‘Diamond painting’ is a thing -here’s what you need to know

It is a hashtag with over 830 million posts to its, well, name, on social media platform TikTok and it seems to have become one of the new global obsessions. So too, in South Africa has #diamondpainting become a massive trend, inspired by lockdown, and cited by some as more relaxing and engaging than its predecessor, adult-colouring in. Diamond Painting is really a paint-by-numbers activity where multi-colored rhinestones or tiny plastic beads replace paint, and images of near anything are covered with three dimensional fills.

A Diamond Painting set, sometimes called Diamond Dot Art, will set you back between R 60 and R 200, depending on where you buy it from and the size of the picture you want to complete. Check it out online at dedicated sites like www.diamonddotz.co.za where you can buy pillows, bracelets, pictures and anything and everything related to this pastime. Physical stores like Partys in Sunninghill also offer a wide selection of kits. Google it, and thou salt find.

There are quite a few reasons why taking up Diamond Painting can be fun and perhaps even good for you.

1. Bring out your inner artist and feel creative and engaged in an activity for an extended period.
2. You do not need any experience to do this. It is all plug and play and in today’s busy world this is a great option as opposed to, perhaps, learning a new craft from scratch like basket weaving or carpentry.
3. It is a perfect gift that says, I took the time to make you something personal, with love and appreciation.
4. The whole family can do this together, not dissimilar to building a puzzle.
5. By immersing yourself in the world of sticking tiny dots on a mapped picture, stress is relieved as focus and concentration is moved from the daily grind to a single, simple, and absorbing task.
6. Make new friends online and in the real world with Diamond Painting clubs and social media communities popping up all over the place.
7. Rediscover concentration. It will likely help brain-train you from multi-tasking to single tasking focus. A great way to zoom in with single-minded attentiveness.
8. The beads or rhinestones are so small that it may just help refine your motor skills.
9. There is no age limit to this activity and a great way to keep kids busy during the holidays or lockdown. For toddlers, improvise your own picture and use Smarties instead of beads. At least when consumed, chocolate tastes better.
10. Time flies when you are having fun, and Diamond Painting can be a great cure for boredom or an alternative to binge-watching.

About the author:

Hein Kaiser is a seasoned journalist, broadcaster, producer, and marketing communication professional and has worked in a variety of markets, sectors, and countries. He presently hosts the 360 Brunch over weekends on Mix 93.8FM, writes for The Citizen and consults to various companies on a strategic level.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.