For those of us who love art, but who suffer from a lack of creative talent and time to dedicate to such projects, it can be difficult to find fun, easy crafts to do. Especially as the semester moves forward and homework takes up more and more free time, creative projects can often get pushed to the side. At the same time, taking a moment to work on a hobby is an important part of self care. Finding easy crafts that fit into spare time can be difficult, and so can finding a craft that’s quality as well as quick. One fun solution to this dilemma is trying diamond painting, an activity that’s easy, relaxing and can easily become a piece of exciting décor.
Diamond paintings, in short, are pieces of art you create by gluing small diamond beads onto a template—almost like a color-by-number worksheet. Each kit includes all the pieces you need: the canvas with a design of your choice, a tool for applying the beads to the design and all the different colored beads you will need. Diamond paintings come in all sizes and designs, from imitations of popular paintings to holiday-themed images. Searching for “diamond paintings” on Amazon or on Google will quickly lead you to thousands of designs of paintings at a wide price range.
Once a design is chosen and it arrives in the mail, the project itself is fairly self-explanatory. The canvas is covered by a plastic sheet to protect the design and sticky glue covering it. Beads come in small packets separated by color, and each is labeled with a letter, number or symbol. These symbols will correspond with each of the small squares on the canvas itself, similar to a color-by-number. To apply the diamond, a pencil-like tool and square of wax is included. By dipping the tool into the wax, you can pick up the individual beads and apply them to the canvas. Repeating this process for each color covers the canvas in hundreds (or even thousands) of small diamond beads, finishing with a masterpiece that can be hung or put on display!
After doing several of these diamond paintings throughout the school year, this author has found them to be an easy, quick way to relax after a long day of classes. Paired with music or a favorite show, taking a small chunk of time each day to invest in a hobby is a great way to unwind. Ordering a diamond painting is easy and fairly cheap, and because each kit includes exactly what you need, it isn’t a hobby in which you have to make a big investment. The pieces are fairly small, which makes for easy storage (but also easy to lose). Diamond paintings are also a great alternative to spending endless time scrolling through social media—the simple motions of adding beads to the canvas can be just as mesmerizing. It’s also incredibly satisfying to see the progress as the beads begin to cover the design, resulting in a final product of which you can be proud. Overall, diamond paintings are absolutely a great activity for the busy college student to try as a way to stay creative and unwind during the school year.
