This method provides a simple solution to creating static google maps. It can generate a map url with as little information as the address, but you can also extend the default parameters if needed.

static_google_map

function convert_color(&$color) {
	if (strpos($color, "0x")) return;
	$color = ltrim($color, "#");
	if (ctype_xdigit($color)) $color = "0x" . $color; // is the color value a hexadecimal digit?
}
function static_google_map($mapAddress = null, $customParams = array(), $output = true) {
	$delimiter = "&";
	$pipe = "%7C";
	$maxDimension = 640;
	$apiPath = 'http://maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/staticmap';
	$defaultMapParams = array(
		'size' => "640x400", // required (between 0 and 640)x(between 0 and 640)
		'scale' => 1, // optional (1|2)
		'format' => "png", // optional (png8|png32|gif|jpg|jpg-baseline) note:png=png8 
		'type' => "roadmap", // optional (roadmap|satellite|terrain|hybrid)
		'zoom' => 15, // optional
		'icon' => array( // optional
			'size' => "normal", // (tiny|mid|small)
			'color' => "red",
			'label' => null,
			// if a url is defined, it will override the size, color, and label values
			'url' => null // (png|gif|jpg)
		),
		'style' => array(
			array(
				'feature' => "all", // optional https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference#MapTypeStyleFeatureType
				'element' => "all", // optional https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference#MapTypeStyleElementType
				'rules' => array() // required https://developers.google.com/maps/documentation/javascript/reference#MapTypeStyler
			)
		),
		'image' => array(
			'id' => null,
			'class' => 'google-static-map',
			'alt' => null
		),
		// indicate whether your application is using a "sensor" (such as a GPS locator) to determine the user's location.
		'sensor' => false // required
	);
	$mapParams = is_array($customParams) ? array_merge($defaultMapParams, $customParams) : $defaultMapParams; // merge custom parameters if needed
	if (!isset($mapAddress, $mapParams['size'], $mapParams['sensor'], $output)) return; // reject if insufficient parameters
	$imgDimension = explode("x", $mapParams['size']);
	$imgWidth = ($imgDimension[0] > $maxDimension) ? $maxDimension : $imgDimension[0];
	$imgHeight = ($imgDimension[1] > $maxDimension) ? $maxDimension : $imgDimension[1];
	$queryPath = "?size=" . $imgWidth . "x" . $imgHeight; // let's begin!
	if (isset($mapParams['scale']) && $mapParams['scale'] != $defaultMapParams['scale']) $queryPath .= $delimiter . "scale=" . $mapParams['scale'];
	if (isset($mapParams['format']) && $mapParams['format'] != $defaultMapParams['format']) $queryPath .= $delimiter . "format=" . $mapParams['format'];
	if (isset($mapParams['type']) && $mapParams['type'] != $defaultMapParams['type']) $queryPath .= $delimiter . "maptype=" . $mapParams['type'];
	if (isset($mapParams['zoom'])) $queryPath .= $delimiter . "zoom=" . $mapParams['zoom'];
	if (isset($mapParams['icon']['url'])) {
		// custom marker icon
		$queryPath .= $delimiter . "markers=icon:" . urlencode($mapParams['icon']['url']) . $pipe . urlencode($mapAddress);
	} elseif (!empty($mapParams['icon'])) {
		// default marker
		$iconParams = array();
		foreach ($mapParams['icon'] as $k => $v) {
			if (isset($v)) {
				if ($k == "color") convert_color($v);
				$iconParams[] = $k . ":" . $v;
			}
		}
		$queryPath .= $delimiter . "markers=" . implode($pipe, $iconParams) . $pipe . urlencode($mapAddress);
	} else {
		// no marker
		$queryPath .= $delimiter . "center=" . urlencode($mapAddress);
	}
	if (isset($mapParams['style']) && is_array($mapParams['style']) && !empty($mapParams['style'])) {
		foreach ($mapParams['style'] as $style) {
			if (isset($style['rules']) && is_array($style['rules']) && !empty($style['rules'])) {
				$feature = isset($style['feature']) ? $style['feature'] : "all";
				$element = isset($style['element']) ? $style['element'] : "all";
				$queryPath .= $delimiter . "style=feature:" . $feature . $pipe . "element:" . $element;
				foreach ($style['rules'] as $k => $v) {
					if ($k == "color" || $k == "hue") convert_color($v);
					$queryPath .= $pipe . $k . ":" . $v;
				}
			}
		}
	}
	$queryPath .= $delimiter . "sensor=" . ($mapParams['sensor'] ? "true" : "false");
	if (!$output) return $apiPath . $queryPath;
	$imgId = isset($mapParams['image']['id']) ? 'id="' . $mapParams['image']['id'] . '" ' : "";
	$imgClass = isset($mapParams['image']['class']) ? 'class="' . $mapParams['image']['class'] . '" ' : "";
	$imgAlt = isset($mapParams['image']['alt']) ? 'alt="' . $mapParams['image']['alt'] . '" ' : "";
	echo '<img src="' . $apiPath . $queryPath . '" width="' . $imgWidth . '" height="' . $imgHeight . '" ' . $imgId . $imgClass . $imgAlt . '/>';
}