observe vs pick up on

observe

verb
  • To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail. 

  • To take note of and celebrate (a holiday or similar occurrence); to follow (a type of time or calendar reckoning). 

  • To comment on something; to make an observation. 

  • To follow or obey the custom, practice, or rules (especially of a religion). 

pick up on

verb
  • To notice, observe, learn, or understand, especially something otherwise overlooked. 

  • To adopt a practice in which others already engage. 

  • To continue or build upon (for example, a task, analysis, or narrative), beginning from a point at which someone has previously stopped. 

How often have the words observe and pick up on occurred in a corpus of books? (source: Google Ngram Viewer )