Prepared and reviewed by the Varvikas Creative Team
Based on day-to-day experience helping customers choose creative kits in Varvikas stores.
Last updated: August 2026
Diamond painting and paint by numbers both guide you towards a finished picture, but the experience of making it is quite different. Diamond painting may suit you if you enjoy sorting, precise placement and a sparkling finish. Paint by numbers may be a better fit if you prefer brushes, a traditional painted result and the chance to practise brush control. Both can suit complete beginners. The best choice is the process you would most enjoy returning to.
Our recommendation in one sentence: If you enjoy careful placement and sparkle, start with Diamond Painting; if you enjoy brushes and the act of painting, choose Paint by Numbers.
Diamond Painting vs Paint by Numbers at a Glance
You do not need to create the picture from scratch with either hobby: both use a prepared canvas as a guide. The main difference is what you add to it — small resin drills in diamond painting or acrylic paint in paint by numbers.
| What matters | Diamond Painting | Paint by Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Place small resin drills on corresponding symbols | Fill numbered areas with corresponding paint colours |
| What you need | Canvas, drills, sorting tray and placement tool | Canvas, paints, brushes, water and a protected surface |
| When you take a break | Secure loose drills and cover exposed adhesive | Close paints and clean brushes before paint dries |
| What requires precision | Picking up and aligning small drills | Brush control, coverage and small areas |
| Finished appearance | Sparkling, textured and mosaic-like | Painted, usually matte or lightly textured |
| Often suits people who enjoy | Sorting, repetition and sparkle | Brushwork and a traditional painted result |
| What you need to manage | Loose drills, coded packets and adhesive | Open paint pots, water, drying paint and brush cleaning |
| Matched Varvikas subjects | Ginger Kitten (LC064e); Cute Panda (LC060e) | Ginger Kitten (MC1157e); Cute Panda (MC1144e) |
Neither technique is easier for everyone. A compact canvas can still contain many small symbols or sections, so size alone does not tell you whether a kit will feel easy.
What our customers usually ask first
When customers compare these hobbies in Varvikas stores, our teams regularly hear four questions:
- Do I need artistic skills?
- Which one feels more relaxing?
- Can I finish it over several evenings?
- Which one is easier to gift?
There is no universal answer to all four. The sections below compare the process, setup and finished appearance so you can decide which experience fits you better.
The Core Difference
Diamond painting is precise placement
A diamond painting canvas is printed with symbols and has an adhesive surface. Each symbol corresponds to a drill colour. You place the drills one by one until they form a textured picture.
This process often appeals to people who enjoy orderly, repeated actions. There is no wet paint to control, but the drills need to be sorted and kept secure. Accurate placement, tidy rows and covering the adhesive you are not working on all help to produce a neat result.
Paint by numbers is guided brush painting
A paint by numbers design is divided into numbered areas. Each number corresponds to a paint colour, and the picture appears as those areas are filled.
You do not need to draw the picture yourself, but working with a brush is still part of the experience. You control the amount of paint, work around edges, cover printed numbers and clean the brushes between colours. Small sections may need more care than broad areas.
Which One Feels Easier for a Beginner?
There is no single answer, because beginners do not all enjoy the same kind of work.
“Which is easier for a beginner?” is the question the Varvikas team hears most often when shoppers compare these two techniques.
Diamond painting may feel more predictable if you enjoy matching symbols and repeating the same placement action. It may feel less comfortable if handling small drills or reading a dense symbol field is difficult for you.
Paint by numbers may feel familiar because most people understand the basic idea of brushes and paint. At the same time, even coverage, clean edges and tiny numbered areas can take practice.
For a first project, ask yourself:
- Are the symbols or numbered areas comfortable for me to see?
- Would I rather organise small pieces or manage paint and water?
- Do I enjoy repeated placement, or would I rather practise brushwork?
- Can the project stay on a table between sessions?
Do not use compact size alone as proof that a design is easy. Symbol density, section size and personal comfort can matter more than dimensions.
Which Process May Suit You Better?
Diamond painting may suit you if you enjoy:
- sorting colours and following symbols;
- precise, repeated placement;
- a sparkling and textured surface;
- pausing without washing brushes;
- a process that feels closer to building a mosaic.
