A handy Guide to the Most Popular Biomes

One way to produce a memorable image is to recreate our extraordinary world. And there’s no better way to do so than studying nature and art from the industry’s best. So let’s join our star guests and learn how to select 3d assets that create a stunning world!

By COMMONPOINT / Jul 01, 2021 / 14min READ

Common Knowledge

Have you ever considered how diverse our planet is? How many natural wonders are out there? All the fascinating animals, bizarre plants, and breathtaking lands? From the warm and dense tropical rainforest to the icy and treeless islands of the polar cap. Life on this planet is extraordinarily diverse and complex. Just look at these remarkable images, pause for a brief moment, and ask yourself: how can I apply all of that marvel to my work?

To make sense of this complexity, we need to group or categorize things one way or another. It should be easier to handle when we divide different environments into separate groups, right? But what criteria do we use? Perhaps what kind of plants or animals appear, or how warm it is. In this article, we will only focus on the essential part from a CG artist’s standpoint. And to help us get through that process seamlessly, we will introduce just one scientific definition, which is called a “biome.”

What makes a Biome?

“Bio” literally means “life,” so a biome is simply a type of environment defined by the organisms living there (both plant and animal). Biome also describes the weather conditions and how those organisms adapt to them. Whether it’s a tropical island or a typical pine forest, we can view it in terms of a biome. Even though they can be narrow or broad, they will always have specific and unique characteristics, which are:


Don’t worry, this isn’t a biology lesson. It will be only our frame of reference to answer a few elementary questions: What kind of plants could I possibly include? How the weather conditions affect the general feel, etc.? When we get a better hold on certain characteristics, we will create more convincing work. So, to understand this way of thinking, we described 5 of the most popular biomes and shared a list of 3d assets for making them. So let’s jump straight into it.

Celebrate the diversity

To give you a small taste of the world’s enormous diversity, we selected 5 of the visually different biomes out there. And to go with the spirit of diversity, we have an immense pleasure to showcase work from many talented artists. Their stunning images will fall into five categories that represent unique biomes:

  • 1. Conifer (Pine) Forest

    Featured: Tomasz Michalski / Reyaz Alankandy

  • 2. Deciduous Forest (Temperate Rainforest)

    Featured: CommonPoint / Ryan Coyoca

  • 3. Tropical Beachside

    Featured: Ander Alencar / Pawel Pecherzewski

  • 4. Australian Bushland

    Featured: Andrew Svanberg Hamilton / Ewelina Lekka

  • 5. Mediterranean

    Featured: Evolvia Imaging / Bartosz Domiczek


For each of these biomes, we described the main characteristics and broke them down into three categories: trees (top layer), undergrowth (middle layer), and groundcover (bottom layer). It will make describing biomes and listing models simpler. Also, this way, we can extract certain visual characteristics that make a CG artist’s life a bit easier. Keep in mind that those layers blend together in some cases and are absent in others, but overall, it makes it possible to compare all the biomes with each other.

Artur: “So far, I haven’t had that much experience with world-building, so I can totally relate to anyone that struggled with such a topic. If you happen to be a beginner in this field, I wholeheartedly hope that you can benefit from this article and have a good read. ♡”

You can expect a lot of amazing 3d art from our star guests, plenty of trivia about selected biomes, along with the tips for choosing specific models. Also, we shared a list of 3d assets if you wish to buy them and jump straight to action. All in all, take the descriptions at your own pace, have some fun along the way and come back to this place whenever you need a handy cheat sheet.

1. Conifer (Pine) Forest

Pine forests are arguably one of the most popular CG environments. While they frequently occur in many areas of the world, the most common use in architectural visualization is within the seaside and wealthy residential areas. The forest appears to be relatively well-lit, and the striking vertical lines of trees should be the biome’s primary focus. Pines prefer acidic, sandy soil and have shallow roots. That makes it difficult for many other plants to grow around. For this reason, you can expect limited undergrowth and often simple groundcover. The latter is usually dominated by one species and creates a visually striking “carpet.” More info in the sections below:


Go with high, strongly vertical specimens of Scots pine (pinus sylvestris) and choose assets with needles limited to treetops (lower branches tend to wither and shed as trees grow). Occasionally, you can use assets with needles at the bottom (when there’s a lot free space around the tree, or they’re close to the forest’s edge.)

