[Editor's note: Think smiley faces indicating good, ok, and poor choices for symbolization alternatives on maps.]
Republished from DIY Cartography.
June 12, 2009 by John Krygier.
The construction of symbols on maps requires the interaction of many elements. How these elements come together – literally the intersection of bits of points, lines, and areas – is the subject of a series of illustrations entitled “The Drawing of Combined Symbols.” The majority of these guidelines focus on peculiar details that when done well, the typical map user won’t even notice. They are among the fascinating hyper-minutiae of cartography.
Faces indicate the quality of the choices illustrated – good, ok, and poor.
Examples are illustrated by Prof. Kei Kanazawa (heading the Working Group of the Japan Cartographers Association) in a chapter entitled “Techniques of Map Drawing and Lettering” in the out-of-print book Basic Cartography, Vol. 1 (International Cartographic Association, 1984, p. 45). These guidelines were developed for the pen and ink era of cartography, yet most are applicable to contemporary digital mapping.
Illustrations are for educational purposes only. Click on an illustration for a larger version.
Railway Symbols: Note arrangement of tics and black and white parts.