Consider that I'm both a cartographer and a publisher, I even hire artists as I need them. From a cartographer's point of view, if I am given a commission to create a map for someone's commercial project, I expect to be paid at completion of the job, not on some unforseen future time when the maps might help you provide yourself an income - that may never happen. Circumstances might occur to prevent you from publishing altogether, then what of the unpaid artists?
Also, I've been paid as much as $400 to create one map, and even at such a large dollar amount, I still share copyright ownership with the publisher allowing me to post the map in my gallery, and here at the CG. I wouldn't give up that right for any amount of money.
I too am a small RPG publisher, who is currently co-publishing a setting, adventures, and supplements for my Kaidan: a Japanese Ghost Story setting for PFRPG, as an imprint under Rite Publishing. Now a days, I have no out of pocket expense. Through Rite Publishing, I develop what eventually becomes a Kickstarter project - once I know the costs for cover art, interior art, writing and editing are, I create a budget of the amount of money required to fully fund the project, then I create free preview material which is then placed into Kickstarter, IndieGoGo, or an inhouse patronage system where individuals commit $25, $60, or $99 to become patrons who get rights to certain previously created products (for free) and development participation in said project.
Like you, I am so low in budget that I've basically paid for all my cover art needs and interior art with my tax return - all of it, one year. But the artists were paid immediately upon completion of work. I would never expect an artist to not get paid for work done. And know that had I screwed over an artist in this way, they will go public with it, which would hurt your chances at acquiring future artists.
As a small publisher, I do as much work myself as possible to keep costs down, including all my needed cartography, project development, page layout, some of the writing. I actually hire out writers that have some fan base reputation to help sell the product (Jonathan McAnulty and T. H. Gulliver). I use Rite Publishing's editors (Dave Paul). When I need art, I work with 5 different artists for specific styles that each have for varying illlustration needs. 2 are primarily cover artists, 2 are primarily interior artists, and one is my primary monster artist.
If you want to look like a professional, then you need to be a professional and pay for your art at completion of work. No one should have to wait to whenever you might possibly earn a profit, as that may never happen. The RPG industry is generally a low profit generating industry, but that doesn't mean artists shouldn't get paid right away. Sometimes we suffer monetarily to promote the things we love.
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