It is relatively thin and consists of small pines and other trees (especially oak, maple, birch, hawthorn, larch, rowan). They are not necessarily young but hasn't had a chance to grow high. Tall trees have a shallow root system, so it’s difficult for the smaller pines to put down their own roots.

A bare, sandy ground with some dry needles is a common situation. But it is also very popular to show pine forests with plants such as blueberries, ferns, heather, etc. (and others that prefer well-drained and acidic soil).



3D Asset list:

There’s plenty of decent-looking pine models which pair nicely with the simple ground. The setup is pretty straightforward.



(not active) 3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/pinus_sylvestris_31_19_7_23m (1)
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/pinus_sylvestris_6_h17_22m_four_tree_set_2
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/scots_pine_2_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/scots_pine_3_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/scots_pine_4_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_10_22_23m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_11_22_25_5m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_12_23_26m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_16_18_3m_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_18_23_6m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_18m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_19_21_7_25m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_7_17m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_9_19_5m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_pinus_sylvestris_23_22m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_pinus_sylvestris_25_24_3m_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_obyknovennaia_pinus_sylvestris_26_25_5m
darstellungsart.gumroad.com/l/DA01-C4D
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-sylvestris-16-am219-archmodels/15682
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-sylvestris-17-am219-archmodels/15683
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-sylvestris-18-am219-archmodels/15684
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-sylvestris-19-am219-archmodels/15685
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-sylvestris-20-am219-archmodels/15686
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-sylvestris-21-am219-archmodels/15687
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-sylvestris-22-am219-archmodels/15688
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/tree-43-am163-archmodels/12727
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/tree-44-am163-archmodels/12728
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/tree-45-am163-archmodels/12729
maxtree.org/products/plant-models-vol-24/
store.speedtree.com/store/scots_pine_forest_umbrella_canopy/
store.speedtree.com/store/scots_pine_forest/


3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/blechnum_spicant_deer_fern_02
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/dryopteris_filix_mas_male_fern_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/dryopteris_filix_mas_male_fern_02
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/euonymus_nabor_dikikh_kustov
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/fern_bush
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/kizil_nik_dammiera_ghorizontal_nyi
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/kizilnik_dammera_cotoneaster_dammeri_2
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/lesnaia_trava (4)
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/leucopogon_parviflorus_shrub
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/mother_spleenwort_asplenium_bulbiferum_fern_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/mother_spleenwort_asplenium_bulbiferum_fern_02
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/prickly_shield_fern_polystichum_vestitum_02
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/zemlianichnaia_polianka
poliigon.com/texture/ground-dirt-forest-needles-001
poliigon.com/texture/ground-dirt-forest-needles-003
poliigon.com/texture/ground-grass-brown-004
polyget.com/product/ferns/
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=3D%20plant&category=fern&assetId=rhDrC
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=3D%20plant&category=fern&assetId=rhDso
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=3D%20plant&category=fern&assetId=rmAsg
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=3D%20plant&category=fern&assetId=sbslY
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=3D%20plant&category=fern&assetId=seEoW
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=3D%20plant&category=fern&assetId=sfcpd
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=3D%20plant&category=fern&assetId=tkvifeyia
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=3D%20plant&category=fern&assetId=tkytbjdia
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=omgq20
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=omgq50
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=omgqI0
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=omgqK0
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=omgqK0
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=omgqP0
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=pftlE0
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=pftlI0
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=ub4jdihkw
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=ub5hbdgkw (5)
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=ubplcgpkw
quixel.com/megascans/home?category=surface&category=ground&assetId=ubplcgpkw
rd-textures.com/product/forestfloor-01/
rd-textures.com/product/forestfloor-02/
rd-textures.com/product/forestfloor-03/
rd-textures.com/product/forestfloor-08/
rd-textures.com/product/forestfloor-09/
rd-textures.com/product/forestfloor-12/
rd-textures.com/product/forestfloor-18/
rd-textures.com/product/forestroad-06/
rd-textures.com/product/rock-15-copy/
rd-textures.com/product/rockground-02-2/
rd-textures.com/product/rockground-03/
rd-textures.com/product/roots-04/
rd-textures.com/product/roots-05/
rd-textures.com/product/roots-06/
textures.com/download/3DScans0609/138049
textures.com/download/3DScans0689/140105

