Working With Me — FAQ
A few things clients ask before we start. If your question isn't here, just get in touch.
About Me
Are you a fine artist, an illustrator, or a map maker?
All three. I'm John Potter - I run Escape Key Graphics, where I make illustrated maps, murals, and fine art.
Where are you located?
South Florida, Broward County to be precise.
Where do you work?
I've done work all over the USA and in several other countries, especially the UK. I've traveled for map research in Texas, Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey, and The Bahamas. Mural work so far has been in Florida only.
Where did you go to school?
Ringling College of Art and Design, where I majored in Illustration.
Do you accept fine art commissions?
Yes. Get in touch if you're interested.
Pricing & Estimates
How much do you charge, and how do you charge?
For most contract projects like maps and illustration I charge $75 an hour, and I quote by the project. When I quote a job, I estimate the hours required (including revisions) based on the labor involved and my experience with similar work. That estimate becomes the quote.
If a project runs past the estimate, I let you know before continuing and charge by the hour from that point. This is very rare. When it happens, it's almost always because the planning stages weren't taken seriously or revisions piled up late in the project.
The fix is simple: engage with the sketch and early stages, and give feedback as we go rather than saving it all for the end.
I don't have a fixed method of pricing fine art and murals.
Do you give rough estimates?
No. A rough estimate would have to be unfairly high to protect me from the unknowns, and that doesn't serve either of us.
Think of it like hiring a flooring company without telling them the square footage. They'd have to overestimate and then pad it further. Same situation. Give me the details and I'll give you a real number.
How long does it take?
Usually weeks, not months. The range depends on the project.
A simple overhead map usually runs around two weeks. A detailed resort map usually runs 3-6 weeks. General illustration varies dramatically based on the project. Murals vary by size and complexity. If you have a tight deadline I can usually adjust the approach to achieve the goal.
Note that there are two separate things: the hours of labor the project will take, and the calendar date I expect to deliver. The hours are the labor hours I actually expect to be working on the project. The calendar estimate is longer than the labor alone would suggest because it accounts for the gaps like other projects in the queue, time waiting on feedback, drying time, and my personal time etc.
I generally pad the time I expect a project to take on the quote. I'd rather give you a date I can beat than one I have to apologize for.
Do you do rush jobs?
Sometimes. I'm fast, and clients often come to me with short deadlines. Tell me your deadline up front and I'll tell you honestly whether I can hit it. If I can't, I'll say so rather than take the job and miss it.
Starting a Project
What do I need to supply to get a quote?
To give you an accurate estimate, please gather these details.
For any quote:
- Your business name and address.
For a map:
- The map's location.
- The map's focus: the boundaries (north, south, east, west) and the key landmarks to include.
- The level of detail: a list of your key Points of Interest (POIs) or the total number to be illustrated.
- Your preferred style: a reference map from my portfolio, or a description (this includes overhead or aerial view). This is crucial for an accurate quote. We can discuss this if helpful or necessary.
If you have objects too small to show up on your map, we'll need to discuss how to handle them, or you can provide an example.
For a mural:
This will probably still require more discussion, but here's a start:
- The mural's location.
- The mural's proportions.
- The content of the mural (if you know).
- The style of the mural (if you know).
- Any outstanding circumstances, such as needing it done quickly or it being in the middle of a very busy area.
What resources do you need to make a map?
Every project is different, but these are the usual inputs:
- Aerial photography (Google Earth and similar). For many locations this, plus supplemental photos, is enough.
- Site plans and blueprints, especially for upcoming events.
- Photographs - as many as you can get me.
- Answers to a lot of questions.
Usually it's some combination of the above, cross-checked for accuracy.
Do you need to visit my venue to make a map?
Not always, though I always like to see the venue I'm rendering.
- If a site is obscured from aerial photography, GPS may be an option. You can supply GPS data, or I can visit and collect it myself.
- If a site is large, complex, or intricate, a visit usually cuts down on the questions I need to ask later and saves everyone time on email and phone calls. I'll still have questions, though.
How do we start? Do you require a deposit?
We start with a conversation. I'll ask a lot of questions, and you'll send whatever materials are relevant - reference photos, site plans, brand assets, and so on. From there I put together a quote.
On deposits:
- First-time clients: deposit required.
- Murals: deposit required, always.
