
Fracture: Japanese Graphic Design 1875–1975 exhibition
A traveling educational exhibition about the history of Japanese graphic design history!
A traveling educational exhibition about the history of Japanese graphic design history!
An essay in an inclusive new book about graphic design history.
“Ian Lynam is a pleasure to work with. Always understanding of what you are trying to achieve and able to offer the sage advice of a creative designer. Reliable, timely, and effective in what he does. I would definitely recommend his services.”
New identity for one of NY's oldest pizzerias!
“Joyfully and skillfully straddling the line between creator and critic, theorist and practitioner, formalist and rebel, American and expatriate, serious analyst and humorous deconstructor, Ian Lynam always brings a wholly original perspective to his writing on design. The insights are always fresh, and the stakes are always extremely high.”
“Working with Ian is a dream! He is able to take a few half-formed thoughts from our end and turn them into brilliant design that eloquently communicates the identity we aim to project. He has an amazing ability of knowing exactly what you need with only the slightest amount of information. He treats each project with the utmost attention and care and is always quick to respond to changes with an open and generous mind. We couldn’t imagine working with anyone else!”
The definitive book about Japanese graphic design history.
Art direction for W. David Marx and Roni Xu's book about the remnants of the Shōwa era.
A design history feature for Idea!
“Eschewing the shortsighted practical nature of much graphic design-oriented writing, Lynam focuses on demythologizing contemporary graphic design – opening up a new horizon of discourse both East and West.”
A collection of essays about design.
Ten years after its initial release, we’ve debuted Vaud Pro, our completely redrawn and reengineered version of our type family Vaud.
“Ian is the best to work with. He went above and beyond what I needed with my project. Ian Lynam has really good eyes – the kind of eyeballs that can tell you just what you need for the right sparks to fly everywhere, including my and your clients eyeballs.”
Ruth's Recipe, a custom display typeface for the originators of the chocolate chip cookie
An overview of the career of the late musician, designer, illustrator and artist Rick Froberg of the bands Drive Like Jehu, Hot Snakes, Pitchfork, and Obits.
“Lynam is a bitingly humorous writer – gifted with the intuition to give stories depth. This is no accident as he writes from experience – a reading pleasure!”
LP. CD, and cassette tape design for musician James Day Leavitt
Identities for twin businesses Goldrush Computing and Goldrush Studios
“Ian instantly captivated the room when he came to speak with my design students at Portland State University. He was all of the elements that one would want in a presenter: thoughtful, funny, relevant, organized, passionate, articulate and relatable. Most of all, the entire room walked away with new knowledge. Score! PSU loves Ian!”
A new retro typeface set that combines the BMX-inspired aesthetics of the 1980s with the roaring 20s!
Elpy is a friendly rounded sans serif 22-member workhorse family inspired by all things music!
A family of new typefaces for the Mexican restaurant chain
“As an artist, publisher, writer and designer, Ian seems to have had more than nine lives, and frankly it’s hard to keep up! He doesn’t just bring technical skills, but a depth of cultural understanding from the ground up — low, high, pop, fringe — that is invaluable to his varied clients. While other designers skim the shiny surface of current trends, Ian drills down with a solid understanding of history and meaning of the motifs, letter forms, and images he utilizes.”
Corporate identity for collaborative software corporation.
Naming, Positioning, Corporate Identity, Copywriting, Website UI/UX/Dev/Build, Packaging & POP for CBD gelato brand
“Eschewing the shortsighted practical nature of much graphic design-oriented writing, Lynam focuses on demythologizing contemporary graphic design – opening up a new horizon of discourse both East and West.”
The definitive book on the history of posters at CalArts
“Ian Lynam’s fine simplicity and appreciation for white space draws the eye and the heart where it needs to go. His design work is striking because it avoids the most common trap of being gaudy or needing attention. It simply does what it sets out to do.”
An online library of English translations of key selected writings on contemporary art in Japan
The second installment of publications from Corinthians Press!
“In all our collaborations, Ian has always brought a fresh perspective and boundless energy to the project. His encyclopedic knowledge of visual culture, ability to quickly work through multiple concepts, and deep Rolodex of talented friends, also give us the confidence to move beyond our first idea, towards a final product that will surprise and delight our clients.”
A new international e-commerce website for the Japanese tenugui maker.
