This is a submission for Frontend Challenge - June Celebrations, CSS Art: June Celebrations.
Inspiration
World Rainforest Day (June 22) highlights the critical importance of rainforests as the "lungs of our planet."
These incredible ecosystems house 50% of Earth's biodiversity while covering only 6% of the surface. This CSS art captures the lush, vibrant life of a tropical rainforest canopy, celebrating the intricate beauty of these vital ecosystems.
Demo
Journey
Creating a rainforest in CSS meant mastering layered complexity - just like the real ecosystem! I built multiple canopy layers using various shades of green and different leaf shapes, all created with pure CSS.
The animation system simulates gentle wind movement through the forest, with leaves swaying at different speeds and intervals.
The most challenging aspect was creating realistic leaf shapes using only CSS properties. I experimented extensively with border-radius, clip-path, and transform properties to achieve natural-looking foliage.
The lighting effects, simulating dappled sunlight filtering through the canopy, required careful use of radial gradients and opacity layers.
I'm particularly excited about the subtle bird animations - small touches that bring the forest to life.
The color palette progression from darker forest floor to bright canopy helps create depth and the feeling of looking up through towering trees.
Future enhancements could include more wildlife animations, seasonal changes, or even interactive elements where users can "explore" different forest layers.
Rainforests are endlessly inspiring with their complexity and beauty!
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