Diamond art is a fun and creative craft that has become popular recently. Unlike older crafts like knitting, which have been around for centuries, diamond art is a new invention. It started in Asia and quickly spread to other parts of the world.
As it reached new audiences, its standard increased to meet demand. Now, you can find diamond art kits that are high quality yet environmentally conscious.
In this blog post, you will learn about the origins of diamond art painting and how it has changed since its inception.
What Is Diamond Painting?
Diamond painting is a craft in which you apply ‘diamonds’ or resin rhinestones to a pre-printed canvas. The canvas has glue on it that allows you to secure each colored diamond in place. Together, the diamonds make a mosaic.
You can then use this final artwork for decoration. Interestingly, the cut facets of the diamonds give the artwork an alluring shine and a multidimensional feel that most paintings lack. Plus, it can be a reminder of the fun time you had assembling the painting. This is especially true if you have put it together with your friends or children.
The Origins of Diamond Art Painting
Before the creation of diamond paintings, there was diamond embroidery. This precursor craft required you to attach beads to a velvet material to make a mosaic. This craft would take 50 years to evolve into the 5D diamond painting.
In 2010, the Chinese company Guangdong Dazu Yueming Laser Technology Co. Ltd. patented diamond painting technology. In their patent, they described how this craft requires you to attach resin diamonds to a canvas material. This craft resembled cross-stitch and sand painting.
After the craft gained popularity in China, it spread through social media. Then, it became popular in Europe before rising in fame in North America.
How Diamond Art Painting Has Evolved with the Time
Though diamond art has a short list of essential tools – canvas, pen, wax, diamonds – its kits have evolved over the years.
The following features have changed the way diamond painting works and looks:
Kit Quality
The quality of the kits has increased over the years. The art has become more detailed and varied, allowing you to work with more color variation. The colors are easy to tell apart because the diamonds come pre-sorted in your kit.
When it comes to the canvas, there are now woven designs that minimize creasing. They also have clear glue so you can easily read the symbols on it that match with the differently colored diamonds. In addition, there are now larger canvases available.
Note: Now, you can choose kits with additional tools to make crafting easier, such as light pads and pens with multi-placers.
Partial vs Full Mosaic
Another evolution in this craft is the amount of painting each piece requires. There are partial and full kits. The partial ones have areas where you do not need to place stones. Meanwhile, the full kits require you to place mosaics on the whole surface. This changes the level of difficulty, the completion time, and the appearance of the final artwork.
Diamond Shape
In diamond painting, you can now opt for either square or round diamonds. Square diamonds create an artwork that seems fuller because the diamonds perfectly align with each other. However, they require more dexterity than round diamonds. Round diamonds also leave blank areas between them, which can look unappealing to some people.
Also, there are 3D diamonds and 5D diamonds. Typically, the 5D diamonds have more facets, which allows them to reflect light more intensely, giving them an appearance you may prefer.
Artwork Licensing
Originally, there were few artworks you could purchase in kits. Now, there are many more, yet many companies do not properly reward the original artist for the work. Alternatively, they may use artificial intelligence which derives from artists’ works without their permission.
Currently, some companies have contracts with artists to ensure they receive proper remuneration and credit. You can also submit your own work and receive a kit that is unique to you.
Material Sustainability
Lastly, the sustainability of the materials used in kits has evolved. In the beginning, the packaging and resin diamonds were not environmentally friendly. Presently, you can find diamond art kits that come in recyclable or otherwise environmentally sustainable packaging.
As for the resin diamonds, you can use some made from recycled material. A crucial development in resin technology also includes biodegradable versions. Otherwise, you could use epoxy, which is an environmentally friendly alternative. Still, you will need to verify whether the company you buy your kits to know whether they use sustainable materials.
Where to Buy Modern and High-Quality Diamond Art Kits
Dreamer Designs, an online platform, offers high-quality diamond kits at affordable prices. Since founding the company, they have used knowledge about producing these kits from well-established experts. This has allowed them to fabricate kits that create wonderful artwork. Their kits have crease-free canvas and recyclable packaging. Moreover, the artwork on the canvas is all licensed, ensuring that the artist receives their fair share.
Conclusion
Now you know that diamond art comes from China and evolves gradually. A company first patented this type of painting in 2010, and it has grown in popularity ever since. This craft is now a trending activity across North America and Europe.
This craft comes from a long-practiced embroidery that uses velvet as the material. Now, diamond art is even more convenient than its embroidery counterpart. It also comes with high-quality kits, licensed art, different diamond shapes, sustainable materials, and different types of mosaics. Most importantly, if you want to have a great experience with your art projects, always get your high-quality kit from standout diamond art platforms, such as Dreamer Designs.