“Ian Lynam is a pleasure to work with. Always understanding of what you are trying to achieve and able to offer the sage advice of a creative designer. Reliable, timely, and effective in what he does. I would definitely recommend his services.”
Our new Japanese/English dictionary for designers and artists!
Naming, branding, identity, and e-commerce for Portland's wine phenom!
Brand positioning, identity, messaging, website, and interior graphic design.
“Lynam is a bitingly humorous writer – gifted with the intuition to give stories depth. This is no accident as he writes from experience – a reading pleasure!”
A 130-page bilingual English/Japanese book on pre-WW2 design history.
“Ian is everything I could ask for: a highly talented video creator, web designer, creative collaborator and consultant, all rolled into one guy with a great attitude! I’ve really enjoyed working together with Ian and applaud his stellar creativity, attention to detail, and flexible accommodation to tight timelines and collaborative revisions — thanks for the amazing work, and here’s to more!”
An exhibition of graphic designers who write, research, teach, and practice criticism.
A website design for an exterior design firm and product manufacturer.
“Ian is always the first person I go to when need design help. Besides being an aesthetic genius, he is unrelenting in his commitment to portraying the right image for my brands. Top all of that off with a heavy dose of flexibility and professionalism and you end up with not only first-class designs, but an overall experience that ends up feeling more like fun than work.”
A website for one of Japan's top craftspeople.
Custom type design for Valve's massively popular multiplayer game DOTA2.
We created a custom version of our popular typeface families Cern and Cern Display for financial technology company Plaid.
“The best kept secret in Japan. Encyclopedic in his knowledge of typography and all things beautifully considered. There are few men in Tokyo — nay, the world — that care more about design and the creative process as does Ian Lynam. Oh, and he’s the nicest guy you’ll meet.”
The Impossibility of Silence is a 200+ page paperback for creative folks interested in approaching writing about their vocation and culture.
Identity for Asano Dental Clinic in Kaminoge, Setagaya in Tokyo.
Branding and identity for AXES Partners, a multidisciplinary firm specializing in project management services throughout all of Japan.
“Lynam is a bitingly humorous writer – gifted with the intuition to give stories depth. This is no accident as he writes from experience – a reading pleasure!”
The Future of Tradition: brand-building for a Japanese footwear startup
Wordshape is our hybrid type foundry, publishing entity, distributor of the Japanese graphic design magazine IDEA /アイデア and related Japanese graphic design books, and software company.
“When it came time to announce Firefox’s adoption of the @font-face rule, we needed someone to create an integration demo that straddled both innovative code and a nuanced working knowledge of typography. Ian was the obvious choice- his knowledge of typography applied to print and screen helped create a piece of design that functioned as a working how-to demo, a critique of webfont deployment in its nascent stages and a compelling piece of writing.”
A 52-page booklet by Ian Lynam that examines notions of authenticity via design, consumption, and history.
We co-edited and co-curated Slanted #35, an issue wholly devoted to LA.
“Because Ian has the craft of design really down pat, he has moved on to other things like giving the client what they really want even if they don’t know what it is they want. This can not be understated, because as a designer myself I am looking to expand my projects with other peoples great ideas, and that takes having a farsighted partner like Ian. Besides actual graphics, Ian has helped steer Joshu+Vela branding, public image and even the naming of the company – for this I am grateful to have someone looking out for my best interests as well as his. I am continuing to count on Ian to steer my projects in a successful direction with all the twists and turns that come up.”
The debut print journal from Néojaponisme — 128 pages of new content about retro Tokyo past and present.
Corporate identity, signage, and interior design for TUJ in Sangenjaya.
A zine about how to approach design critique from cultural and critical perspectives.
“Ian instantly captivated the room when he came to speak with my design students at Portland State University. He was all of the elements that one would want in a presenter: thoughtful, funny, relevant, organized, passionate, articulate and relatable. Most of all, the entire room walked away with new knowledge. Score! PSU loves Ian!”
Collateral design for VCFA's MFA in Graphic Design Program
Branding, positioning, marketing & identity initiatives for Vermont College of Fine Arts
“Ian Lynam created a unique consumer intelligence portal that doubles as our company homepage. The website has added value to Five by Fifty by enhancing our corporate identity and marketing strategy. We will continue to work with Ian because he takes time to understand our business, speaks to us about technological issues in language we understand, and adds business acumen on top of creativity to help us achieve our goals.”
