Diamine Pick Me Up: Fountain Pen Ink Review

Diamine Pick Me Up bottle with ink swabs

Diamine Pick Me Up is a lightly scented fountain pen ink initially launched as part of the 2022 Diamine InkVent calendar and is now a part of the regular Diamine Green Edition collection. This brown ink features a green-gold sheen and is scented with notes of coffee and a splash of Irish cream. This ink is perfect for morning journaling. Check out our impressions below!

Diamine Pick Me Up Fountain Pen Ink writing sample on on white dot grid paper

Diamine Pick Me Up Fountain Pen Ink on white blank paper

Diamine Pick Me Up Fountain Pen Ink on cream colored dot grid paper

Ink Review

Supplies Used:

LAMY AL-star with medium steel nib
Rhodia No. 16 dot pad, 80g white paper
Tomoé River 52 gsm white paper
Leuchtturm1917 80g notebook

Smear Test (Dry Time):

~10 seconds – Despite being fairly saturated and wet, this color dried quickly and fully dry by 20 seconds.

Drip Test (Water Resistance):

Low – While you can see some faint, leftover lines, we wouldn't consider this a water-resistant ink. It does leave behind a light brownish-green color that would be great for water washes.

Saturation:

High – Pick Me Up is a deep brown color that becomes even darker with more ink on the page. It is challenging to differentiate on the swab test from 1-3.

Ease of Cleaning:

Medium – The ink itself is easy to clean, though we found the scent lingers.

Shading:

Low – While you get some color variation with the sheen ,this is pretty deep brown without much variation from one brown to another.

Flow:

Medium-High – Although Pick Me Up is a wet ink, we did not experience any bleed-through on paper.

Packaging and Aesthetics:

The Diamine Green edition inks have one of the coolest bottle designs we carry! With a unique geometric shape and stout legs, this bottle has a whimsical appearance that is great for display.

Diamine Pick Me Up Fountain Pen Ink bottle and swab If you're interested in similar colors, check out our Swab Shop where you can compare shades side by side.

Summary:

Diamine Pick Me Up is the perfect ink for coffee and writing lovers with its deep brown tones and light coffee scent. While scented inks may not be for everyone, if you want a color with a sneaky pop of sheen, this one is for you!

Diamine Pick Me Up Ink Splatter Diamine Pick Me Up ink bottle with ink splatters