*Disclaimer in the "Annotations" section



2. Tropical Beach

The heavenly beaches from your Instagram feed might seem to be an example of nature's paradise. The row of coconut palms leaning low over the white sand is the first thing that comes to mind. But in reality, instead of pristine sand, you’d rather find a rocky shore with piles of beached wood. The funny thing is that what we think of as a tropical beach is often fully developed by people (from the nearby resort). They simply bring more sand and clean the pieces of wood and other debris. We will balance those natural and commercial realities to give you the quick recipe for your ultimate paradise. For more exciting info, explore the rollouts down below.


The easiest way to sell the mood is to place a row of coconut palms. You can spice it up with other types of palms, but we would recommend limiting yourself to smaller, tidy-looking samples, i.e., bottle palm or christmas palm. They will keep you within the tropical island archetype. All of it can be complemented with alternative trees, such as pines and araucarias. To be honest, you can finish it with any tropical specimens if you only feel they form a pleasing visual marriage.

You can always go for an elegant resort beach feeling and don’t add undergrowth whatsoever. But it can add a lot of character, evoke intimacy, and bring our tropical feeling even further. It can contain a huge variety of plants, spanning from dwarf palms to dracaenas, philodendrons, monsteras, strelitzias, pendanus. You can also pair any wild-looking thickets (a dense group of bushes) with neatly trimmed (and often flowering) hedges to maximize the feeling of the tamed paradise.

Obviously, we can go with a layer of sand or a perfectly mowed lawn. There’s nothing wrong with that. But you can add that visual interest using rock formations and shrubs (like beach cabbage.) Remember to keep those partially removed, exposing the layer of sand and creating walkable space at the same time. This way, you can remind the viewer of the commercial side of the tropical beach.



3D Asset list:

You will have a lot of good assets to choose from here. Try to limit yourself and not clutter your scene with too many of them.



3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/barringtonia_acutangula_var_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/barringtonia_acutangula_var_2
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/barringtonia_acutangula_var_4
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/dracaena_draco_dragon_tree_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/dracaena_draco_dragon_tree
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/rhizophora_apiculata_var2_1
cgtrader.com/3d-models/plant/bush/palm-tree-collection-fe5afee9-dead-4a19-bb0b-6c277bab0679
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/-palm-tree-37-am201-archmodels/14763
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/araucaria-heterophylla-36-am238-archmodels/17482
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/araucaria-heterophylla-38-am238-archmodels/17484
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/loquat-tree-1-am210-archmodels/15181
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/loquat-tree-2-am210-archmodels/15182
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/loquat-tree-3-am210-archmodels/15183
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-1-am201-archmodels/14726
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-2-am201-archmodels/14727
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-3-am201-archmodels/14728
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-34-am201-archmodels/14760
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-35-am201-archmodels/14761
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-36-am201-archmodels/14762
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-38-am201-archmodels/14764 (3)
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-39-am201-archmodels/14765
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-4-am201-archmodels/14729
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-40-am201-archmodels/14766
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-5-am201-archmodels/14730
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/wollemia-nobilis-33-am238-archmodels/17479
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/wollemia-nobilis-34-am238-archmodels/17480
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/wollemia-nobilis-35-am238-archmodels/17481
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/araucaria-heterophylla-norfolk-island-pine-star-pine-polynesian-pine-triangle-tree-living-christmas-tree-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/rhopalostylis-sapida-nikau-palm-3d-model
maxtree.org/products/plant-models-vol-7/ (1)
maxtree.org/products/plant-models-vol-80/
nouvellemesure-lab.com/collections/environment-pack/products/daria-coastal-pack
store.speedtree.com/store/araucaria-pine-field-narrow-vfx-v8/
store.speedtree.com/store/araucaria-pine-field-vfx-v8/
store.speedtree.com/store/araucaria-pine-forest-narrow-vfx-v8/
store.speedtree.com/store/araucaria-pine-forest-vfx-v8/
store.speedtree.com/store/coconut-palm-field-dark-trunk-vfx-v8/
store.speedtree.com/store/coconut-palm-field-light-trunk-vfx-v8/
store.speedtree.com/store/coconut-palm-forest-narrow-vfx-v8/
store.speedtree.com/store/coconut-palm-forest-phototropic-vfx-v8/
store.speedtree.com/store/coconut-palm-sapling-vfx-v8/