A 400-page book of design theory edited by Ian Lynam.
An 88-page booklet that examines thorny aspects of design, designers, and design history.
“The best kept secret in Japan. Encyclopedic in his knowledge of typography and all things beautifully considered. There are few men in Tokyo — nay, the world — that care more about design and the creative process as does Ian Lynam. Oh, and he’s the nicest guy you’ll meet.”
A qualitative design research project commissioned by Adobe.
A 112-page booklet about overcoming “Creative Constipation™.”
Ian Lynam is faculty at Temple University’s NASAD-accredited Japan Campus.
“Ian Lynam created a unique consumer intelligence portal that doubles as our company homepage. The website has added value to Five by Fifty by enhancing our corporate identity and marketing strategy. We will continue to work with Ian because he takes time to understand our business, speaks to us about technological issues in language we understand, and adds business acumen on top of creativity to help us achieve our goals.”
We have designed a wide range of custom typefaces for assorted companies—from display faces to text families.
We both edited and are featured in Slanted Magazine's latest issue devoted to graphic design in Tokyo.
“Ian Lynam is a visionary and a thought leader in the field of design. It’s an honor to have him lead our graduate graphic design program.”
We designed the identity for Canard, Portland's latest culinary phenomenon.
A book about the design of Japanese character culture.
Biwa is a straight-sided family of formally nuanced grotesk typefaces for text typesetting and display work for both print and screen.
“Ian Lynam’s fine simplicity and appreciation for white space draws the eye and the heart where it needs to go. His design work is striking because it avoids the most common trap of being gaudy or needing attention. It simply does what it sets out to do.”
A handbook of dubious exercises, tips, and rants about becoming a designer who teaches... (But just as much a handbook for designers who happen to be being taught.)
A series of installations spanning sound, found objects, narrative, and type design.
“Ian is always the first person I go to when need design help. Besides being an aesthetic genius, he is unrelenting in his commitment to portraying the right image for my brands. Top all of that off with a heavy dose of flexibility and professionalism and you end up with not only first-class designs, but an overall experience that ends up feeling more like fun than work.”
99+1 is a book and responsive website for the Japanese National Tourism Organization.
We worked to define the identity of craft sake brand Kurokura.
Start Somewhere: A Handbook of Dubious Exercises, Tips and Rants About Becoming a Designer Who Writes is a zine to help designers grapple with generating their own content.
“Ian is the best to work with. He went above and beyond what I needed with my project. Ian Lynam has really good eyes – the kind of eyeballs that can tell you just what you need for the right sparks to fly everywhere, including my and your clients eyeballs.”
We designed the branding, signage and interior design for Temple University Japan's main building Azabu Hall.
“Working with Ian Lynam offers unparalleled creativity and client focus. Whether designing for a global search company or a university garden institution, Ian knows how to uncover clients’ often unstated needs, and then design something unique and compelling. Ian is a maker, an educator, and an inspiring person to work with.”
Curation, lecture, writing and editing for the legendary Czech series of exhibitions.
Interior graphics for software innovator Pivotal's Tokyo offices.
An exhibition of writing, installation and sound in Tokyo.
“Ian is always the first person I go to when need design help. Besides being an aesthetic genius, he is unrelenting in his commitment to portraying the right image for my brands. Top all of that off with a heavy dose of flexibility and professionalism and you end up with not only first-class designs, but an overall experience that ends up feeling more like fun than work.”
Editorial direction and book design for Portland artist Bwana Spoons' first monograph.
A hybrid exhibition and essay-as-website exploring the role of graphic designers and design criticism in the world market economy.
Identity for Space Academy, an event space in Christchurch, New Zealand.
“Ian is always the first person I go to when need design help. Besides being an aesthetic genius, he is unrelenting in his commitment to portraying the right image for my brands. Top all of that off with a heavy dose of flexibility and professionalism and you end up with not only first-class designs, but an overall experience that ends up feeling more like fun than work.”
Ian Lynam regularly writes, designs, and edits features for IDEA / アイデア, Japan's oldest and most innovative graphic design magazine.
Writing for Slanted, the inimitable German magazine on typography and visual culture.
Type design for the North American supermarket chain.
“Ian Lynam is a visionary and a thought leader in the field of design. It’s an honor to have him lead our graduate graphic design program.”
