Hand-drawn work, four disciplines deep.
Contour is a small studio working across wayfinding maps, signage, letterpress print, and brand illustration — every project composed by hand before it's finished digitally.
Every project still starts on paper.
Contour started in 2016 when a single cartographer got tired of turning down hand-drawing work — signage, letterpress jobs, brand illustration — in favor of template-based park maps that looked identical from one client to the next.
Every commission still starts on paper, whether that's a trailhead map, a run of letterpress cards, or a brand's botanical mark. We sketch, ink, and only bring work into digital tools once the composition is right by hand.
- Hands-on process on every commission, regardless of medium
- Hand-inked before anything is finished digitally
- Print-ready and web-ready files delivered together
A field map, at a glance.
A simplified coverage view — every pin is a completed commission. Hover for the name, click to open the full report.
Notes from the drafting table.
Why We Still Start Every Map on Paper
Every commission still starts as a pencil layout, not a file. It’s slower than composing directly…
Field Notes: What a Trailhead Conversation Actually Teaches You
We spend at least half a day at any trailhead we’re mapping, mostly just listening to…
Equipment Note: Retiring Our Old Light Table
Our original light table finally failed this winter after years of daily use for tracing pencil…
Have a project that needs a hand?
We work directly with parks departments, campuses, shops, restaurants, and small brands — no agency middleman, one person assigned per project start to finish.