The Best Diamond Painting Light Pad, Alternatives and Other Uses

Sometimes referred to as light boards, light pads are fantastic additions to any diamond painting tool kit. Whether you are new to the hobby or a seasoned pro, adding a diamond painting light pad to your collection makes painting with diamonds even easier and more enjoyable. 

Here at Diamond Art Club®, we aren’t just your source for top-quality diamond painting kits. We also carry a wide range of tools and accessories designed to simplify and ease your crafting sessions. Once you start working with these diamond painting tools, you will wonder how you ever worked without them. Keep reading to learn more about the best diamond painting light pad, alternatives and other uses for these helpful diamond painting accessories. 

What Is a Light Pad? 

Not quite sure what a light pad is? Let us explain. A light pad is a thin, lightweight device that illuminates the surface of your work in progress from underneath. It is similar to a light box but generally much thinner; however, the two can be used interchangeably for many of the same purposes.  

Artists and creatives use light pads for all sorts of things. In addition to being excellent tools for diamond painters, light pads can be used by traditional painters, drawers, photographers and more. They’re great for stenciling, too, and they come in different sizes to suit a wide range of projects. Just about everyone has a use for a light pad at one time or another. 

The Benefits of Using a Light Pad for Diamond Painting

If you have never used a light pad before, you might not realize just how beneficial these simple devices are. For starters, a diamond art light makes it much easier to see the grid on your canvas. Even if you are working in a well-lit room, it can be difficult to see the tiny squares that make up the pattern. And when two similar colors are placed near each other, it is not always easy to distinguish between the two. If you’re not completing a full drill kit, differentiating between areas where you need to place diamonds and areas you should leave blank can be tricky, too. Using a light pad eliminates these problems by illuminating the pattern from below, making everything clearer to see. 

Light pads are also great for anyone who enjoys crafting at night. If you are one of the many crafters who set aside time each evening to work on your latest project, you have likely dealt with the frustration of not being able to clearly see what you are doing after the sun goes down. When you have a diamond painting light pad shining a bright LED light up through your canvas, you no longer need to worry about the lack of natural light or dim lighting in your home. 

Using a light pad not only makes the hobby itself more relaxing and enjoyable but also improves the overall quality of your finished projects because you can see things more clearly without straining your eyes. Although an overhead lamp is useful, it can only provide direct light onto the canvas from above, whereas a light pad shines through the canvas from below making the color codes and overall grid more visible to your naked eye.

The Best Diamond Painting Light Pad

There are lots of light pads on the market. And while nearly all of them can be used for diamond painting, the Diamond Art Club® Light Pad is, by far, the best LED light pad for diamond painting. 

Featuring flicker-free LED lamps, it provides consistent, even lighting so it’s easy on the eyes. Compared to other heavier, bulkier light pads or even light tables, ours weighs approximately 1.30 pounds. It is also ultra-thin, measuring in at just 0.2 inches thick, making it highly portable and great for crafters on the go. Additionally, our light pad is also equipped with a 10-foot USB power cable and wall charger, making it great for travel. With an overall size of 16.6 inches by 13.5 inches, our Diamond Painting Light Pad has a work area of 14.9 inches by 11.8 inches, providing plenty of space for working on canvases of any size. Because our Diamond Painting Light Pad was designed specifically for diamond painters it provides all the specific supports you need to create shimmering works of art. It also comes with a one-year warranty and has a long lifespan: 50,000 hours of continuous use.

Just like our diamond painting kits, our tools and accessories, including our LED light pad and diamond painting pens, are of the highest quality and manufactured to meet the needs of casual and serious hobbyists alike. It’s not worth saving a couple of bucks to end up with an accessory offering minimal lighting, not enough coverage of your canvas, and that won’t hold a charge or dies out quickly. Instead, go with a light pad from a diamond painting brand you already know and trust. Whether you purchase it from our website directly, or through Amazon, you can rest assured the Diamond Art Club® Light Pad works best for diamond art crafts because diamond painters made it for diamond painters.

Alternative Lighting Solutions

Light pads are great, and we strongly suggest investing in one for your diamond art. If you do not have one yet, though, there are alternatives! In fact, there are a few ways you can DIY a makeshift one yourself with little-to-no financial investment. Keep in mind, though, that while these solutions will help you get the job done, they may not offer features like adjustable brightness.

