In the summer of 2012 I launched Project Linework. You can read more about it at that link, but the short idea is this: I'm tired of the fact that most maps rely on the same shapefiles for their linework. So, I'm slowly building a library (that anyone can contribute to) of linework that's been drawn in different aesthetic styles. I created the map below as a specimen to showcase a set that I designed, called Geo-Metro.

To better show off the project, I created a couple of example maps. The first uses a linework set called Geo-Metro, which is built on circular arcs and straight lines, giving an abstracted, modern feel. The second uses the Times Approximate linework set, which was originally created by tracing/cleaning up a map from a 1928 New York Times map. The looser, handmade lines definitely fit with an older era. I enjoyed making the hached coastline and simulating printing imperfections.

The linework at Project Linework doesn't come with any styles — it's just a series of vector paths. But, these specimens show some ways you could make use of it.