Although it’s relatively new, diamond painting has quickly become a favorite amongst crafting enthusiasts of all ages. This is mostly due to the fact that pretty much anyone can use the colorful rhinestones to create dazzling works of art regardless of their creative skill level. Besides getting your creative juices flowing, diamond painting also provides therapeutic and meditative qualities that can effectively reduce stress and promote relaxation.


 When it comes to diamond painting, the learning curve is minimal, however, working with huge diamond paintings can be tricky. You see, the more realistic the image is, the larger a canvas you’ll need if you want to get all the details right. And naturally, the bigger the painting is, the more intimidating and time-consuming it will be. But don’t worry, we’ve gathered some expert tips to help you make your way through this exciting new world of sparkling art.

Prevent the Diamonds From Sticking Together

Because the rhinestones are lightweight and made of resin, they will most likely stick together and separating them takes extra a lot of time that can be put to better use. To combat static and prevent them from sticking together, cut up small parts of dryer sheets and store them with your diamonds. Before you begin, you should start by pouring a small amount of rhinestones into the tray and then take the time to shake the tray so that the diamonds would be settled with their flat side down. This way you can use your applicator tool, easily and quickly.

Keep Your Multi-Tool and Your Toothpick Close

Covering a large space with just one color can be quite exhausting, especially for huge diamond paintings. For that reason, having a multi-tool can be very handy. Instead of picking up one rhinestone at a time, a multi-tool enables you to pick up 9 gems at once and place them in a straight line, saving you a lot of time and frustration. For more recommendations, click here to see other tools and DIY kits that you can use for your extra-large painting. While your setter tool will effectively help you keep the gems right where you want them, sometimes using a toothpick can be even better for nudging the rogue diamonds back in place.

Keep the Adhesive Fresh

Any seasoned diamond painter would tell you that you should only peel the layer that is protecting the adhesive on your canvas, and do this in small sections to keep it fresh as you place the diamonds. However, if the canvas is particularly large, it may still dry out and lose its adhesive properties. In that case, cutting slits in the clear sheet is a good idea as it allows you to peel back smaller sections at a time. Starting from the bottom corner of your canvas and working your way upwards and inwards will keep your hands away from the adhesive which will also keep it fresh for much longer.

Don’t Press Too Hard on Your Setting Tool

Sometimes you get too caught up in the diamond painting process that you don’t pay much attention to the amount of pressure you’re applying on your tools. When you push too hard on a setting tool, the adhesive will pop out of it. This is usually not a big problem, but it’s an annoying one that will interrupt your rhythm. To prevent that from happening, simply press gently on your setting tool. The adhesive on the canvas is stronger than you think and you it doesn’t require a lot of pressure to stick.

Paint in a Straight Line

With extra-large diamond paintings, many people find it difficult to keep their lines neat and even, especially when working with a big block of color. By aligning your diamonds in a checkerboard fashion where you place a gem in every other square rather than in every square, you’ll be able to create straight and clean rows. Simply leave on square free and on the next line, place the diamond under the empty square. You can use a toothpick to straighten out any wayward pieces as you go.

 The bigger the diamond painting, the more complicated and intricate it can be and while the process can be a little intimidating at the beginning, it is actually quite simple. With our tips and tricks in mind, your painting process will be much more enjoyable and your end result will be that much cleaner. From portraits and landscapes to abstract paintings and everything in between, there’s a whole world of bedazzled art waiting at your fingertips. So go ahead and enjoy the creative, sparkling journey, it’s a highly addictive one.