Mangrove swamp and cloud forests?

[Wingshaw]

Hi all.

I don't often post in this subforum, but I have a commission at the moment and I'm unable to figure out how to do some parts of it.

The commission is a regional map that includes areas of rainforest/jungle, mangrove forest, and cloud forest. I think I've got the jungle under control, but does anyone have tips on how to depict mangroves and cloud forests?

For information: I am hand-drawing this with Copic pens and will colour it in Photoshop. I imagine that, if necessary, I can use Photoshop to make the cloud forest more obvious, so it's the mangroves in particular where I'm needing some suggestions.

Wingshaw

[KMAlexander]

For mangroves, I'd probably just insert a forest along/as the landmass border and change the way the shoreline effect interacts with the trunks of the "trees." As for cloud forests, my recent brush set used forests in a really interesting way, I could see a similar effect work for a cloud forest. There are a few examples here. Or you can go to the original source. Keep in mind Vischer wasn't drawing cloud forests, more the wilds of Austria. But a similar effect could work for a cloud forest biome.

[Azélor]

It depend on the style of the map.
A mangrove is a forest growing over saline water near the ocean. So there is a lot of water and possibly roots exposed during low tides or during the dry season.
I would try to space the trees a bit. if not completely, put some holes in the canopy to show the water beneath.

Cloud forest. Well, they have a lot of clouds because of the condensation off water vapour rising.
The plants are pretty much the same as the ones in a jungle, unless you go at higher altitudes.
The landscape is important so maybe you could try to incorporate tree on mountains. We usually show only one of them and rarely both.
I don't see that very often and it might not fit with the general style of the map.

[KMAlexander]

To add to Azélor's point, I think the treatment of both these things would significantly influence and define a map's particular style.

[Wingshaw]

Thanks guys. Your suggestions pretty much match what I was thinking, so it sounds like I am on the right track. I'll try to post some progress shots in a WIP thread at some point.

Wingshaw

[RobEm]

Hi Wingshaw, quick thought, have you looked at aerial views of mangrove swamps? From looking at Sundarban, for example, on the border of India and Bangladesh on Google maps the vegetation looks quite a deep green and the most salient feature is the river delta winding amongst the trees, and then the turquoise plumes of sediment (?) discharging into the sea.

[Wingshaw]

Hi RobEm, thanks for the suggestion. Yeah, I've spent some time looking at Sundarban on GoogleEarth, as well as a couple of mangrove swamps in Australia, and aerial photographs. I think the overall swampiness is what I really need to highlight, which is, as you say, the waterways and the vibrancy of the vegetation.

Wingshaw

[Azélor]

The turquoise is probably algae bloom.