Choosing Photos for a Custom Diamond Painting: 5 Things to Keep in Mind

Wondering how to turn a photo into a painting? There are a number of ways you can do it, but our very favorite is via the custom diamond painting. This option lets you take one of your favorite memories and turn it into a display-worthy work of art that you can proudly hang on the wall for years to come. Oh, and did we mention you get to make it yourself (or give it to someone you love to make)? The result is a striking, one-of-a-kind masterpiece that’s meaningful on multiple levels. 

Here are a few important things to keep in mind during this process to ensure that yours comes out looking amazing.

1. The Simpler, the Better—If you’ve never completed a diamond painting before, it’s important to understand this concept: the more complex the image, the more challenging the painting. Many details and small objects mean lots of different colors and small sections, which will make the canvas a lot more complicated. A simpler graphic makes the final result look better and makes the process of creating the diamond art even more enjoyable.

2. The Bigger, the Better—Size matters when it comes to custom diamond art kits, and we mean that in two ways. First, the size of the photo. A larger digital file will always render a clearer, more vibrant image, while smaller photos—screenshots and low-quality snapshots from your smartphone, for example—will look blurry or pixelated. Always choose your highest quality and best-lit pics for this craft. Larger canvases tend to make photos look better, so your final result will be on the bigger end, too. Multiple sizes are available, with the smallest being 12 by 16 inches.

3. The Possibilities Are Limitless—Whether you’re looking to have a family photo immortalized forever or are seeking special, personalized gifts for your loved ones, there are so many ways to make custom diamond artwork. You could even have your company logo printed on them and hand them out as corporate gifts or use them to make a big announcement. Photos are just the tip of the iceberg! If the design is suitable, you can have text, graphics and more on your custom painting.

4. Good Things Take Time—Naturally, anything custom is going to take a little extra time–but trust us, it’s worth the wait! Custom diamond art kits generally take about a couple of business days for processing and manufacturing before they can be shipped to you, but closely following the image requirements will help ensure that things move smoothly. 

5. Custom Diamond Art Is for Everyone—If you’re brand-new to diamond painting, you may want to start off with something simpler and smaller to see how you enjoy the craft before ordering a custom option. With that being said, even first-time diamond painters can master the activity with a custom work of art. Each one comes with everything you need to create beautiful, dazzling art, including the diamonds, an applicator, a tray and wax. You or your recipient won’t have to buy anything besides the kit to get started.

As of November 2019, we have discontinued the sale of custom diamond art kits. Despite their popularity, we found that hand-pixelating each image into a diamond painting chart, a process taking 8 to 12 hours, wasn't sustainable for personal images with single prints. This decision was made to maintain our commitment to quality. We always prioritize the signature quality and hand-rendering style that distinguishes our canvases, ensuring everything with the Diamond Art Club logo meets our high standards.

The Perfect Custom Gift for the Crafter on Your List

Custom diamond artwork is one of the best gifts for the person on your list who loves to spend hours peacefully creating. Whether for a birthday, an anniversary, the holidays or just because, this is one of the most thoughtful and special presents out there, especially if you’ve got a loved one who adores this wonderful hobby. If that person is you, you can give the gift of an already completed custom diamond painting for someone you love!

Shop Our Best Selling Diamond Paintings Today!