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View Full Version : Ink Review: Diamine Aqua Blue



Chrissy
January 3rd, 2017, 08:56 AM
Yesterday I posted a review of Diamine Beau Blue (http://fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/18772-Ink-Review-Diamine-Beau-Blue?p=193914#post193914)

Today I'm reviewing a much brighter, more saturated ink within the same colour range: Diamine Aqua Blue

I would describe it as a bright cerulean blue, or cornflower blue. It leans very slightly towards the green edge of the blue colour spectrum like Waterman Inspired Blue and J. Herbin Blue Pervenche and it's very saturated with wonderful shading and a great 'halo' outline effect.

No noticeable sheen.

It felt really wet in my Lamy Al-Star with B nib, and because the B nib lays down more ink, the colour looks darker and shows up more shading than when I used the Lamy NexxM with M nib. Both pens I used wrote straight away without any hard starts or skipping. The flow was very good, not at all dry with both pens and the lubrication felt good along a line. The dry time on all of the papers I used was 10-12 secs. Once dry there was no smearing.

Like Diamine Beau Blue, Diamine Aqua Blue isn't at all water resistant.


This isn't sold as a waterproof ink, and shows no noticeable water resistance.
Bearing in mind the review form paper I use is thick with a shiny surface, and I used Lamy M and B nibs this ink took 10-12 secs to dry using the M nib. No smear after dry.
It exhibited good flow and lubrication and I found it smooth to write with. I saw no skips or hard starts while I did swabs and dry time tests.
It is currently available in 80ml glass bottles or 30ml plastic bottles
Diamine (http://www.diamineinks.co.uk/listings.aspx?catid=14) sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.
It's a reasonable price.


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Ink drop on kitchen paper towel

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billy1380
January 3rd, 2017, 11:35 AM
Thanks very much for the review.

It is so weird though, this is one of the inks I have... I was looking at the swabs and thought it looks nothing like mine does... I just took a swab to remind myself... and it looks totally different... then I scanned the result in and the scanned colour looks exactly the same as that in the review... maybe the lighting in my house is off... or the monitor colour profile.

Thoughts?

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Monkey
January 3rd, 2017, 12:00 PM
Ooh that one is definitely going on my list to get.

datainadequate
January 3rd, 2017, 03:32 PM
Aqua Blue is another Diamine ink that I use fairly regularly. It's been a solid performer in several pens.

The Good Captain
January 7th, 2017, 12:05 PM
Also a great review and it's getting nearer to my preferred tonal range.

Chrissy
January 7th, 2017, 03:11 PM
Thanks very much for the review.

It is so weird though, this is one of the inks I have... I was looking at the swabs and thought it looks nothing like mine does... I just took a swab to remind myself... and it looks totally different... then I scanned the result in and the scanned colour looks exactly the same as that in the review... maybe the lighting in my house is off... or the monitor colour profile.

Thoughts?


The sample that I have looks like the colour I matched it to for the scan. In daylight I look at the actual writing on the sheet next to the monitor, and make the writing on the scan match that as closely as I can in Photoshop. So as far as my monitor is concerned the colour looks as close as I can get it.. I don't know what colour it looks like on other monitors though. Your scan on my monitor looks too much like what I would call Royal Blue

Chrissy
January 7th, 2017, 03:12 PM
Also a great review and it's getting nearer to my preferred tonal range.
Thank you, and you're welcome :)

KKay
January 8th, 2017, 07:58 PM
I think it is a very lovely color. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Chrissy
January 11th, 2017, 09:50 AM
I think it is a very lovely color. Thanks for sharing this with us.

You're welcome. :)

southpaw52
January 11th, 2017, 12:55 PM
Thank you for another outstanding ink review. Diamine inks continue to surprise me with their colors.

Chrissy
January 11th, 2017, 12:57 PM
Thank you for another outstanding ink review. Diamine inks continue to surprise me with their colors.

Thanks southpaw52, you're welcome :) Diamine have so many colours. :)

billy1380
January 11th, 2017, 02:12 PM
It was the monitor colour profile! I kept messing with it, now your sample now looks as expected and the one I scanned still looks weird (embedded colour profile there).

Thanks for checking.

Monkey
January 12th, 2017, 03:28 AM
Just ordered my bottle last night, all because of you! :P

Chrissy
January 12th, 2017, 07:40 AM
Just ordered my bottle last night, all because of you! :P

Fingers crossed that you like it. :)