Diamond Painting Instructions The Basics

BEFORE STARTING YOUR DIAMOND PAINTING

• Be in a well-lit room or have proper table lighting.

• Find a hard surface to work on. When you push down to secure the drill you do not want any leeway behind it. So, a soft-top folding table will not work unless you lay something hard and flat on top of the table and then place your painting on that.

• Make sure you have proper seating; you tend to stay in one position for quite a while and want to be comfortable.

Diamond Painting Room Setup

• When you receive your diamond painting it will usually be folded or rolled up. A simple way to get your canvas flat is by peeling off the plastic covering or release paper and laying your painting flat then reapply the covering. This will get most if not all the folds out of the canvas. If you still find yourself with a couple of difficult areas place the painting under books or a mattress. *Make sure you do not ruin the covering since you will need this on the painting for the duration of this project*.

***DO NOT IRON TO GET OUT FOLDS*** Canvas is adhesive so do not add heat anywhere on the canvas, this will ruin the diamond painting and the iron.

• Go through your kit and make sure you have all the pieces. A kit should include a plastic tray, a drill pen, wax, drills, and canvas. Make sure you have every color included by matching up the bags of drill to the DMC code on the canvas. *Keep in mind you should have enough wax and drills to complete your painting. There are usually several extra drills included so if you spill a few or some are deformed you still should have enough to complete your painting. If you do not please contact us immediately*.

What is included in a Diamond Painting Kit

• Organize the drills by labeling them with the code on the canvas. You can place your drills in either a zip lock bag, condiment cups, or storage containers

Diamond Painting Storage Ideas

• Some people find that gluing down one drill next to the DMC code on the canvas helps.

• If you still have a problem keeping the canvas flat as you work, simply tape the sides of the canvas down.

WORKING ON YOUR DIAMOND PAINTING

• Decide which area and color drill you will be starting with on. *Start at the bottom corner of your dominant hand, work your way up. This way their arm is always leaning on the part that is already finished. *Or start at the top opposite side of the canvas. This way you can slowly peel the plastic covering down a little at a time and lean your arm on the rest of the plastic covering. When doing a full drill, as a beginner it is easier if you start on the edges of the painting so it gives you some structure to build off of. As you go you will find many different ways of laying out your drills.

• Take the chosen drill and empty some of them onto the plastic tray that is included.

• You may need to shake or move the tray around trying to flip the drills so the rounded part is facing up. If your drills are sticking together you can pour them into a dryer sheet rub them together and put them back in the tray this way they will not stick together anymore.

• Take the drill pen and gently push it into the wax. (The wax usually has a plastic cover on it, peel that off)

• Make sure you do not put too much wax in the pen. If there is an excess on the outside of the metal tip wipe it off. If you do not wipe it off when you go to grab a drill you may wind up picking up several others and misplacing them on the painting.

• Take the pen and gently push it to the rounded side of the drill

• Then take the drill and place it onto the canvas in the corresponding spot.

• You do not need much force since you are placing it on an adhesive background.

• If the drill keeps falling off the pen, add a bit more wax to the pen. If the wax keeps falling out of the pen it may mean the wax is too hot. If this happens place the wax in the fridge or freezer for a couple of mins to cool it down and try again.

• Continue placing the drills in the assigned spaces.

• When finished it is best to once again place heavy objects on top of it or under a mattress to secure the drills.

• If you will be hanging this or displaying this without a frame or something in front of it then I recommend sealing the painting to keep the dirt out from between the drills along with keeping the drills in place so none pop off over time. I recommend using water-based products since they will not leave a residue. You can use sprays, puzzle glue, brush on glues, and also Mod Podge. The only suggestion with Mod Podge is to make sure you add a little water to it and mix well. I have heard from other diamond painters that although Mod Podge says it dries clear on some canvases you can still see it. Adding that little bit of water will thin the glue out allowing it to dry clearer.

Video Instructions Click Here