Paint by numbers may suit you if you enjoy:
- working with brushes and paint;
- filling areas and watching colour coverage grow;
- a more traditional painted appearance;
- practising brush control;
- making small choices about coverage as you work.
If you are still unsure, think about which activity you would happily repeat. You will spend much more time making the picture than looking at the finished result.
Workspace, Mess and Storage
Both hobbies are easier to organise in a well-lit place where the canvas can lie steadily while you work, but the setup is different.
Diamond painting does not involve wet paint. It does involve many small drills, so you need a reliable way to sort colours, secure open packets and cover exposed adhesive. Take extra care when pets or young children share the space.
Paint by numbers involves water, brushes and open paint containers. Protect the work surface, close the paints when you pause and clean the brushes before paint dries on them.
Some Varvikas employees and customers take smaller paint by numbers kits with them to a holiday home, on a trip or even to the beach. This can work when the canvas can be kept steady and the paints, water and brushes can be managed safely. It is an occasional option rather than a requirement or the main reason to choose this hobby.
If the table must be cleared after every session:
- secure the drills and cover the adhesive area for diamond painting;
- close every paint container, clean the brushes and store the canvas safely for paint by numbers.
A practical note from the Varvikas team: two common Diamond Painting mistakes are leaving open drill packets poorly organised and removing the protective film from too large an area. A common Paint by Numbers mistake is failing to close paint pots tightly. Keep open drill colours in their labelled zip-lock bags, expose only the adhesive area you plan to work on and press every paint-pot lid closed before a break.
What Will the Finished Artwork Look Like?
Diamond painting catches the light. Its raised drills create a sparkling, mosaic-like surface that can look different as the lighting changes.
Paint by numbers has a painted surface. It is generally less reflective, and some brush texture may remain visible.
The difference is easiest to see up close: diamond painting has rows of raised drills, while paint by numbers shows colour applied with a brush. If sparkle and tactile texture appeal to you, look more closely at diamond painting. If you prefer the appearance of a painted picture, paint by numbers may suit you better.
See the two surfaces up close
All four shortlisted Varvikas products use 20 × 30 cm canvases stretched over wooden frames. The Diamond Painting kits include mounting hardware. The Paint by Numbers kits include mounting hardware and protective varnish for the finished painting.
Compare the Same Kind of Design in Two Techniques
Many comparison pages show unrelated pictures, which makes it difficult to tell whether you prefer the technique or simply the subject. Here you can compare the same artwork in both formats.
| Subject | Diamond Painting | Paint by Numbers | What the pair helps you compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginger Kitten | LC064e, 20 × 30 cm | MC1157e, 20 × 30 cm | Sparkling drill texture versus a painted surface using the same kitten artwork |
| Cute Panda | LC060e, 20 × 30 cm | MC1144e, 20 × 30 cm | Repeated drill placement versus brushwork using the same panda artwork |
See both matched pairs side by side
Ginger Kitten
Cute Panda
These pairs let you focus on the process, texture and finished appearance without having to compare unrelated pictures.
Four Varvikas Kits to Consider
These four products let you compare two subjects across both techniques. Current price and availability are shown on the linked product pages. Popularity is not proof of difficulty.
Ginger Kitten in Diamond Painting — SKU LC064e
This 20 × 30 cm design forms a comparison pair with the Ginger Kitten paint by numbers kit, MC1157e.
- Includes a framed adhesive canvas, labelled round resin diamonds, applicator pen, wax, sorting tray, tweezers, zip-lock storage bags, reference chart, multilingual instructions, mounting hardware and a QR-code video guide.
- No additional purchase is required to start.
View Ginger Kitten Diamond Painting
Ginger Kitten in Paint by Numbers — SKU MC1157e
This 20 × 30 cm design forms a comparison pair with LC064e, helping shoppers compare a painted result with a sparkling drill surface.
- Includes a framed numbered canvas, numbered acrylic paints, three brushes, reference sheet, protective varnish, multilingual instructions, mounting hardware and a QR-code video guide.
- No additional purchase is required to start.
View Ginger Kitten Paint by Numbers
Cute Panda in Diamond Painting — SKU LC060e
This 20 × 30 cm design forms a comparison pair with the Cute Panda paint by numbers kit, MC1144e.
