The small figure in every underwater illustration
Scuba diving Art
Aurealis Creatief
The diver
My dive buddy from years ago wanted a diver with a Santa hat for his socials. So I drew him one: big goggles, blue fins, a red hat floating above the bubbles. Years later, that little diver still pops up every December. It has quietly become his tradition, and at Halloween a spooky version even appears on his socials. In the meantime, his yellow tank has been swapped for a rebreather. What a lovely series it has become for Duiker Mark.
It is not the only diver I have drawn. Look closely at almost any piece in my Underwater World collection and you will find another one, much smaller and much quieter, floating in the blue.
Bring the ocean home
Discover the whole Underwater World collection
Every diver in the Underwater World collection is available as acrylic glass, metal plate or art block.
Why I added a diver to almost every piece
The diver is there for scale. A whale shark on its own is a large fish against a blue background; put a person beside it and you suddenly feel how big it is, and how small you are. The diver is also there for you. It is the point where you dive into the picture yourself.
In most of the collection the diver is a silhouette: no face, no brand on the gear, only the outline of fins, a tank and rising bubbles. That keeps the artwork open. It could be you diving there, or your buddy, or the scuba diver you are giving it to.
Featured works
The diver keeps a respectful distance in 'Diving with a white shark' and 'Striped marlin'. In other pieces it is surrounded, as in 'Scuba Diver & Shoal of Silver Fish', but it also likes to go exploring, as around the sunken boat in 'Wreck Exploration'. And in 'Scuba Diving love' the diver floats above the reef with arms spread wide, exactly how it feels when you are perfectly weighted, with just the right amount of lead on your belt, and the water simply holds you.
View these artworks in the shop
My diving years
I dived for a few years myself. In those years I was the one pulling on a wetsuit at the water's edge and slipping under the waves with a yellow tank on my back. Whenever I draw a diver, I remember how heavy that tank is on land, and how the weight disappears the moment you go under, float, and enjoy the silence.
Out of the blue: 'Scuba Diver'
'Scuba Diver' steps outside the deep blue of the Underwater World collection. It belongs to my colourburst work: layered waves in bright blues, a diver gliding between them, bubbles rising towards the light. The same figure in a different mood.
Colourburst
A diver for my dive buddy
My brother was my regular dive buddy, and he never stopped diving. When we dived together he was already a three-star instructor, and today he still trains new divers and shares his dive adventures on his socials as Duiker Mark.
The cartoon diver started as a drawing for a T-shirt. From there it found its way onto a mug and onto his socials.
Later he asked for a stamp. Now every diver he certifies gets a little piece of my art in their logbook: a small blue diver, pressed onto the page beside the instructor's signature. Every weekend, divers fill in their logbooks, and my little figure gets stamped in alongside.
A diver illustration for yourself or your club
A diver character can become a club logo, a print for the clubhouse wall, a logbook stamp for an instructor or a T-shirt for the whole dive team. It also makes a lovely gift when a friend passes their next diving certificate. I draw these in my own style, in line with my underwater and Nordic illustrations. Prices are on request, and most commissions take two to four weeks. Tell me about your idea on my custom art page.
Rather have a piece that is ready for your wall?
Bring the ocean home
Discover the whole Underwater World collection
Every diver in the Underwater World collection is available as acrylic glass, metal plate or art block.
And for the real dive stories behind several of these works, read the art of diving.
Frequently asked questions
Can you design a diver character for a dive club or dive school?
Yes. A diver character can become a club logo, a T-shirt print, a mug or a stamp for logbooks; the cartoon diver I drew for my brother is now stamped into the diver's book of every diver he certifies. Prices are on request and most projects take two to four weeks. See my custom art page.
Do you draw portraits of scuba divers from photos?
No, I do not draw realistic portraits. What I do draw is a diver character in my own style, like the cartoon diver I made for my brother, or a silhouette diver in an underwater scene that matches this collection. That way I capture the person and their passion without copying a photo.
Why is there a scuba diver in almost every one of your illustrations?
For scale, and for you. Next to a small human figure, a whale shark or a humpback whale suddenly looks as big as it really is. And because the diver is a silhouette without a face, anyone can step into the scene: you, your buddy or the diver you are giving the illustration to.