Ink Review: Diamine 150th Anniversary Carnival

[Chrissy]

I'm currently reviewing some of my favourite Diamine inks. This one is Carnival from the Diamine 150th Anniversary collection

• Bearing in mind the paper I use is very smooth, this ink dries reasonably quickly.
• It flows quite wet and lubricates the nib very well. No start-up problems noticed. No skipping noticed.
• It didn't dry out when I left the cap off the pen while I did the swabs and the comparison inks.
• It is currently available in wedge shaped 40ml glass bottles that don't have ink wells.
• It's reasonably priced at £7.75 for 40ml from either Diamine Inks or Cult Pens within the UK.
• Water test on the review form shows this isn't a waterproof ink.
• Easy clean-up.
• Diamine sell it directly to end-users on their web-site.

Diamine Carnival.jpeg
Diamine Carnival 1.jpeg

[Potter]

Thanks for this review, I don't think I'll be buying this one, I must take issue with the 'reasonably priced' tag, at 19p per ml it's over 2.5 times the regular reasonably priced Diamine inks, putting it almost (but not quite) in the unreasonably priced inks, but it does look a good ink. (Cult pens UK prices)

[Morgaine]

£7.75 for 40ml. "normal" (non anniversary colours) 30ml bottles are £2.67 from Diamine. It does look a nice ink though.

[picautomaton]

Interesting color, looks almost like a brick red

[Morgaine]

I'm unable to see the Carnival ink in 30ml plastic bottles on Diamines own website, where do they hide it please Morgaine?

Edited earlier post - no 30ml anniversary inks

[Chrissy]

I must admit I forgot about the reasonably priced bullet point that I usually use for Diamine inks. Yes it is more expensive than their standard inks when compared in mls. for your money.

[Lady Onogaro]

I was lucky to get a bottle of it from Dromgoole's while they were having a Valentine's Day Sale: everything pink and red was 30% off. I bought Pilot Iroshizuku Tsutsuji, too.

[Chrissy]

I was lucky to get a bottle of it from Dromgoole's while they were having a Valentine's Day Sale: everything pink and red was 30% off. I bought Pilot Iroshizuku Tsutsuji, too.

That was a great offer. Well done you!

[klpeabody]

Eh, I never care if an ink is reasonably priced. I'm one of those individuals who throws their money to the wind for ink.

Nice review, Chrissy. Having tried Carnival myself, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. On the plus side, I found it darker than I expected, which is a good thing. I liked the brownish hue that I detected upon sampling, as well. Perhaps Carnival is an appropriate name, but I'm still on the fence. I guess I will need to use it a bit more to really come to a conclusion. Your scan does look very close to the results I experienced upon my own personal use and I really appreciate that.

[Chrissy]

Eh, I never care if an ink is reasonably priced. I'm one of those individuals who throws their money to the wind for ink.

Nice review, Chrissy. Having tried Carnival myself, I'm still not sure how I feel about it. On the plus side, I found it darker than I expected, which is a good thing. I liked the brownish hue that I detected upon sampling, as well. Perhaps Carnival is an appropriate name, but I'm still on the fence. I guess I will need to use it a bit more to really come to a conclusion. Your scan does look very close to the results I experienced upon my own personal use and I really appreciate that.

I liked it because it was a darker shade than I expected.

[Chrissy]

I wrote a new review form for Diamine Carnival because I now have quite a few more comparison inks for it.

[azkid]

Nice one! Adding to my list of reds to try