AB drills divide the diamond painting community. Some painters will not start a project unless it includes Aurora Borealis coated diamonds.
Others think AB drills look tacky and avoid them entirely. The truth sits somewhere in the middle, and after using AB, crystal, and glow drills across dozens of projects, here is my honest take.
What AB Drills Actually Do
AB stands for Aurora Borealis. The coating is a thin iridescent film applied over a standard resin drill.
When light hits an AB drill, the surface shimmers with a pink, blue, or gold shift depending on the angle. It is the same effect you see on an oil slick or a soap bubble.
On a canvas, AB drills catch the eye. They look brighter and more dimensional than standard drills sitting next to them. The problem is that this effect is not always what your design needs.
A landscape painting with AB coating on every drill looks chaotic, like someone covered the entire canvas in glitter. The shimmer that makes a single highlight special becomes visual noise when applied everywhere.
Where AB Drills Work
Water, sky, and metallic surfaces are where AB coating earns its reputation. On an ocean scene, AB blue on the wave crests makes the water look like it is moving.
On a night sky, AB white on the stars gives them a twinkle that flat drills cannot match. On a portrait, AB drills on jewelry and eye highlights make those details jump forward.
The pattern is consistent: AB drills work when applied to small highlight areas surrounded by standard drills.
The contrast between shimmer and matte creates depth. A canvas with twenty percent AB coverage and eighty percent standard coverage looks intentional.
A canvas with full AB coverage on a premium kit should be a deliberate choice, not an accident.
Where AB Drills Fall Flat
Portraits are where AB coating can go wrong fast. A face covered in iridescent pink shimmer does not look radiant.
It looks metallic and unnatural. Skin tones should stay standard. Save the AB drills for the earrings, the necklace, and maybe a highlight in the hair.
Dark backgrounds also fight with AB coating. AB black is not true black. It reflects light and reads as charcoal or dark silver from most angles.
If your design needs deep shadows or a solid black background, standard black drills are the correct choice. AB coating defeats the darkness.
Small text and fine lines lose clarity with AB drills because the shimmer blurs the edge definition.
Standard drills hold crisp lines better, which matters for typography designs and detailed line art. If you are unsure which drill shape handles fine detail best, our round vs square drill comparison covers this in depth.
Crystal and Glow Drills Have the Same Rule
Crystal drills are faceted glass or acrylic that reflect dramatically more light than resin. They are beautiful as focal points and overwhelming as fill.
A few crystal drills on a flower center or a bird's eye add a jewel quality. An entire section of crystal drills looks like a disco ball.
Glow in the dark drills are fun but limited. They work on Halloween designs, space scenes, and kids' room art.
They are softer than standard resin and feel different under the pen, which bothers some painters more than others. Use them for specific elements that make sense glowing at night.
Before committing to specialty drills, understand the different drill types available and how each one behaves on the canvas.
The Case for Keeping It Simple
Some of the best diamond art I have seen uses nothing but standard drills from start to finish.
The design itself, the color palette, and the texture of thousands of uniform faceted pieces create a visual rhythm that specialty drills interrupt. There is a clean, classic look to a canvas with no gimmicks.
This is not a knock on AB or crystal drills. It is a reminder that specialty drills are a tool, not an upgrade. Use them when the design calls for them. Skip them when the design stands on its own.
Kits That Get the Balance Right
The best AB drill kits apply specialty coating selectively, just a few colors in the palette rather than every drill in the box.
These designs give you the shimmer effect where it belongs and keep the rest of the canvas grounded. Made with Diamonds offersĀ premium kits with curated AB drill placement, so you get the highlights without the chaos.
