Detroit: Become Human - Romain Jouandeau

Artist- Romain Jouandeau

In order (Top to Bottom)-

Carl Manfred's house (Living room)

In the video game Carl is a painter and a very loving father figure to Markus. His house portrays his likes and warm heart exceptionally; the house is open with large windows to let in light. Because Carl is wheelchair bound there needs to be space for Marcus to push him around or for him to move around himself.

The use of eccentric objects like the giraffe and the colours also show that he is more then well off money wise. The house is cosy and inviting which is well conveyed with the use of wall earth tones and bright simple colours. Also how his living room doesn't show a lot of new technologies, he only has a see through TV because the house it self -in the game-is shown to be autonomous making the house easier for him move in freely.

Detroit City Police Department

The concept art for the DPD is more tech savvy then how it is shown in the game. The use of blue and whites in the piece makes the department more official and sterile, a place that looks serious.

There is a android post shown in the corner so they don't get in the way of the humans, making the department look indifferent to how androids are treated. The cool tone of colours used by Jouandaeu is very telling on how the department feels and the way that everything is placed also shows how the people work. The contrast in the bricks and the new tech also adds depths and history to the building which is easily observed from a short viewing of the piece.

North's Apartment stairs (Not in game)

The way the camera is stationed gives the piece a quiet feel. the muted tones and the harsh light from the window and door -where the camera is pointing through- also adds a range of shadows that conveys the feeling of loneliness.

The exposed brick under the paint on the walls and the garbage that is left out under the stairs give more explanation to what kind of place North is staying at (somewhere that is away from people as North hates humans, a place that doesn't require a lot of money or money at all). The different textures are used well to show different materials.

As this was never used in the game we have no idea exactly what Jouandaeu was trying to show but what we do see from this picture is just the amount of detail he used to exude the feeling of an empty run down apartment in just the shot of the stair well.

Ralph's hideout

Jouandaeu's use of light sources is more prominent in this piece, the destroyed wall brings in a shaft of warm light however does not improve the rooms dark and foreboding feeling.

The textures used on the walls and floor gives the room a dirty, rundown look. A technique I could use in my work is the way light and textures are used to convey day and use.

Church hallway (Not in game)

The church that Markus and Co. go to has long since been abandoned and Jouandaeu shows this passing of time with the growth of plants and weeds within the walls of the church.

Like the artwork above, the way light is used gives the place an even more lonely feeling, the way the natural light is shown to be dimming and fuzzy in comparison to the torch light from the androids is also a contrasting element.

The environment tells a quick story, shows how the passing of time and weather has evolved the environment to something new.

Android hideout Jericho

Jericho is a abandoned and collapsing freighter ship that the deviated androids go to be safe.

The colours of this piece tells that is breaking dawn and also gives the piece a sense of hope; that salvation is there to be found. The rot and decay of the ship is well conveyed with the use of texture and the monotone colours of the ship speaks of long nights left to weather.

Capitol Park Plaza

Jouandeau uses light very effectively in this shot, the way the light bounces of the falling snow and the different colours of light used gives the piece grounds in reality.

The cool light from the street lights enhances the snowy scene and the way the tracks in the snow are drawn tells the view exactly what has happened.

As my story takes place in more summer weather the use of cool tones will be used sparing but the way the lighting is used is something I could adapt into my work later on.

Zen Garden- Spring, Summer and Autumn

The Zen Garden is a virtual mind palace that Cyberlife control. The garden changes from spring to winter and mostly when there is a dire circumstance the garden changes to reflect what may happen (e.g.. when Connor has deviated the garden becomes cold and a snowstorm is created so he can not escape).

The garden is a tranquil place that is well taken care of, apart form he changing of seasons the place stays mostly the same. The colour palates for each season is very different from each other which helps distinguish exactly what season Connor has come to and how Cyberlife feel.

The bright colour and natural tones used in the spring environment gives the space a open and inviting aura, letting you have a feel of the territory. The almost artificial light from the sky however gives the feeling that you are in a box because this is only a place in the mind.

The artificial lights near the walk ways allow the space to still convey the use of technology but with the flowers and plant life around it still has that organic feeling.

Another aspect of the Zen Garden is that it also mimics the weather that is happening in Detroit at that time too. Jouandaeu's use of colour is this piece also adds a sense of inescapability; how the fog creeps in from the back making the trees seem faraway and ghostly. The way he used depth perception in this work also makes the garden seem larger then life and not real.

The colour scheme for autumn is very different from the other two seasons; Jouandaeu uses warm reds and oranges mush like the falling leaves in autumn. The use of blur gives the piece a more hazy feel much like a dream.

The warm tone of the light makes the environment feel pleasant and approachable.

All of these places that Jouandaeu painted are an extension of the present that inhabits them and is something he took into account when colouring and establishing values. He worked with the set dressing team to know where certain things would be and what kind of feeling they wanted to show when ou walk into these places and that comes of beautifully in these pieces.

His use of lighting and values are things I would like to include into my work to make my pieces more realistic and dynamic.

#Research