3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/aglaia_duperreana_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/aglaia_duperreana_02
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/aglaia_duperreana_03
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/codiaeum_variegatum_aucubifolium_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/codiaeum_variegatum_croton_yellow_spot
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/dieffenbachia_amoena
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/dracaena_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/dracaena_deremensis_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/dracaena_sanderiana_lucky_bamboo_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/ficus_lyrata_feed_leaf_fig_2
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/ficus_lyrata_fiddle_leaf_fig (2)
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/heliconia_02
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/heliconia_rostrata_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/monstera_deliciosa_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/monstera_deliciosa_02
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/philodendron_xanadu_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/plumeria_obtusa
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/rhapis_excelsa_bamboo_palm_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/rhizophora_mucronata_var1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/rhizophora_mucronata_var2
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/rhizophora_mucronata_var3
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/rhizophora_mucronata_var4
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/rhizophora_mucronata_var5
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/schefflera_arboricola_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/spathiphyllum_wallisii_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/strelitzia_reginae_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/strelitzia_reginae_02
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/tabernaemontana_divaricata_crape_jasmine_01
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/tabernaemontana_divaricata_crape_jasmine_02
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-26-am201-archmodels/14752
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-27-am201-archmodels/14753
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-28-am201-archmodels/14754
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evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-31-am201-archmodels/14757
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-32-am201-archmodels/14758
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/palm-tree-33-am201-archmodels/14759
globeplants.com/collections/3d-shrubs-bushes/products/edgeworthia-tomentosa-edgeworthia-paperbush-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/ficus-lyrata-fiddle-leaf-fig-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/melaleuca-lanceolata-moonah-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/meryta-sinclairii-pukanui-puka-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/pandanus-tectorius-screwpine-hala-tree-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/plumeria-obtusa-white-frangipani-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/schefflera-actinophylla-australia-umbrella-tree-queensland-umbrella-tree-octopus-tree-amate-3d-model
maxtree.org/products/plant-models-vol-72/

*Disclaimer in the "Annotations" section

3. Temperate Rainforest



The topography of temperate rainforests is very diverse, from flat lowlands to highland valleys. You can expect a wide variety of life forms as well. Honestly, they might seem a bit overwhelming with all those small details. Don't get discouraged, though! It all starts with the trees, and the rest comes in layers. We will limit ourselves to beech forests and work our way down to the groundcover. Overall, we will receive a pretty dark, dense, and obviously wet environment. So don't forget to tweak up the glossiness of your greenery to meet high humidity weather conditions!


First, focus on the strongly vertical trunks that dominate the human level (the canopy is elevated relatively high). Beech trees would work perfectly, but feel free to experiment with different kinds. To enrich the visual character of the forest, you can add small plants growing on top of the bigger ones. Those are called epiphytes, and among them, you can find many mosses, lichens, and liverworts.

You can use beech trees again, but just smaller ones. Fun fact, their growth is sustained by the root system of the older neighbours, but it is very slow. They mostly form layers of fresh green leaves that break the strong vertical rhythm of bigger trunks. Various shadow-loving plants can create relatively low thickets (a dense group of bushes.)

It is dense, mossy and often tangled in vines. You can pull it off with nearly all types of small plants, so don’t hold yourself and go crazy. Remember to change your shaders to match the overall feeling of the scene (adjust diffuse, translucency, and glossiness, most importantly.)





3D Asset list:

Another rich set of 3d assets. Take some extra time to adjust the materials, though (albedo, glossiness, and translucency to make them fit each other.)


*Disclaimer in the "Annotations" section

4. Mediterranean

Our next selected biome is very distinctive and pretty popular – contrary to its name. Besides the Mediterranean basin, we can find similar vegetation in South-West USA, North-West Mexico, South Africa, and many places across South America. Three types of trees will yell „Mediterranean!” right from the very beginning. They are olive trees, cypresses, and stone pines. They are all visually pretty diversified and will instantly bring a lot of dynamism to the image. Just by the simple fact of their shapes and interaction with the strong sunlight (like in the following example). The secondary vegetation layer could get very diverse- from dry shrubs to flowery plants during the spring. So if you wish to get some more hints, click the rollouts.


