Quiet Ocean · Plate 45 of 45

Diving helmet color reference

Heavy copper and brass diving helmets were used from the 1800s, with air pumped down to the diver through a hose from the surface. Round glass windows let the diver see out. The helmet sat on a metal collar fixed to a waterproof suit.

Colors to reach for

Use copper and warm orange for the helmet, brass yellow for the fittings and bolts, and blue-gray for the glass windows.

• copper
• orange
• yellow ochre
• slate blue
• dark brown

How to color the diving helmet, step by step

1. Read the gray shading guide first. It already marks where the diving helmet is darkest, so the shadows are mapped before you pick up a pencil.
2. Lay a light first layer of copper and orange over the largest areas, with soft pressure and small circles, letting the gray show through.
3. Build depth with yellow ochre and slate blue, going over the gray areas a second and third time until they read as shadow and form.
4. Finish with dark brown for the smallest details and highlights, then step back and compare with the color reference above.

Questions about this page

What colors do I need to color the diving helmet?

Start with copper, orange, yellow ochre, slate blue and dark brown. Use copper and warm orange for the helmet, brass yellow for the fittings and bolts, and blue-gray for the glass windows.

Where is the diving helmet in Quiet Ocean?

It is plate 45 of 45 in Quiet Ocean. Like every Nibfern drawing it is printed on one side of the page, with a light gray shading guide under the lines and a dotted cut line at the spine.

Can I frame the diving helmet page?

Yes. Cut along the dotted line and trim to the corner marks for a 7 x 9 inch print that fits a standard 8 x 10 frame.

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