About
Big Shoulders is a superfamily of condensed American Gothic variable fonts, created for the Chicago Design System, and the citizens of Chicago. The family's tall, sans-serif forms are based in Chicago's multiple histories in railway transport, public political action, and dance.
Big Shoulders is used in the Chicago Design System as the primary typeface to identify Chicago and its citizens allowing the Chicagoans to speak with one consistent typographic voice.
Big Shoulders Stencil explores Chicago's histories in work and protest, and is designed to apply the Chicagoan voice to those uses.
Big Shoulders Inline formalizes a local typographic vernacular for celebration, taking its hypnotic inline design from Black Chicagoans' House parties, and local LGBTQ dance events, a tradition beginning in the early 1980s.
To contribute, see github.com/xotypeco/big_shoulders.
Designer
1Patric King is half of House of Pretty, Ltd. and XO Type Co. from Chicago, alongside his husband Su. Patric holds a BA from the design program at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville. He began designing professionally in 1994 as an assistant to Rick Valicenti at Thirst in 1994, then served as design director of Gawker Media until 2011. He has owned and operated House of Pretty, Ltd. since 2007.
More by Patric King (3)