Always go with olive trees, cypresses, or stone pines if you want to sell the Mediterranean feeling from the first glance. There’s plenty of assets to choose from, and they produce excellent results. But if you want some more subtlety and nuance, you can complement them with occasional cedars, oaks or manna ashes.

The undergrowth is a hard, leathery, evergreen thicket of vines and shrubs (full of sclerophyll.) It is known by the name of macchia (or chaparral, matorral, fynbos in other parts of the world). It can get really flowery in the spring but dulls down to dark, desaturated green after that. Need some specific names? You can try laurels, myrtle, oleander, juniper or spanish broom.

You can have a very rich groundcover that is likely to consists of rosemary, sage, heath, rockrose and dry, dense grasses. Low growing macchia might be treated also as the groundcover. But on the other hand, the ground can be entirely barren and rocky. So choose any option you like, as long as it doesn’t compete for the viewers’ attention.





3D Asset list:

Choose a signature tree first, and you’re instantly on the right track. This should give you a lot of freedom when deciding on smaller details.



3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/cupressus_9_10m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/italian_cypress_2
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/kiparis_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/nabor_olivkovykh_derevev_4_modeli_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/olea_europaea_olive_tree
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/set_of_olive_tree_olea_europaea_2_trees
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_italianskaia_piniia_pinus_pinea_1_16m_1
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_italianskaia_piniia_pinus_pinea_2_16_3m_1
(not active) 3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_italianskaia_piniia_pinus_pinea_3_13_5_14_2m (2)
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/sosna_italianskaia_piniia_pinus_pinea_4_4_8_9_2m
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/stone_pine_2_pinus_pinea
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/stone_pine_3_pinus_pinea
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/stone_pine_4_pinus_pinea
cgtrader.com/3d-models/plant/bush/mediterranean-plants-collection-by-maxtree-vol25-7c2babd4-a6aa-449e-a423-6be208ced935 (1)
cgtrader.com/3d-models/plant/bush/olive-tree-collection-by-maxtree-vol23
cgtrader.com/3d-models/plant/other/olive-tree-x-4-pack (3)
darstellungsart.gumroad.com/l/olivetrees
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-pinea-11-am219-archmodels/15677
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-pinea-12-am219-archmodels/15678
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-pinea-13-am219-archmodels/15679
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/pinus-pinea-14-am219-archmodels/15680
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/cupressus-sempervirens-mediterranean-cypress-tuscan-cypress-persian-cypress-pencil-pine-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/olea-europaea-manzanillo-olive-tree-manzanillo-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/pinus-pinea-stone-pine-italian-stone-pine-umbrella-pine-parasol-pine-3d-model
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/quercus-alba-white-oak-3d-model
store.speedtree.com/store/italian_cypress_field_classic/
store.speedtree.com/store/italian_cypress_field_classic/
store.speedtree.com/store/italian_cypress_field_spiral_pruned/
store.speedtree.com/store/italian_cypress_field_unpruned/
store.speedtree.com/store/italian_cypress_field_weathered/
store.speedtree.com/store/italian_cypress_forest_base_rot/
store.speedtree.com/store/italian_cypress_forest_unpruned/
store.speedtree.com/store/italian_cypress_sapling_cinema/
turbosquid.com/3d-models/3d-olive-trees-animation-realistic-model-1396078

*Disclaimer in the "Annotations" section

5. Australian Bushland

Australian landscapes are one of a kind. Full of unique plants and animals found nowhere else on the planet. Considering the trees, you can’t go wrong with various forms of eucalyptus and acacias. They can grow in relatively dense forests as well as sparse, savanna-like formations. There is no binding rule here. But what will come first and catch people’s eyes is the striking color (maroon, gold, ochre, bottle green) and deep contrasts. Let's have a closer look then!


We can find many unique plants here, but we will use two types of trees that are most common in this environment: eucalyptus (which includes corymbia, angophora and some other genera) as well as acacia. If you’re working as a concept artist, keep in mind that the trees tend to struggle to store enough water and survive occasional bushfires constantly. You can use that motive if you want to bring instant emotions (especially those extreme.)

