Beginner’s Guide to Diamond Art: What Shape Should You Choose?
If you’re new to diamond art, welcome to one of the most relaxing and satisfying crafts you’ll ever try. One of the first decisions you’ll face is:
Round drills or square drills?
Both create beautiful finished pieces — but if you’re just starting out, the right choice can make your experience much smoother.
Let’s break it down.
What Are Diamond Drills?
In diamond art, the “diamonds” are small resin pieces (called drills) that you place onto a sticky canvas to create a sparkling image.
They come in two main shapes:
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🔵 Round drills
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◼️ Square drills
Each gives a slightly different finish and experience.
Round Drills – Best for Beginners
If this is your first kit, we strongly recommend choosing round drills.
Here’s why:
✔ Easier to Pick Up and Place
Round drills don’t need to align perfectly. You simply place them onto the symbol and they settle into position.
With square drills, placement needs to be more precise because they sit edge-to-edge.
✔ Faster to Complete
Because alignment is more forgiving, round drills allow you to move more quickly — which is encouraging when you're just getting started.
✔ Less Frustration
Square drills can sometimes:
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Require straightening
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Feel tighter on the canvas
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Show gaps if not aligned carefully
Round drills are more beginner-friendly and forgiving.
✔ Still Beautifully Sparkly
Round drills may leave tiny gaps between pieces, but the canvas colour underneath is designed to blend perfectly — so you still get a full, vibrant, shimmering image.
For most beginners, the sparkle difference is minimal.
What About Square Drills?
Square drills are popular with more experienced diamond painters because:
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They create a full mosaic look (no gaps)
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The finished piece looks more “complete”
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They can give slightly sharper detail in large areas
However, they require:
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Careful alignment
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More patience
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A steadier hand
They’re fantastic — just better suited to when you’ve gained a little confidence.
Our Recommendation for First-Time Crafters
If you're starting your first diamond art kit:
👉 Choose round drills.
You’ll enjoy:
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A smoother learning curve
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Faster progress
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A relaxing, stress-free experience
Once you’ve completed a kit or two, you can try square drills if you’d like a slightly more structured challenge.
Final Thoughts
Diamond art should feel calming — not stressful.
Starting with round drills helps you build confidence, enjoy the sparkle, and fall in love with the craft.
And once you do… you’ll probably want to try both shapes
Happy creating,
The Letistitch Team 💎✨