Diamond art kits

How diamond art works

Diamond art builds a picture from tiny resin drills pressed onto a sticky canvas. The canvas is printed with a grid of symbols, and every symbol matches a numbered bag of drills. Peel back a strip of the protective film, pour one color into the tray, pick drills up with the pen and press them onto their symbols. There is no drawing, mixing or counting, which is why it suits a first-timer, and the canvas sparkles more with every row.

Every kit here is full drill: the whole picture is covered edge to edge, with nothing left as printed background.

What each kit contains

• A full-drill printed canvas with adhesive under a protective film
• Resin drills sorted into numbered bags
• A drill pen, a tray and a wax pad for the pen tip
• Instructions

Frames are not included; the photos show finished canvases framed for display. If the canvas arrives with creases, flatten it under a few heavy books for a day before you start.

Round drills or square drills

Round drills catch the light from every side and forgive a slightly crooked placement, so they are the easy choice for a first canvas. Square drills sit edge to edge with no gaps, which gives a smoother, more painted look, but each one needs to line up with its neighbors. The canvas size and the picture are the same either way.

The Van Gogh kit adds AB drills, which carry an iridescent coating that flashes blue, pink and gold as you walk past, plus fairy dust drills with a frosted sparkle. They make skies and water shimmer in a way flat resin cannot.

Which size to pick

16 x 20 in (40 x 50 cm) is the size most people start with: big enough to show real detail, small enough to finish in a few weeks of evenings. 18 x 24 in (45 x 60 cm) and 20 x 28 in (50 x 70 cm) are statement pieces for a wall above a sofa or a bed. The Van Gogh kit also comes in 12 x 16 in (30 x 40 cm) for a quicker first project.

How we estimate the hours

We work each estimate out from the canvas area and a relaxed pace of about 800 to 1,500 drills an hour, with color changes and breaks included. That comes to roughly 10 to 18 hours for 12 x 16 in, 18 to 32 hours for 16 x 20 in, 25 to 45 hours for 18 x 24 in and 35 to 60 hours for 20 x 28 in. A first canvas usually takes longer while you find your rhythm, and you can stop at any time: keep the film over the unfinished part and the adhesive waits for you.

Which kit to start with

For a calm first canvas, the Ink and Blossom designs mix large soft areas of white and gray with bold red. The Blossom Postcards and the Mountain Lake Cabin are bright, detailed scenes, and the Van Gogh Shimmer kit is the one to pick when you want the most sparkle.

Delivery and returns

US delivery takes 6 to 24 days, and each kit page shows its own estimate. Delivery is $6.95, free on orders from $49, and you can return a kit within 30 days of delivery. See delivery and returns for the details.