We’ve seen a 3D map of historic Baltimore. Now the latest depiction of the Greatest City in America to appear on the ‘net is an old-world look for a map of modern Baltimore.

A project to fund Renaissance-style maps of the city went live Monday on Kickstarter. It’s called Charm City Maps.

Made in part at the Baltimore Node hackerspace, Todd Blatt and Cody Wright create the maps by laser-engraving the vintage-style maps of Baltimore onto leather.

Their first product using the process is a leather wall-hanging that’s currently on display at the Made in Baltimore pop-up shop on North Avenue. The shop looks to highlight the work of artists, makers and other creatives who creating stuff in the city.

Blatt said the duo also has a stretched-canvas edition in the works, which is made by “exposing ultraviolet reactive dye to sunlight through a mask,” the Kickstarter states, then stretching it over a wooden frame.

Pillow covers, posters and postcards are also planned.

Donors to the Kickstarter can opt to receive one of the products if the campaign is fully funded. Blatt said the Kickstarter covers the upfront costs of time on the laser, dye and other supplies.

Blatt, a Baltimore Node member who also created a life-size replica of Han Solo in carbonite and helps crowdfund 3D prints of historic busts of figures like Edgar Allan Poe, met Wright, an environment artist at the game design studio ZeniMax, while playing pool at Frasier’s in Hampden. If they’re successful in Baltimore, the duo plans to bring the maps to other cities.


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