Boat Show Illustrated Map

Artist, Illustrator, Designer: John Potter - Escape Key Graphics
Client: Show Management

Palm Beach International Boat Show Map 2016

Parking Map
Parking Map
Map Sign
Map Sign

The 2016 map for the Palm Beach International Boat Show marks a pivotal year in its visual evolution, introducing a refined aesthetic that set a new standard for clarity and brand identity. This edition represents a conscious shift toward a brighter, more idealized representation of the event, serving as a direct precursor to the unified visual language later adopted across Informa Markets' boat show graphics.

A significantly lighter and more vibrant color palette was implemented, moving away from the softer, moodier, evening-inspired tones of previous years. This created a crisp, sunlit atmosphere that enhanced overall legibility. The artistic approach embraced an "idealized reality," characterized by uniformly sharp focus impossible to achieve with a camera, heightened color saturation, and the deliberate omission of extraneous detail. The result is an image that remains unmistakably realistic yet is purposefully streamlined to direct attention to the show itself.

Map in The Palm Beach Post Palm Beach Post Map
Z Card folding mapPalm Beach Post Map

To further focus the viewer, a distinct border was introduced around the official show grounds. All elements outside this boundary were rendered in grayscale, making the vibrant, full-color interior of the event the undeniable focal point. Navigational keying saw an update with the addition of a lime green color for marking show entrances, building upon the established system. By this time, the use of simplified boat silhouettes (rather than detailed 3D models) and the consistent use of shorter, morning shadows had become standard practice, contributing to a clean, uncluttered look.

Physically, the show continued to grow, expanding northward to incorporate a larger section of the Palm Harbor Marina. This growth required further extension of the core digital 3D model, a process that was executed smoothly thanks to the accurate and scalable foundation built in prior years. The 2016 map solidified a more standardized format for the series, establishing a reliable and effective workflow that balanced aesthetic innovation with the practical demands of an expanding event.

This year I also created a vertical version of the map, three tent detail maps, a parking map and a seminars schedule for signs.

Maps For Palm Beach International Boat Show:


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