3D: Evocative Biome: Pre-Pro!

So it begins! First off, I'm just going to check and see if my Pinterest widget works. That'll be where I'll store all my inspirational images and references!
Follow Justine's board Biomes Inspiration on Pinterest.

My current assignment in 3D class is to create a 3D biome that evokes a particular emotion. But what biome should I choose? I've currently narrowed it down to two places: a salt marsh and a tide pool. I've picked these two environments in particular because they involve the marrying of terrestrial and aquatic organisms, which expands my options for visual vocabulary (reflections, things partially hidden beneath the surface) and because making water shaders are hella fun.

The salt marsh would be an environment that relies heavily on the layering of foliage and water to create an interesting visual pattern. I've done some thumbnails and research into what this biome would involve.

The tidepool biome would rely more on rock shapes and silhouettes to create an exciting composition, as well as bringing in more aquatic organisms to the balance. Here are some thumbnails and explorations on that topic!

Now to choose between these two biomes and focus on the visual identity of the biome! I want to focus especially on colour and stylization, as those are two things I want to get better at. And with these two things, I can much more easily evoke an emotional response!