FAQ | Fall Lines & Maps

Frequently Asked Questions

You’ve Got Questions.  We’ve Got Answers.

This is a working FAQ. We revise and update quarterly as answers evolve and new questions come in. If yours isn't here, write to us .

Narrative cartography is mapmaking built around a story instead of a route. A standard map shows you boundaries, roads, and distances. A narrative map shows you why the land within those boundaries matters, what happened there, what lives there, and why someone should care. I research a place's history, ecology, and geography, then hand-illustrate that research into a single piece that works as art and as storytelling at once.
No. Every piece I make is interpretive fine art, not a wayfinding tool. If you need a map to get somewhere safely, use a GPS or a topographic survey map. My work is built to help you understand and feel a place, not to navigate it.
Three stages. First, archival research, I dig into historical records, regional lore, geological data, and environmental information to understand the land. Second, hand-illustrated drafting, every piece starts as a pencil sketch and is built up using classic drafting techniques blended with modern geographic data. Third, narrative deployment, you receive the finished work as a limited edition print, a gallery installation, or a high-fidelity digital file built for your specific use, whether that's a wall, a campaign, or a website.
Timelines depend on the scope of research and the size of the piece, but most commissions move through research, sketch approval, and final illustration over several weeks rather than days. I'll give you a specific timeline once I understand your project.

After years of translating complex technology into products people could actually understand and use, I found myself returning to the work that started it all: maps. Fall Lines & Maps exists to preserve land, tell the stories sitting inside it, and build something that outlasts  a single career, a legacy of work.
Conservation groups, land trusts, and environmental nonprofits who need to turn impact into something a donor can see and feel. Boutique hospitality operators, outfitters, and luxury tourism businesses who want their guests to leave with more than a photo. Authors who need a world built from scratch. Private landowners and family estates who want their land's history put down somewhere permanent. If your work depends on people understanding what a landscape is worth, that's my client.
Both. Private landowners, real estate agents, and family estates commissioning heirloom pieces are just as core to the studio as a land trust running a capital campaign. The common thread is the land and place matters to you, not the size of the organization behind it.

Yes, and we’re direct about it because before opening Fall Line Mapping Studio, Brian spent over 10 years working in Personalization, Machine Learning, AI-on-Edge/Computer Vision, and Generative AI, so he understands exactly what the tools are good at and where they fall short.
In the studio, we use AI for research assistance, narrative support, and parts of our content workflow. We do not use AI to generate the artwork itself. Each map is drafted, hand-illustrated, and finished by Brian. AI helps with tactical efficiencies, but it does not hold the pencil and pen.
Follow the Fall Lines blog to learn more about how we use and think about AI, including where we believe it does and does not belong in modern workflows.

Yes. Corporate licensing is available for organizations that want to use a piece across marketing materials, campaigns, or branded products. Licensing terms depend on the scope of use and the piece involved, so reach out and we'll work out what fits your situation.
Usage rights are part of every commission conversation and get spelled out clearly before any work begins, since they vary depending on whether a piece is for private display, organizational use, or broader commercial licensing. Ask me directly when you reach out and I'll walk you through how it works for your specific project.

Reach out through the contact form with a short description of your project, your organization or land, and what you're hoping the final piece will do, whether that's a capital campaign visual, a guest amenity, or expedition keepsake. I respond personally to every inquiry.

The bear has been with us from the start. He was the first character Brian drew as a college freshman, and while he’s definitely not perfect, he represents the launchpad for a multi-decade career. He sets the tone for everything we do with a healthy dose of snark, plenty of sarcasm, and an unapologetic approach to our work.

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