PREMIUM TUBE MAP CARE GUIDE
PRESERVING YOUR INVESTMENT - Premium Tube Maps Care Guide
Thank you for choosing a Mike Bell Maps Giclee Print. To ensure your artwork remains as vibrant as the day it was printed for the next century, please follow these professional handling guidelines:
1. The "Clean Hands" Rule - Giclee prints are created with archival pigment inks that sit on the surface of the 305 gsm paper. Natural skin oils can transfer to the ink. We recommend washing and drying your hands thoroughly before handling or wearing white cotton "archival" gloves if available.
2. Avoid the "Roll-Back" - If your print arrived in a tube, let it flatten naturally. Lay it on a clean, flat surface and place a few heavy, smooth objects (like books) on the corners. Never roll the print tightly in the opposite direction, as this can "stress" the heavy paper fibres and cause creasing.
3. Framing is Protection - To ensure the 100+ year lightfastness guarantee, we recommend framing your print behind UV-protective glass or acrylic. Always use acid-free mounting materials (like the mounts provided in our framed options) to prevent "paper burn" or yellowing over time.
4. Location Matters - While our inks are gallery-standard, prolonged exposure to direct, harsh sunlight can eventually affect any pigment. For maximum longevity, hang your map in a location that avoids consistent direct afternoon sun and high-humidity environments (like bathrooms).
5. Dusting - If your print is unframed, never use water or cleaning sprays. A soft, dry microfiber cloth or a clean squirrel-hair brush is all that is needed to remove surface dust.
ABOUT MIKE BELL - TUBE MAP DESIGNER
Mike Bell Maps is my growing collection of tube map art prints that reimagine music, movies, and history through the visual language of underground maps.
Each detailed design presents albums in order, film plots, and complex creative histories as clear, engaging tube-style timelines created for fans who value depth and research in their favourite subjects.
RESEARCH-LED DESIGN
Every artwork is built on original research and careful verification. Albums become stations. Musicians, characters, and ideas form connecting lines. This approach turns detailed information into visual storytelling, creating art prints that bring clarity and meaning to subjects people already care about.
MY STORY
My background is rooted in live sound and large-scale show design, working across music and cultural events for many years. That experience shaped how I understand collaboration, creative evolution, and structure. During lockdown, I applied that knowledge to mapping music and films, developing underground maps that balance accuracy, design, and narrative.
THE ARTWORK
Each print is produced to archival standards and designed to last. These are not novelty posters. They are considered art prints created for people who value music history, film structure, and informed design. They make thoughtful gifts for fans who want something personal, researched, and meaningful.
Mike Bell Maps is where research-led tube maps become art prints, and where stories worth knowing are mapped clearly, carefully, and beautifully.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Q: What are Mike Bell’s tube map art prints?
A: My prints utilise an advanced visual language based on the logic of underground maps to organise complex histories. By moving beyond basic cartography, I transform albums into "stations" and musicians or themes into "connecting lines." This allows fans to explore hundreds of data points - from session musician credits to chronological collaborations - within a single, intuitive visual system.
Q: How do these maps differ from standard music or tube posters?
A: The primary difference is information density and quality. While standard posters are often low-resolution decorative pieces on thin paper (135-170gsm), my prints are research-led discographies printed on archival-grade, 305gsm+ heavyweight giclée paper. They are designed to be "read" like a book, rewarding deep curiosity with discoveries not found in mass-produced merchandise.
Q: How is the accuracy of the research verified?
A: Accuracy is the core of my design process. Every map is synthesised from primary sources, including official liner notes, session archives, musician interviews, and verified fan databases. By incorporating musician inputs and fact-checking against trusted archives, I ensure that each map is a historically accurate record of the subject’s career.
Q: What subjects are available in the collection?
A: The collection spans a wide range of cultural histories, including music discographies, film plots, politics, and Formula One. Each map focuses on a single narrative, presenting the whole "story" of a subject - such as the evolution of a band or the timeline of a sport- in a clear, high-density visual format.
Q: Are these prints produced sustainably?
A: Yes. I prioritise a carbon-neutral workflow by producing prints locally to the buyer to reduce the shipping footprint. I use sustainable wood frames and archival materials designed for 100+ years of colour stability, ensuring the art is a lasting investment rather than disposable décor.
Q: Why do these maps make the best gifts for music and film fans?
A: Unlike generic posters, these are bespoke cultural maps that celebrate a fan's deep knowledge. Because they are research-led and visually unique (featuring narratives not seen elsewhere), they offer a sophisticated, gallery-quality alternative for those who value the "deep dive" into their favourite artist or film.