The undergrowth in bushland consists of three elements (brigalow, malee, mulga) and tends to be called a scrub. You can basically use young, smaller trees that reach from 2 to 10m and fill terrain dips created by flood and drought. They are complemented with other dry and frail plants, for example very characteristic grass trees (xanthorrhoea).

In our case, the ground will be predominantly dry and cracked. The eucalyptus trees drain most of the groundwater, so the soil around them can be pretty barren and covered with various tree debris (withered leaves, bark, branches.) You can choose to liven it up with grass but try to place them in separated clumps instead of one continuous surface.



3D Asset list:

If you happen to be a UE user, you can download a free pack of assets from Andrew Svanbergs project. How cool is that!



3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/eucalyptus_lehmannii_var1 (1)
3dsky.org/3dmodels/show/eucalyptus_lehmannii_var2
cgtrader.com/3d-models/plant/bush/3d-trees-collection-by-maxtree-vol22
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-1-am238-archmodels/17447
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-10-am238-archmodels/17456
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-11-am238-archmodels/17457
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-12-am238-archmodels/17458
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-13-am238-archmodels/17459
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-2-am238-archmodels/17448
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-3-am238-archmodels/17449
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-4-am238-archmodels/17450
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-5-am238-archmodels/17451
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-6-am238-archmodels/17452
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-7-am238-archmodels/17453
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-8-am238-archmodels/17454
evermotion.org/shop/show_product/eucalyptus-9-am238-archmodels/17455
globeplants.com/collections/trees/products/eucalyptus-globulus-southern-blue-gum-3d-mode
store.speedtree.com/store/acacia_fallen/
store.speedtree.com/store/acacia_jungle/
store.speedtree.com/store/acacia_savanna_broad_canopy/
store.speedtree.com/store/acacia_savanna_round_canopy/
store.speedtree.com/store/red_gum_eucalyptus_field/
store.speedtree.com/store/red_gum_eucalyptus_forest_multi-trunk/ (2)
store.speedtree.com/store/red_gum_eucalyptus_sapling/
store.speedtree.com/store/red_gum_eucalytus_field_thick-trunk/
store.speedtree.com/store/silver_dollar_eucalyptus_field/
store.speedtree.com/store/silver_dollar_eucalyptus_forest/
unrealengine.com/marketplace/en-US/product/rural-australia

*Disclaimer in the "Annotations" section

Summary

Phew, that was a lot! But we hope you had a good read and look at nature differently. Lastly, we will take this opportunity to put all of it together, and establish some general rules, that you can follow before approaching any biome out there:

That’s pretty much it! Are you feeling more confident about recreating our stunning world? We sincerely hope you do. Let us know your experiences with this topic and share your personal work (especially those unique biomes.) We’d love to hear from you at hello@thecommonpoint.com .

Bartek: You don't need to be a biome purist each and every time. It is totally normal to have things mixed up in nature. I think that it is much easier to be consistent though and recreate very specific environments. Going beyond that might help to tell your story but creating diversified biomes requires additional proficiency and might easily fall into the uncanny trap.

Conclusion

Explore the incredible world of plants whenever you can. Choose any biome you wish and break it down into layers (trees, undergrowth, groundcover). Finding the key attributes and choosing perfect assets is a matter of practice. So the sooner you start, the faster you learn how to approach any environment out there. You’re guaranteed to have plenty of fun along the way, and most importantly, the whole experience is a clear path to becoming a better 3d artist.



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Disclaimer:

We hope to find the list of 3d models useful when approaching the described biomes. We use them ourselves and are happy with their quality, but obviously, we cannot vouch for all linked sources.
We want to state that we are not affiliated, associated, authorized, endorsed by, or in any way officially connected with any of 3rd parties. We do not accept any responsibility for any mistakes, errors, or other faults in the website and the content or how you use the website and the content.

List of useful links:

Biomes
What are the Different Biomes of the World
What Makes a Biome?

Special Thanks to all of our star guests for supporting us!


Ander Alencar


Andrew Svanberg Hamilton


Evolvia Imaging


Ewelina Lekka


Pawel Pecherzewski


Reyaz Alankandy


Ryan Coyoca


Tomasz Michalski


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