Frequently Asked Questions
Unlike conventional printing methods, which build up an image from thousands of tiny dots – much like a screen – a pen plotter essentially works like a person who wants to draw something: It holds a pen, places it on the paper and moves it across the sheet. Just driven by stepper motors instead of muscles and nerves. Gradually, a drawing takes shape – not from top to bottom like in digital printing, but back and forth, line by line.
The plotter itself can position its pen with precision down to hundredths of a millimeter, but pen, ink and paper are rather crude tools from the perspective of digital control engineering. The stainless steel nib of the technical pen flexes ever so slightly with each movement, the paper has a fine texture – and the ink bleeds into that texture. The result is still very precise and technically accurate – but in the sense of excellent craftsmanship, not cold computer mechanics. Every plot is also signed and dated.
We offer a curated selection of major cities from around the world and regularly add new ones.
If there’s a particular city you’d like to see plotted, just drop us an email – we’ll see what we can do.
We currently offer most drawings in DIN A2 – that’s 59.4 × 42 centimeters (roughly 23.4 × 16.5 inches) – but we’re also working on larger and smaller formats.
Depending on the geographic extent of a city, our drawings only work at certain paper sizes: All of New York, for example, simply can’t be rendered in enough detail on DIN A2 paper – Manhattan alone, on the other hand, looks superb at that size. To make every plot look as good as possible, we only offer each city or district in the sizes where the fine ink lines can still be properly distinguished.
We use professional, artist-grade drawing paper with a weight of 250g/m², usually from Clairefontaine. The paper is acid-free and PEFC-certified – meaning it comes from sustainably managed forests. Our drawing ink is from Rotring.
Drawing ink contains tiny pigments compared to regular ink, making it "archival quality" – it won’t fade. Combined with acid-free paper, this is the gold standard for the longevity of printed text and drawings. That said, our drawings – just like art prints, photographs, or any other form of art on paper – are affected by environmental conditions. To enjoy them for as long as possible, find a spot where the drawings aren’t exposed to direct sunlight or large swings in temperature or humidity. Bathrooms and kitchens are just as unsuitable for hanging as a spot right above a radiator. Unframed drawings are susceptible to stains, and framed works can get scratched – to be completely sure your drawing stays as beautiful as the day it arrived, it’s best to handle it carefully and only with freshly washed, dry hands.
Not by default, but if you have a special idea or request, feel free to get in touch!
We can frame any drawing for you on request – you’ll find the options right on each product page. Please keep in mind, though: A framed drawing is a custom order and therefore excluded from exchanges.
We currently use solid oak frames with a slim profile, made in Germany.
Acrylic glass has the advantage of filtering significantly more UV radiation than conventional glass even in its simplest form – more than 99 percent – which protects the drawing very well. While glass with similarly high UV protection does exist, it’s considerably more expensive and much more complicated to ship.
We don’t sell frames individually, but you can easily order the right frame from a local framing shop or online. A good option is, for example, Bilderrahmenwerk.
We recommend getting a frame with a mat (passepartout) that’s about 8 to 10 centimeters larger than the paper size in each direction. The mat should overlap the drawing by 5 millimeters on each side.
We currently offer bank transfer (prepayment) and PayPal. With PayPal, you can also pay by credit card or direct debit without needing a PayPal account. We recommend paying by bank transfer using an instant transfer – it’s just as fast as PayPal but avoids the detour through US-based payment services.
We don’t offer that at the moment, as it would make shipping much more complicated.
Our drawings – like virtually any form of art on paper – need to be handled as carefully as possible. We ship them wrapped in tissue paper inside sturdy poster tubes – with adequate insurance.
You can find an overview here.
You can return an undamaged plot to us within 30 days. We’ll refund the purchase price including postage. Unfortunately, we can’t cover the return shipping costs.
We guarantee you a drawing that’s flawless in every respect – if it arrives damaged, we’ll replace it.
For logistical reasons, we don’t keep frames in stock but have them custom-made for each order. To frame the drawing, we mount it behind the mat using solvent-free, acid-free and age-resistant specialty paper. A framed plot is therefore made specifically for you and is excluded from the standard exchange policy.
Our drawings are based on map data from OpenStreetMap.
Absolutely!
It’s Neue DIN by Fontwerk. In its original version, DIN is one of the oldest German industrial typefaces, still in use all over the world to this day – and it comes from Berlin, which is also where we’re based. Among other things, it’s known as the standard typeface on all German road signs. "That’s a match!", we thought. Neue DIN is an update of this design icon for the digital age, developed by Andreas Frohloff, Hendrik Weber and Olli Meier.
Product
What exactly is a plot? How is it different from a print?
Why is every plot unique?
Which cities are available?
Can I order other cities?
What sizes are available?
Why isn’t city X available in size Y?
What paper and ink do you use?
How long does the drawing last? Will it fade?
Can I choose a specific map section? Can I have certain streets or places highlighted?
Framing
Can I order a plot with a frame?
What framing options are available?
Why acrylic glass instead of regular glass?
Can I order a frame separately later?
What frame size do you recommend?
These sizes (all in centimeters) have worked well for us:
Paper
Frame
Mat opening
A1
75.4 × 101.1
83.1 × 57.4
A2
58 × 75.4
41 × 58.4
A3
46.7 × 58
28.7 × 41
Why the mat?
A mat has two advantages: First, it gives the plot some visual breathing room within the frame and focuses the eye – your drawing looks more refined and more like something you’d see in a museum or gallery. Second, it serves a conservation purpose: Thanks to the thickness of the mat (about 3 millimeters), the drawing doesn’t touch the glass of the frame but is separated from it by a thin layer of air. This protects the paper from moisture.
Ordering & Production
How long does production take?
We typically process orders within one business week.
Can I change or cancel my order after placing it?
If you change your mind, let us know as soon as possible: As long as we haven’t shipped the drawing yet, we’re usually flexible. Our cancellation policy applies in any case.
What payment methods do you offer?
Can I have a plot gift-wrapped?
Shipping
How is the plot packaged?
Framed drawings are shipped well-padded in a fitted box.
Where do you ship to?
Anywhere we’re allowed to ship.
For international orders, we recommend ordering the drawing without a frame and visiting a local framing shop instead. Our poster tubes are very robust and can handle almost anything – shipping a picture frame halfway around the world is always a gamble.
What does shipping cost?
How long does delivery take?
Within Germany, a drawing usually reaches you in just 1–2 days. For worldwide shipping, we can’t guarantee delivery times – but in our experience, most orders arrive within 1 to 4 weeks.Returns & Exchanges
Can I return a plot?
What happens if the plot arrives damaged?
Why are framed plots excluded from exchanges?
Legal
Where does the map data come from?
Can I use the plot commercially (e.g. in an office)?
Other
What font is that on your website?