Glossary of Terms

  • Diamond Painting: A craft where small, resin "diamonds" are applied to a canvas to create a sparkling image.

  • Drills: The small, faceted resin pieces used in diamond painting. They can be round or square. These may also be referred to as dots.

  • Full Drill: A diamond painting where the entire canvas is covered with drills.

  • Partial Drill: A diamond painting where only parts of the canvas are covered with drills, leaving some areas of the canvas exposed.

  • Canvas: The fabric material, usually with an adhesive surface, on which the diamond painting design is printed.

  • Legend/Key: A chart that matches symbols on the canvas to the corresponding drill colors, similar to a cross-stitch pattern.

  • DMC Codes: The standardized color codes used for the drills, often shared with cross-stitch floss colors.

  • Wax: A sticky substance used to help pick up and place the drills onto the canvas using the applicator pen. Color of wax may vary although usually is pink.

  • Applicator Pen: A tool used to pick up and place the drills on the canvas.

  • Tray: A small, grooved container used to hold the drills, allowing them to be easily picked up with the applicator pen.

  • Multi-Placer: A tool attachment for the applicator pen that allows you to pick up and place multiple drills at once.

  • Confetti: A section of the canvas with many different colors close together, requiring frequent color changes.

  • Checkerboard Pattern: A technique where drills are placed in a checkerboard pattern, often used to keep lines straight or to deal with large sections of the same color.

  • Sealant: A protective coating applied to the finished diamond painting to keep the drills in place and enhance shine.

  • Custom Kit: A diamond painting kit created from a your mage, allowing for personalized artwork.

  • 3D vs. 5D Diamonds: Refers to the number of facets on the drills. 3D diamonds have 3 facets on each side, while 5D diamonds have 5 facets, making them more sparkly.

  • WIP (Work In Progress): The diamond painting project you're currently working on.

  • Framing: The process of placing a finished diamond painting in a frame for display.

  • Bling or Special Drills: Drills that are not the standard resin type, such as AB (Aurora Borealis) drills, which have an extra coating for added sparkle.