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PlantPop Film - Jen Urso: Cactus MappingWATCH SHORT FILM
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Support SHMaps on Patreon, get bi-weekly mapsSUBSCRIBE
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Phoenix Coffee Map - NOW AVAILABLESHOP NOW
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Custom Hand Drawn MapsVIEW MAP SHOWCASE
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PERSONALIZED MAPS & CUSTOM MAP GIFTSGET STARTED NOW
Where are you? Where are you going? Where do you want to be?
Maps can reveal so much—about a place, an experience, and even about you. It’s not just a street corner or an old church, it’s what happened there and what you have experienced. It’s memory and history, discovery and loss. Maps are how we find our way through a new town but also how we discover the place we thought we knew. A good map design can make a person feel more connected to a place and can encourage the desire to explore.
Steady Hand Maps is the brainchild of crazed mapmaker, Jen Urso, specializing in custom, hand drawn paper maps and map design that reveals stuff you never even knew you wanted to know about your place.
Where do you want to go?
What kind of experience do you want to have?
Maybe you don’t know, and that’s the thrill of looking at a paper map. It’s all the possibilities that can unfold.
More on who's behind Steady Hand Maps
Mini Gift Map
Imagine giving your loved one a unique, personalized paper map commemorating your anniversary, the location where you first met or your first home! Mini gift maps like this one make a great, one-of-a-kind gift. Starting at only $200, we'll pick a focal point, talk about some key details and within a week you'll have a special gift without any worries about shipping or supply chains. I provide you with high-res files to print or I can provide an archival paper print for a small extra fee.
Your Ultimate Gift Map
Put a life together in a customized, hand drawn paper map! We’ll work together to define the location you want to feature and 8-10 special focal points, like in this example. This is a great, one-of-a-kind anniversary gift, engagement gift, birthday gift or other special occasion gift. I can print your map for a small extra fee up to 13"x19" or coordinate quality printing of your map.

Mapping Places I’ve Never Been
June 20, 2023I’m often mapping places I’ve never been. Voyages used to be only about mapping. So how do you map a place you’ve never even seen in person?

How Do You Map a Life? My Personalized Map Gifts Process
December 28, 2022Mapping someone’s life or relationship can be intimidating and fun. Here’s my process of making personalized map gifts.

PlantPop Film: “Jen Urso: Cactus Mapping”
November 7, 2022In July 2022, I took filmmaker Peter Fuhrman to some of my favorite cactus map spots. This PlantPop series film is the result!
Custom City Maps
Make your city stand out with a custom city map highlighting the best, the weirdest, the most unique and the most interesting parts about your town.
Personalized Paper Map Gifts
A personalized map gift is one of the best ways you can share and revisit those memories together. A personalized map design puts all the pieces together.
Conceptual Map Illustration
A map isn’t always a way to find an address or locate a restaurant. There are so many ways of finding ourselves and figuring out how the world around us is situated.
SHMaps Testimonials

We wanted to let you know how amazingly your maps were received! Everyone we gave one to was over the moon! Our friends were genuinely touched to receive such an unusual, yet personalized gift. Honestly, our most even-keeled, non-emotional friends got teary-eyed when they opened their gift! True gift-giving success!
Thank you for creating these gifts that will be treasured for years to come!
Mini Gift Maps – Meredith
I wanted to show my love and appreciation for my partner by highlighting and celebrating the very place we truly became a family – our home and neighborhood in Phoenix. In creating the map, Jen asked me thoughtful questions about the connections we have to our place that I didn’t even think of! The result is a map and work of art that speaks to our history together, our shared values, and the beauty of the place we live. If you want to captivate your audience and get your point across, I’d give Jen and Steady Hand Maps a shout.
Mini Gift Map – Nick
I’m crying and loving this, he’s going to freak out. Thank you so much!! I can’t wait to have this hanging up in our house.
Anniversary Gift Map – Megyn
For our Signature Exhibition, Picturing Home: Dust Bowl Migrants in Chandler, we reached out to Jen Urso to create an illustrated map highlighting the different dwellings of the time. Not only was Jen able to accommodate our needs but she went above and beyond doing her own research. She was able to add in embellishments that were referential to the era and the drawings of the different housing was perfection. Our visitors have raved about the map and many use it as a reference point when going through the exhibition. We would highly recommend Jen, her promptness and professional attitude made working with her a breeze.
Chandler Migrant Camps Map – Chandler Museum
He loved the map! Thank you for making something special we can both treasure.
Anniversary Gift Map – Jeny
I commissioned Jen to draw a map of our property as a gift for my husband. My husband was overwhelmed and speechless when he saw the map and said ‘best gift ever’. A map created by Jen is distinctive and individualized. Jen does a LOT of research when drawing a map. She infused our map with personal notes/items that she took from talking with me, viewing photos, and reading numerous emails. My family has pored over this map–amazed how Jen was able to envision and capture the essence, fun, and specialness of our place in a map. This is what makes a custom-drawn map from Jen so distinctive. A CUSTOM MAP FROM STEADY HAND MAPS IS A VERY, VERY SPECIAL GIFT INDEED.
Bracy Estate Map – Regina BracyOur Latest Work
Check out some of my favorite custom map design projects.
Steady Hand Maps Reviews
See what clients and customers think about my work
I came across Jen via the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article about hand drawn maps. Everything about her style and artistic choices instantly resonated with me. I’d been looking to buy or commission a piece of art for my husband for his birthday or our anniversary and I knew right away this was it. I reached out to Jen via her website. I was delighted when she responded and we set up a time to discuss the process, price, size, and timeline. After that initial conversation, which was fabulous, I went to work detailing all the things I wanted to include on the map. I chose major events starting with the first date through the birth and first two years with our son. Jen and I talked through the events and imagery in detail to make sure we were aligned. I think we connected via phone three times and the rest we did via detailed email (which worked well for me). The process took a while but only because I needed to pause briefly, which was totally ok with Jen. I liked how she listened to what I wanted and the story behind each choice. If there was any ambiguity, she brought it up so we could discuss it. I appreciated the care she took in asking questions and getting the details right. The initial proof blew me away. It was all there. After my first review, the edits and suggestions I had Jen quickly incorporated. The colored proof stopped me in my tracks and I’m glad I opted for that addition – Jen had captured nuances and brought everything to life. This truly was an amazing experience. My husband was left speechless by the finished piece. I love the fact our son will be able to see and know our story through this piece of exceptional art. Jen made a map celebrating my mother’s 70th birthday. The detail and thoughtful design were a beautiful representation of my mom’s life. It has become a staple piece in her house and brings back so many wonderful memories. I’m incredibly grateful for Jen and her creativity. She brought to life an incredible birthday gift for my brother — a customize map of his living and golfing life. It was special. Jen was able to take some of my half-baked ideas and create an artistic and beautiful story. I read about Jen’s maps on a WSJ article https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-paper-map-sales-are-booming-11674164824 I contacted Jen and in less than a month, had a beautiful wedding gift to give to a friend. Jen is easy to work with. She was able to create something unique and interesting in a quick turnaround time frame. I recommend you check out her offers. My wife was blown away with the level of detail and personal information that was included in the relationship map that Jen drew for my 15 year anniversary. Jen was great to work with. Quick turnarounds and delivered an awesome product. I would absolutely recommend her!Absolutely Splendid
Personal and Perfect
50th BDay Map
Unique Wedding Gift
Happy Wife, Happy Life!