Diver (Patreon)

Here's the full, printed graphic for the seal leak simulator.

To help engage with viewers and encourage information retention, I decided that I should use the graphic to implement a micro-narrative where a character outlines the issue of toilet leaks. In this, I wanted to avoid being crude, even though the model itself is an abstract representation of a toilet. This meant that the character would also have to be "clean", and so--although many of my classmates suggested it--I did not want to create a talking turd. Instead, I focused more on the water aspect of a toilet, leading me to design a simple diver character.
The first design that I submitted to the water science department was approved--mostly. There was concern that the character was too divorced from the concept of plumbing, so it was suggested that I give them a tool to help tie them back. To comply, I gave the character a plunger. I then received concerns that a plunger would be too crude. However, as there weren't many other options for recognizable plumbing tools, we ultimately settled on the plunger.