I started with looking at line drawings of diamonds and drawing some out myself to get a feel of the shapes and patterns, and to see what I liked best.
I decided I liked these longer pointed diamond shapes best.
I then started taping off my diamond with very thin washi tape. ( you could also use thin painters tape) On a stretched canvas. I used a ruler to measure out my pieces of tape so that they would have some uniformity and so that the diamond wouldn't look to wonky. It took a little trial and to get just the right angle for the tape at the top. Also be aware that the thin tape will curve easily, which wasn't the look I was going for with a linear shape.
i then added some more diamonds in different sizes in different directions that made them look like they were falling.
When I was done taping I want in with an exacto knife to sharpen the lines where the tape met. Just be careful to use light pressure so you don't cut through the canvas.
Next paint over the canvas and diamonds. I decided on a gradient ombre look. First p put down some matte medium on about half the canvas this made it easier to blend the gradient. while the matte medium was still wet p started with my lightest color and gradually started adding my next lighter color making sure to blend then well. I kept working down to my darker color. I kept working the canvas until I got a gradient that i liked. I washed my brush between going from dark to light as to not muddy the colors
while the paint was still a bit wet i Peeled the tape up, I didn't want to risk it drying and having chunks of paint coming up with it. You will have some paint seep under the tape don't worry it will get covered up. I let the piece dry completely, well lets be honest I used a heat gun to help it along. I'm really impatient when it come to paint drying. But you do want it to be completely dry before the next step.
Next step is to make our diamonds shine! First taker a dryer sheet and rub it all over your canvas. Trust me you'll be happy you did, it helps the embossing powder from static clinging where you don't want it. I used the liquid from my embossing dabber and a square topped paintbrush about the size of my lines to paint the glue on. I worked in small sections painting the lines in with the embossing liquid. then sprinkle the embossing powder over the lines you painted and dump off the excess. if There is powder sticking to the canvas where you didn't paint the embossing liquid you van gently wipe it off with a clean dry paint brush. Then heat the embossing powder on the canvas and watch the magic happen!
keep gong filling in the rest of the lines, and don't be afraid to go back in the the embossing if its a little splotchy.
I got to this point and thought it was a little sparse. So I went in and added some random polka dots. This time I used gold paint and the end of a foam brush to dot. You could paint your diamonds with gold paint but I like how metallic the embossing was and the raised up effect it had. You can see in the finished picture that the gold paint doesn't have quite the same sheen as the embossing powder does.
Happy crafting!
