GoKawiilIf you’ve ever seen a poster from the 1930s promoting one of America’s national parks, created at the behest of the Works Progress Administration, then you have a good idea of the kind of tourism-style posters the illustrator and graphic designer Steve Shanabruch has created for a number of Chicago neighborhoods and landmarks.
They are visually striking, with bold lines and vivid colors. The poster for Englewood features the sunny atrium of the yellow brick residential Yale Building. The poster for Norwood Park features the distinctive, colorful exterior of the Superdawg drive-in hot dog stand. His latest is a poster for Wicker Park featuring a Blue Line “L” train.
Shanabruch has no affiliation with any city agency. His impetus to draw these posters — which are available for sale on his website — is self-driven.
The project began 15 years ago with a simpler concept: Creating logos for Chicago neighborhoods.
“I hated my job,” says Shanabruch. “I was a designer with a sales company and I just wasn’t being challenged creatively. So it was just a personal project to fulfill my creative needs. I started the logos of neighborhoods and community areas in 2011.”
Shanabruch is originally from Chicago. He grew up in Beverly.
“Chicago and Chicago history is ingrained in my blood. My father started the Chicago Bungalow Association for the city and ran it from its infancy. So the city’s idiosyncrasies have always appealed to me. I think that’s probably true for any designer or creative person.”
A poster of Wicker Park created by artist Steve Shanabruch for his Chicago Neighborhoods project. (Steve Shanabruch)
A poster of Englewood created by artist Steve Shanabruch for his Chicago Neighborhoods project. (Steve Shanabruch)
A sample of the Starsiak font by Steve Shanabruch. (Steve Shanabruch)
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