If you often do diamond painting, you will find that diamond beads, one of the essential materials for diamond painting, come in many different types. Including ordinary DMC diamond drills, fairy dust diamond beads and AB drills diamond painting. So what are the differences between these types of diamond beads? What should you pay attention to when using AB diamond beads in diamond paintings? Do you know this? If not, please continue reading this article.
What is AB drills diamond painting
In diamond painting, AB drills diamond painting is a special type of diamond beads that are coated with a special coating. AB stands for Aurora Borealis. This diamond has a scintillating appearance, similar to the way the Northern Lights sparkle in the sky, and can appear sparkling at different angles and in light.
AB diamond beads are often used in the production of handicrafts, diamond paintings and decorations to increase the artistic effect and appeal of the work. AB diamond beads are generally considered to be a high-end type of diamond beads because their special appearance and sparkle effect make them more conspicuous and attractive than ordinary diamond beads.
Tips for using AB diamond beads
The problem of wax peeling that you may encounter when using AB drills is a common situation. Here are some tips and tricks for this problem:
Wet sponge method: Dampen a small sponge and place it next to your work area. When you need to use the AB drill, gently insert the pen tip into the wet sponge. This allows the drill bit to adhere to the moisture on the sponge and prevent the wax from falling off easily.
Use tweezers: If the bit comes off easily, you can try manually placing it on the canvas using a tool like tweezers, which will give you more precise control over the adhesion.
Reduce wax viscosity: Use some old wax or rub it on new wax for a while to absorb some of the oil. Waiting for the viscosity of the wax to reduce before placing the AB drill can reduce the problem of wax falling off.
Special tools: Consider purchasing a pen tool specifically for AB drills, which can avoid frequent wax changes and improve work efficiency. Additionally, a multi-locator is an option that can help with accurate AB drill bit placement.
Through the above tips and tricks, you can more easily deal with the shedding problem that may be encountered when the AB drill bit is attached to the wax, so as to better complete the diamond painting work. Another point, when dotting AB drills diamond painting, you should be gentle to avoid rubbing off the sparkling coating.
Do all paintings have AB diamond beads
No, not all paintings have AB diamond beads. Indeed, some works may use AB diamond beads or similar decorations to add artistic effect or enrich the texture of the work. But usually, they are not included in the kit and need to be purchased separately. Some kits will contain a small amount of AB diamonds. For example, ARTDOT Diamond art kit will contain 2 or 3 kinds of AB diamonds, giving diamond painting enthusiasts a different experience.
The difference between AB diamond beads and other diamond beads
In addition to AB diamond beads, diamond beads used in diamond paintings also include ordinary diamond beads and fairy dust drill. For an introduction to ordinary diamond beads, you can refer to previous blog: What Should Diamond Painting Beginners Know About Diamond Painting Beads? So I won’t go into too much detail here.
Fairy dust drill is also called star dust drill. This name is given because its light is like the stars between the wings of a fairy. Although the term Fairy Dust may be used in some places to describe AB diamond beads, they are not actually the same. Compared with other diamond beads, AB diamond beads are different in the following aspects:
|
DMC drills |
AB drills |
Fairy Dust drills |
Appearance |
DMC diamond beads, 5d design reflects light |
The surface is coated with a special coating |
There is a layer of light like stardust on the surface |
luster |
The luster of diamond beads is relatively uniform and does not have a colorful effect. |
Features a colorful flashing effect similar to the Northern Lights twinkling in the sky |
Fairy Dust diamond beads often have a subtle sparkle effect similar to stardust |
Application |
Widely used in all kinds of diamond paintings and handicrafts |
For works that pursue bright and colorful effects |
Works used to create soft, romantic or dreamy effects |
Ease of use |
Beginner |
Pro |
Advance |
Price |
Affordable |
Expensive |
Expensive |
Sealing method for diamond paintings containing AB diamond beads
To protect diamond paintings containing AB drills diamond painting, make sure the sealant you choose is clear and will not change the color or luster of the beads. When applying sealant, be careful and gentle to avoid dislodging or damaging the bead. Use a soft bristle brush to spread the sealant evenly to avoid scratching the surface of the diamond. If necessary, the concentration of the sealant can be diluted to prevent the luster of the AB diamond beads from being affected.
As a unique type of diamond beads, AB drills diamond painting bring unique visual effects to diamond paintings, making the works more attractive. Through the tips and tricks shared in this article, I hope you can become more proficient in using AB diamond beads and create more exquisite diamond paintings. If you have a lot of spare diamonds and don’t know how to use them, please read this article: 10 creative ideas of crafts with leftover diamond painting beads.