- Everything else: deposit may be required for projects with significant material costs or very long timelines.
Final payment is billed on completion and due within ten business days.
Process & Updates
What is your process for a map?
I begin by establishing the look and feel you want, then determine the likely final viewing angle (unless it's a flat, overhead map) by showing you examples. From there I build the landscape, then move on to buildings and points of interest, then add landscaping and finishing touches, followed by rendering enhancements. The result of that phase is a flattened, high-resolution bitmap illustration.
Next, I add graphics, map keys, logos, and other graphical elements on one or more layers in a vector-based file. Throughout, I send frequent updates so you can course-correct early. Changes made along the way are far cheaper than changes made at the end.
What is your process for a mural?
Most murals start with black-and-white sketches. You can request changes at that stage. Once you approve a sketch, I usually produce a scale color version, which shows you clearly where the project is going and lets me test colors and paints.
From there, approach varies. I prefer not to rely on spray paint, though I may use it outdoors. I don't finish in a single day, and I work to minimize the time I take from your venue and the disruption to its normal activity. If you need a mural installed very quickly, printed vinyl is usually the better route; there are also options for painting off-site and installing later.
I typically dedicate the first day to setup, which may include masking adjacent walls and ceilings and laying drop cloths — that stage alone can take a couple of days on larger jobs. I prime the wall to ensure proper adhesion, then sketch the composition on the wall to establish size and position, using tracing paper, a projector, or other methods. From there, techniques vary: I sometimes use sprayers and airbrushes, but I primarily rely on brushes and rollers, and I may use stencils, masks, or other techniques as needed.
What is your process for an illustration?
I generally submit sketches first, and you can request changes at that stage. I then proceed to a final product based on what you've chosen, which may include a second, more finished color sketch.
Clients sometimes come to me with extremely short deadlines that rule out the sketch stage, or other circumstances do. For any longer illustration project, I send frequent progress updates - same reasoning as with maps: changes made along the way are far cheaper than changes at the end.
Illustration methods vary widely. An oil painting is a very different process from a vector-based illustration, so it's hard to be more specific without knowing the project.
Will I get updates during the process?
Yes. I send frequent updates throughout. This keeps you informed and makes any changes far more efficient than waiting until the project is complete.
What if I need changes after delivery?
Revisions are covered for 90 days after final delivery, as long as the original quoted hours haven't been used up. If the change fits inside the quoted scope, I just do it.
Beyond 90 days, or if the work exceeds the original quoted hours, revisions are billed at my hourly rate.
Files, Signs & Copyright
What file types do you supply?
It depends on the project, but for most illustration work the deliverable is a flat bitmap with graphics like logos and map keys on layers above it, in an Adobe Illustrator file. In that case I usually supply:
- An AI file
- An EPS file (with fonts outlined)
- A high-resolution PDF
- A low-resolution PDF and a JPG for web use
If you need other formats, just ask.
Do you supply editable files?
Yes, to a point. As above, I supply an AI file and an EPS file (with fonts outlined) plus a high-resolution PDF. If you have Adobe Illustrator or similar vector software, you can edit things like map keys and logos.
For changes to the illustration or artwork itself, contact me.
One ground rule: I won't work on files you've edited. If you need revisions to a file you've changed, I'll start over from where I left off.
Do you make signs?
I'm not a sign shop, but I can prepare print-ready files for the sign shop of your choice. If you'd like me to liaise with your sign shop or help find a suitable supplier, we can discuss options. In some cases I may be available to install vinyl.
Can the artwork or maps be enlarged to use on signs?
Yes. I supply artwork at a minimum of 300 dpi unless you request otherwise, and I usually aim for 600 dpi with some upsampling. Clients have used my work on signs and billboards many times without issue.
How do you handle copyright?
I retain copyright of my work and grant you unlimited use, with two exceptions: deconstruction and resale.
By deconstruction I mean you can't take part of an illustration or individual icons and reuse them for other purposes. By resale I mean you can't sell the same artwork or map to anyone else.
For fine art, I retain the copyright to the image of the work even after you buy the physical piece. In practical terms: if you buy a painting from me, you own the painting, but I still own the image. If someone approaches me afterward wanting to run it as an editorial illustration, I have the right to license that; as the owner of the physical piece, you would not.
Get in Touch
If your question isn't answered here, visit escapekeygraphics.com or reach out directly.