Adobe Photoshop Portfolio
Artist, Illustrator: John Potter - Escape Key Graphics
About My Photoshop Work
Adobe Photoshop started out as a photo retouching tool, and it still does that job better than anything else. But over the years, artists and illustrators have pushed it way beyond its original purpose. These days I use it for digital illustration, compositing, and image manipulation that goes far beyond simple editing. You can create original artwork from scratch in Photoshop, or you can take a photograph and transform it until it barely resembles the original. I have not yet tried to fully replicate the feel of oil painting in Photoshop, but I have made images where "retouching" is nowhere near the right word for what I did.
Photoshop is the industry standard for working with bitmap images. I use it every day, almost always alongside other tools like Adobe Illustrator and SketchUp. Even when I am doing something routine like resizing images, compressing files, or preparing artwork for print and web, I treat it with the same attention I bring to full scale illustrations. That practice keeps my skills sharp and makes sure I am ready for whatever a project throws at me.
Where Photoshop Fits in My Workflow
Nearly every illustration on this site has passed through Photoshop in some way. Sometimes it is for final compositing, pulling together elements from different sources. Sometimes it is for color adjustment or final output preparation. The software gives me the flexibility to move between precision work and creative exploration without switching tools. I can make subtle enhancements that nobody notices but that make the image work better. Or I can build bold, original illustrations from the ground up. Photoshop is the claw hammer of my industry.
Examples of My Photoshop Work
The images on this page fall into two groups. Some were created entirely in Photoshop, from start to finish. Others started in different software and came into Photoshop for finishing touches. The marina maps, boat show maps, and resort illustrations you see elsewhere on this site all got their final polish here. Color correction, layer adjustments, compositing, output preparation. That is where Photoshop earns its keep.
Your Project
If you need illustration work that requires digital painting, photo manipulation, or complex compositing, contact me. I have the tools and the experience to deliver what you need.
PHOTOSHOP ONLY:
PROJECTS USING SOME PHOTOSHOP WITH OTHER SOFTWARE:
PORTFOLIOS
- Illustration Portfolio: Start here for custom illustration and book covers. You can also browse illustrated maps and architectural rendering.
- Fine Art: I offer original paintings and drawings, including my Custom Halftone Series. You will also find mural work here.
- Graphic Design & Motion: View my graphic design portfolio. After that, explore motion design and animated illustrations.
- Maps by application: I create illustrated maps for boat shows, resorts, marinas, real estate, transportation, transit and parking, towns and cities, parks, and wayfinding.
- Additional project types: I also produce cover illustration, vehicle and vinyl wraps, proposal renderings, and street art.
- Illustration methods: My techniques include vector, isometric and axonometric, painting, black and white, GeoData maps, overhead maps, and custom halftones.
- Software portfolios: I work primarily in Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, SketchUp Pro, and Adobe InDesign. For motion projects, I use Premiere Pro and After Effects. You can watch my demo reel here.