If you are a beginner looking for a quick and easy solution, all you need is a clear plastic storage tub and a flashlight. The flashlight on your cell phone could even work in a pinch! Place the flashlight on your work surface, pointing upward. Then, flip the plastic box upside down and place it over the top of the light. Put your diamond art canvas on top, and the light from the flashlight should shine through. If you have a glass-top table, you can place a bright light underneath, as that works, too. This DIY light pad provides a simple, budget-friendly option, but it lacks a dimmable feature that allows you to adjust the brightness according to your preferences and the ambient light where you are working.

With some strong tape, even a sunny window can be used as a light pad. Just stick your canvas to the glass and start placing the drills. Make sure you press each one hard enough to fully adhere it to the canvas since it is taped upright on a window. Although you do not need to worry about temperature fluctuations with any Diamond Art Club® canvas, you should be mindful of the weather if you’re working on a cheaper, lower-quality art kit. If it is too hot or too cold, the consistency of the glue or tape could be affected. So this option for backlighting is best on days when the temperature is moderate and for diamond painters who don’t mind standing while crafting.

If you are looking for a more versatile option and considering purchasing a light pad other than the Diamond Art Club® Light Pad, look for a rechargeable LED light panel. These portable devices are lightweight and offer the versatility of not having to be connected to a power adapter all the time. Instead, you can recharge the battery as needed and enjoy your favorite hobby anywhere without worrying about having access to an outlet. You could even bring along a power bank and USB cable, just in case your light pad needs a charge while you’re away from home. When shopping for a light pad, make sure you choose one that is dimmable to suit your needs and carefully read reviews. If a light pad seems too cheap on or somewhere else on the web, be wary. It’s worth it to pay a bit more to get something you know you can depend on! 

Other Ways to Use Your Light Pad

For many crafters, diamond painting is just one of the many creative hobbies they enjoy. If this applies to you, you should be happy to find out that the uses for light pads go well beyond diamond art. For starters, they are awesome for anyone who loves drawing. Even if you tend to do most of your artwork freehand, using a light pad allows you to trace out those fine details you just can’t get quite right on your own. Having an illuminated surface is ideal for anyone who wants to duplicate drawings and designs, too. 

If you are not into drawing, perhaps making vinyl decals is more your style. Whether you make them to customize clothing or coffee mugs or to stick on cars, laptops and other surfaces, we know weeding your designs can be tricky. It causes a lot of eye strain, too. Using a light pad allows you to clearly see even the finest details without straining your eyes or giving yourself a headache.

Have you ever thought about learning how to do calligraphy or hand lettering but felt like you’d never be able to form those fancy letters and flourishes on your own? An LED light pad could be the perfect solution. Simply place a template or lettering guide on the light pad, put a piece of paper on top and carefully trace the letters. With some practice, you’ll be able to create them on your own without tracing. However, you can still use a lettering guide on a light board to ensure proper placement and alignment on cards, letters and more. 

Light pads can also be used for drawing tattoos, scrapbooking, embossing, card making, embroidery, quilting and more. If you have ever been working on virtually any type of project and wished for better light, illuminating your project from behind with a light pad could be the perfect solution. 

Conclusion

When you want to take your diamond art to the next level, the best way to do it is by investing in quality tools and accessories. Each Diamond Art Club® kit comes with everything you need to complete a stunning work of art, but that doesn’t mean you can’t use additional accessories to make your creations even better! 

Need Additional Diamond Painting Tools? Check Out Our Collection!

A high-quality diamond painting light pad is a must-have tool for anyone serious about crafting. The Diamond Art Club® Light Pad was designed with crafting enthusiasts in mind and offers exceptional performance in a portable package. Once you have experienced the joy of working on a backlit surface, you will wonder how you ever completed diamond paintings without one. Plus, you will find all sorts of ways to use your light pad for other projects. From drawing and sketching to embroidery and cross stitching, there is no limit to the types of projects you can use your light pad for. 

Whether you are shopping for your first diamond painting kit or you are a diamond art expert with several completed projects under your belt and even more WIP (for all you novices, learn about all the diamond painting acronyms and terminology in our guide), we encourage you to check out our diamond painting light pad. We’re all about making your favorite hobby even more enjoyable!