HOW MIKE'S TUBE MAPS WORK

LEONARD COHEN - Studio Album Music Map-MikeBellMaps

MUSIC MAPS: Unshuffling the shuffled

How The Music Maps Work

Albums = Stations – Each studio album is mapped as a stop on the line.

Musicians = Routes – Core members, session players & guest artists weave through albums they contributed to.

Clear Connections – Track lineup changes, collaborations & side projects effortlessly.

Why Music Fans Love These Maps

A Complete Picture – Understand how a band’s sound evolved over time.

Discover Hidden Links – Spot unexpected collaborations and guest appearances.

Perfect for Collectors – Whether you love vinyl, streaming, or band history, these maps offer a fresh perspective.

Art That Tells a Story – More than just info—these stunning prints make a great display piece.

Trace Every Album, Every Artist, Every Collaboration in one place—these maps bring music history to life!

MOVIE MAPS: Plot lines pulled apart

How The Plot Line Maps Work

Characters = Lines – Each main character follows their journey across the film.

Scenes = Stations – Every pivotal moment is mapped, showing how the story unfolds.

Clear Connections – Track relationships, intersecting storylines & hidden details at a glance.

Why Film Fans Love These Maps

Follow the Entire Story – See how characters cross paths from start to finish.

Spot Hidden Details – Discover new insights and narrative twists.

A Must-Have for Film Buffs – A unique way to revisit and analyze classic movies.

Designed for Display – More than just a chart—these stunning art prints bring cinema to life.

Explore your favorite films in a whole new way—where every twist, turn & connection is mapped out!

OTHER MAPS: History & truth reviewed

How The Political Lies Maps Work

Key Events = Stations – Major promises, betrayals & turning points mapped in sequence.

Politicians & Parties = Lines – See how figures rise, fall, and intersect across history.

Exposing the Patterns – Compare rhetoric to reality, spotting repeated tactics & broken promises.

Why These Maps Matter

Follow the Patterns – See how narratives shift & history repeats itself.

Untangle the Web – Track alliances, scandals & major policy shifts at a glance.

A New Perspective – Connect the dots between key figures & pivotal moments.

Designed to Inform & Challenge – A clear, visual way to explore political history beyond the spin.

Cut through the noise & see politics as it really unfolds—mapped out with clarity!

 
 

HOW MIKE'S TUBE MAPS ARE CREATED

Close-up of a music-themed diagram visualizing Noel Gallagher’s collaborations and projects.

SELECTING THE SUBJECT: From Music Icons to Cultural Narratives

The process begins with selecting a subject that resonates both culturally and personally. I focus on subjects with deep historical or cultural significance. For my music maps, I choose artists with extensive discographies and influential contributions to the music industry.

These are usually icons whose work has shaped genres and inspired legions of fans. Sometimes, the inspiration comes directly from fans or even family members of the artists, adding an extra layer of personal connection to the project.

When it comes to film plots, I look for narratives that have a lasting impact—stories that have captivated audiences, challenged conventions, or introduced innovative storytelling techniques.

Similarly, for political maps, I concentrate on key historical events, alliances, and moments of significant change.

The subjects I select are those that lend themselves well to visual representation, allowing me to weave together data points into a coherent and engaging story.

THE RESEARCH PROCESS: Gathering and Organizing Data

Research is the cornerstone of every map I create. For music maps, my first step is compiling a complete list of the artist’s studio albums. I dive into the credits of each album, meticulously identifying every musician involved. This phase often requires consulting multiple sources and cross-referencing to ensure that every piece of data is accurate. The level of detail is crucial—each musician, each album release, and each collaboration represents a thread in the broader narrative of an artist's career.

For film maps, the process involves deconstructing the plot into its fundamental components. I break down the narrative into key plot points, character arcs, and moments of intersection. Every character’s journey is traced as a distinct line, with their relationships and interactions mapped out to create a visual storyline. This methodical breakdown is essential, especially for films with non-linear storytelling or multiple subplots, as it helps maintain clarity and coherence in the final design.

Political maps require a different approach altogether. I track the evolution of political events, major alliances, and shifts in power. This involves a thorough review of historical data, news archives, and sometimes academic texts to capture the complexity of political narratives. Organizing this data is a challenge in itself, as political events often involve multiple overlapping timelines and interconnected events. However, by structuring the data logically, I can create a map that provides an insightful visual representation of even the most intricate political stories.

THE DESIGN PHASE: Precision WITHOUT AI Software

Once the research is complete, the next step is to transform raw data into art. I use 2D CAD software to plot the map—a method that might seem unconventional in the realm of art but is essential for achieving the precision required in my work. Each map is built on a foundation of exact measurements and carefully drawn elements.

In my maps, every line represents a connection—be it between musicians who collaborated on an album, pivotal plot points in a film, or major political events that shaped history. Intersections mark significant milestones such as album releases, key character interactions, or turning points in political shifts. This meticulous attention to detail ensures that every element of the map is not only accurate but also visually engaging.

The use of CAD software allows me to maintain a balance between artistic expression and data accuracy. While the software is typically used in engineering or architecture, its precision is exactly what is needed to bring my maps to life. The final layout is designed to be both aesthetically pleasing and clear, ensuring that anyone who views the map can easily follow the story it tells.

MAPPING FILM PLOTS: Translating Stories into Visual Form

One of the most challenging yet rewarding aspects of my work is mapping film plots. Films often have complex narratives with multiple characters and intricate storylines. My approach is to translate these stories into visual formats that capture the essence of the narrative without oversimplifying it.

For each film, I start by identifying the main characters and their individual storylines. Each character is assigned a distinct line, and significant plot points—such as key decisions, conflicts, or turning points—are marked as intersections. This visual method ensures that the narrative remains clear, even for films that feature non-linear storytelling or multiple intertwining plots.

The challenge lies in balancing simplicity with depth. While I aim to keep the design uncluttered, I also want to include enough detail to convey the full narrative. This means carefully selecting which elements to emphasize and which to simplify, a process that requires both analytical precision and creative intuition.

FINAL OUTPUTS: High-Quality Art Prints for Every Space

After all the data is gathered, the design is meticulously plotted, and every detail is fine-tuned, the final step is to produce a high-quality art print. I offer these maps in various sizes, from compact A5 cards that are perfect for a personal collection to large A1 prints that make a bold statement in any space.

Each print is produced with the utmost attention to detail. The clarity of the lines, the precision of the intersections, and the overall layout are all crafted to ensure that the map is not only informative but also a visually striking piece of art. My maps are designed to be more than just decorative items—they are conversation starters, tools for education, and a celebration of the intricate relationships that define our cultural, musical, and political landscapes.