Using Diamond Painting Trays: 4 Tips and Tricks
Every kit purchased from Diamond Art Club® comes with a set of tools, including a diamond painting tray. You know that the tray is perfect for holding your drills while working on a painting, but you might not know how to get the most out of this helpful diamond painting tool. So, what is the best way to use one, and how can it take your diamond painting game to the next level? Keep reading to find out!
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1. Arrange Diamond Drills the Right Way
Diamond painting trays are designed to keep drills lying flat with the faceted side facing upward. They also built to align the drills in straight rows, making it much easier to pick up several at a time with a multi-placer tool.
But, how do you get the drills to lay flat?
Pour drills of a single color into the tray, Be careful not to fill it too full: there needs to be room for the drills to move around without spilling. Then, gently shake the tray from side to side until most of the drills have arranged themselves into neat rows. Carefully tap the spout end of the tray. This will cause the drills to slide backward and form neat, compact lines. Now you’re ready to pick up your drills, either individually or with a multi-placer.
Once you’ve applied all of the arranged drills onto the canvas, add more drills to the tray if needed and then repeat the shaking and tapping to get more lined up. When you’re finished with that color, simply use the spout end to pour them back into their bag or container.
2. Keep Your Tray in Place with a Sticky Pad
Do you hold the diamond tray in your hand while using an easel to work on a painting? While this works for a lot of people, holding the tray makes you much more likely to drop or spill drills. That’s a mess no one wants to deal with! Fortunately, there’s a simple solution.
When working on an angled surface like an easel, use a slightly sticky self-adhesive pad to stick the tray to your canvas. You can find these pads in the automotive department at many stores, marketed as/for phone holders for the car, or search online for “double-sided adhesive pads.
Using one of these pads will keep your drills close at hand while ensuring that you won’t accidentally drop or tilt the tray. Even if you are not using an easel, a double-sided self-adhesive pad is ideal for holding the tray on a flat surface. The pad will lower your risk of bumping the tray and knocking it off the table.
3. Use an Organizer to Stack Your Trays
Diamond painting tray organizers are a fantastic accessory that make it easy to keep trays filled with various colors of drills neat and organized. Stacking your trays keeps everything all in one place and works great when working on detailed designs that feature many different colors. Simply search for diamond paintingray organizers online and you’ll see that there area variety of styles and sizes available at very affordable prices. You should have no problem finding one that perfectly suits your needs.
4. Use Trays to Break Apart Clumps of Drills
Do you have diamond drills that are stuck together in a clump? Don’t try to pick them apart by hand. Instead, place them in a tray and then put another tray on top. Gently push down on the top tray, and the drills in the tray below should pop apart with ease. In fact, you should hear a satisfying “pop.” For drills that are extra stuck, rub the trays together until they come apart.
Bonus Tip: If your diamond drills frequently cling to each other, you need look no further than your laundry room for a solution. Grab a can of anti-static spray and spritz a small amount on them. Alternatively, keep a small piece of a regular dryer sheet in each bag or container to prevent static cling.
Conclusion
Diamond painting trays may not always get as much love and recognition as some other diamond painting tools, but they’re an important part of any project. And once you’ve completed a few kits, you’re sure to have extras laying around that you can use to try the tips and tricks above. Have fun!
