[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