- Includes a framed adhesive canvas, labelled round resin diamonds, applicator pen, wax, sorting tray, tweezers, zip-lock storage bags, reference chart, multilingual instructions, mounting hardware and a QR-code video guide.
- No additional purchase is required to start.
View Cute Panda Diamond Painting
Cute Panda in Paint by Numbers — SKU MC1144e
This 20 × 30 cm design forms a comparison pair with LC060e, making the process and finish easier to compare without changing the subject family.
- Includes a framed numbered canvas, numbered acrylic paints, three brushes, reference sheet, protective varnish, multilingual instructions, mounting hardware and a QR-code video guide.
- No additional purchase is required to start.
Buying as a Gift? Use This Shortcut
Diamond painting may suit someone who enjoys sparkle, sorting, puzzles, mosaics or precise repeated placement. Paint by numbers may suit someone who enjoys brushes, painting or traditional wall art.
A compact-format project can feel less committing, but compact does not automatically mean easy. If you do not know the recipient’s preferences or the confirmed difficulty of the design, a gift card may be the safer choice.
For recipients with visual or dexterity requirements, check the actual symbol, drill and section sizes rather than relying on a generic beginner label.
Why Choose Varvikas?
The Varvikas assortment does not develop separately from the people who use these kits. Our shop teams help customers choose creative kits every day. During those conversations, they hear questions and problems and receive ideas and requests for what customers would like to see next. That everyday contact helps shape the assortment and the advice we give.
Our recommendations are therefore based on more than supplier catalogues. They also draw on years of conversations with customers and on practical experience with the products Varvikas actually sells. This article compares four kits that our team knows and that customers can see within the same Varvikas range.
If you are unsure what to choose, you can visit any Varvikas store and ask for help. Comparing these two hobbies is part of the real work our store teams do with customers. They can help you look for a kit that fits the recipient’s experience, interests and reason for buying — whether it is a first project, a personal hobby or a gift.
Support does not end when the kit leaves the shop. If paints have dried out, instructions have been lost, drills have spilled or another problem has come up, the Varvikas team will try to help as quickly as possible. We cannot promise that every situation will have the same solution, but we will help you understand the available next step.
You can also contact the Varvikas team through the website contact form or by email.
For delivery within Estonia, orders of €59 or more qualify for free delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is diamond painting easier than paint by numbers?
Not universally. Diamond painting replaces brushwork with repeated drill placement, while paint by numbers requires control of paint and brushes. Design detail, symbol clarity, section size and personal preference can matter more than the technique.
Which hobby is less messy?
Diamond painting avoids wet paint and brush washing but involves small loose drills. Paint by numbers uses water, brushes and open paint containers. The answer depends on whether you would rather organise small pieces or manage paint and cleanup.
Which is better for a complete beginner?
Choose the process that appeals more: placement and sorting for diamond painting, or guided brushwork for paint by numbers. Do not assume that a smaller kit is automatically easier.
Can I pause either project and continue later?
Yes. For diamond painting, cover the adhesive area and secure open drill colours in the supplied zip-lock bags. For paint by numbers, close each paint pot tightly and clean the brushes before stopping.
Which gives a more traditional artwork?
Paint by numbers usually gives the more traditional painted appearance. Diamond painting creates a sparkling, textured mosaic effect.
Do I need extra tools?
No additional purchase is required to start any of the four shortlisted kits. The Diamond Painting kits contain the placement and storage tools. The Paint by Numbers kits contain paints, three brushes, a reference sheet, varnish, mounting hardware and instructions.
What size should a beginner choose?
There is no universal beginner size. A compact project covers less area, but a detailed compact design can still be demanding. Use confirmed difficulty, symbol or section clarity and available workspace.
Which makes a better gift?
Diamond painting suits someone who likes sparkle, sorting and mosaic-like crafts. Paint by numbers suits someone who wants brushes and a painted result. If their preferences are unknown, a gift card may be safer than guessing.
Choose Your Next Creative Project
The better choice is the one whose process you would enjoy coming back to: precise placement and sparkle with diamond painting, or guided brushwork and a painted finish with paint by numbers.