be stored well or for a long time, as they will otherwise lose their adhesive strength. The other method of applying the adhesive to the Diamond Paintings canvas is to pour a thin layer of liquid adhesive onto the canvas and spread it evenly. This poured adhesive layer bonds well with the canvas, retains its adhesive strength in the long term, does not dry out and remains slightly elastic. For this reason, incorrectly placed stones can be easily moved or removed without damaging the adhesive surface. With this method, no air bubbles form in the adhesive surface and any creases in the canvas smooth themselves out over time due to the elasticity of the adhesive. Canvases with poured adhesive can also be stored for longer periods without losing their adhesive strength. In general, poured adhesive has many advantages over double-sided adhesive tape and is therefore not only of higher quality, but also more popular. Whether you are a diamond painting beginner or a professional, when buying a diamond painting it is worth making sure that the manufacturer uses poured adhesive and not double-sided adhesive tape. Above all, if you would like to buy a supply of diamond paintings, you are well advised to make sure that you only buy canvases with poured adhesive, as only this adhesive method can guarantee that the adhesive strength is maintained for a long time and that no unsightly storage marks such as cracks, air bubbles or creases form. In our Diamond Painting Shop we only sell pictures with poured adhesive.

10. sealing the finished Diamond Painting

If you want to enjoy your self-created artwork for a long time or have doubts about the quality of the adhesive surface, you still have the option of sealing it after completing your artwork. This can be done by applying a suitable product with a brush or using a spray can, which significantly increases the durability and lifespan of the gloss. Sealing is not absolutely necessary for Carat Art products. Both the adhesive surface and the stone quality are high quality and durable. If you still want to seal your Diamond Painting, you don't need expensive special products, as conventional latex bonding agents from the DIY store work just as well.