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On his own L.A. map quest

Eric Brightwell, shown at his Silver Lake "gentleman's shop," has become known for his brightly colored hand-drawn maps of Los Angles neighborhoods. When he first saw L.A. on a post-college road trip in 1998, its hugeness floored him. There were so many people from so many countries, so many wildly different experiences within reach.

Eric Brightwell, shown at his Silver Lake “gentleman’s shop,” has become known for his brightly colored hand-drawn maps of Los Angles neighborhoods. When he first saw L.A. on a post-college road trip in 1998, its hugeness floored him. There were so many people from so many countries, so many wildly different experiences within reach.   (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Eric Brightwell, born in Iowa and raised mostly there and in Missouri, didn’t know much about Los Angeles when he arrived 14 years ago. Then he began mapping out his new home for himself.
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Hacienda Heights

A hand-drawn map of Hacienda Heights by Eric Brightwell.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Eastside

A hand-drawn map of Los Angeles’ eastern neighborhoods by Eric Brightwell.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

The Mideast Side

Eric Brightwell’s hand-drawn map of L.A.’s “Mideast Side” -- a tongue-in-cheek label for those west of downtown who call themselves Eastsiders.   (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Bunker Hill

A hand-drawn map of Los Angeles’ Bunker Hill neighborhood by Eric Brightwell.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Elysian Park

A hand-drawn map of Los Angeles’ Elysian Park neighborhood by Eric Brightwell.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Pasadena

A hand-drawn map of Pasadena and its surrounding neighborhoods by Eric Brightwell.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Altadena

A hand-drawn map of Altadena by Eric Brightwell.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Sunset Junction

A hand-drawn map of Los Angeles’ Sunset Junction neighborhood by Eric Brightwell.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Long Beach

A hand-drawn map of Long Beach and its surrounding neighborhoods by Eric Brightwell.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

Missouri

A hand-drawn map of Missouri, one of the places Eric Brightwell lived before he moved to Los Angeles.  (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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