Let X be a smooth quasi-projective algebraic surface and let ∆n the big diagonal in the product variety X n . We study cohomological properties of the ideal sheaves I k ∆n and their invariants (I k ∆n ) Sn by the symmetric group, seen as ideal sheaves over the symmetric variety S n X. In particular we obtain resolutions of the sheaves of invariants (I∆ n ) Sn for n = 3, 4 in terms of invariants of sheaves over X n whose cohomology is easy to calculate. Moreover, we relate, via the Bridgeland-King-Reid equivalence, powers of determinant line bundles over the Hilbert scheme to powers of ideals of the big diagonal ∆n. We deduce applications to the cohomology of double powers of determinant line bundles over the Hilbert scheme with 3 and 4 points and we give universal formulas for their Euler-Poincaré characteristic. Finally, we obtain upper bounds for the regularity of the sheaves I k ∆n over X n with respect to very ample line bundles of the form L ⊠ · · · ⊠ L and of their sheaves of invariants (I k ∆n ) Sn on the symmetric variety S n X with respect to very ample line bundles of the form DL.