Holistic identity design for a public arts initiative.
Ian went and wrote a book about graphic design. 78,209 words about it, but who's counting? It has a die-cut paper slipcover, a fabric paper-backed inner slipcover, and split fountain printing.
We designed the interior graphic design scheme for Google's Tokyo offices, as well as all wayfinding and signage.
“Ian Lynam is a visionary and a thought leader in the field of design. It’s an honor to have him lead our graduate graphic design program.”
A custom bilingual Japanese/English website highlighting Typekit's Asian webfont support.
Identity and environmental design for a Basque restaurant in the Daikanyama district of Tokyo.
“Ian Lynam created a unique consumer intelligence portal that doubles as our company homepage. The website has added value to Five by Fifty by enhancing our corporate identity and marketing strategy. We will continue to work with Ian because he takes time to understand our business, speaks to us about technological issues in language we understand, and adds business acumen on top of creativity to help us achieve our goals.”
Ian Lynam is former faculty and Chair/Co-Chair of the MFA in Graphic Design Program at Vermont College of Fine Arts.
Design and typography for Northwest Passage, a book and CD about independent music from Portland, Oregon.
Type Sketcher is a trio of type design sketchbooks with modular grids for designing letterforms.
“Ian has the design skills I wish I had. His consistently creative designs come from an informed mind and relentless work ethic. I love working with him.”
Identity and art direction for San Francisco swimwear company.
Product line book and DVD for Nike’s Asia Pacific region.
“Ian instantly captivated the room when he came to speak with my design students at Portland State University. He was all of the elements that one would want in a presenter: thoughtful, funny, relevant, organized, passionate, articulate and relatable. Most of all, the entire room walked away with new knowledge. Score! PSU loves Ian!”
Modular 3D type design for the board game Konexi.
We created the branding and design consulting for the latest wing of the Nagasaki amusement park.
“Lynam is a bitingly humorous writer – gifted with the intuition to give stories depth. This is no accident as he writes from experience – a reading pleasure!”
We created the interior graphic design scheme for YouTube's Tokyo offices and creative studio.
We created the identity for Topsy, the Apple-acquired search engine for Twitter.
Identity for the Wim Wenders and Kanji Nakajima film.
“Eschewing the shortsighted practical nature of much graphic design-oriented writing, Lynam focuses on demythologizing contemporary graphic design – opening up a new horizon of discourse both East and West.”
A set of 4 collaborative posters created with fellow designer Ed Fella.
We designed the identity for the iconic global design event series.
We created the identity and advertising campaign for NASA and The Washington County Museum‘s 2012/2013 exhibition Hubble Space Telescope: New Views of the Universe.
“Ian Lynam is a visionary and a thought leader in the field of design. It’s an honor to have him lead our graduate graphic design program.”
Identities for two of Portland, Oregon's iconic restaurants.
An exhibition of international expressive typography curated by Ian Lynam.
Assisting the Los Angeles Country Museum of Art define their vision for curating a collection of Japanese Graphic Design.
“When it came time to announce Firefox’s adoption of the @font-face rule, we needed someone to create an integration demo that straddled both innovative code and a nuanced working knowledge of typography. Ian was the obvious choice- his knowledge of typography applied to print and screen helped create a piece of design that functioned as a working how-to demo, a critique of webfont deployment in its nascent stages and a compelling piece of writing.”
Our plug-in for Adobe Illustrator which adds 13 new tools to Illustrator's tool palette.
A set of ten tour guides of the Kanto region, each by a prominent foreign member of the Tokyo community for Shibaura House.
Identity design for the San Francisco bag and accessory company Joshu + Vela.
“Ian Lynam created a unique consumer intelligence portal that doubles as our company homepage. The website has added value to Five by Fifty by enhancing our corporate identity and marketing strategy. We will continue to work with Ian because he takes time to understand our business, speaks to us about technological issues in language we understand, and adds business acumen on top of creativity to help us achieve our goals.”
A 96-page feature about CalArts' Graphic Design Department for IDEA.
Identity is our ethos―the fundamental character of a culture, individual, business or community.
We created a decorative, highly tactile print identity for the amazing Portland, Oregon photographer Bitna Chung.
“Ian Lynam created a unique consumer intelligence portal that doubles as our company homepage. The website has added value to Five by Fifty by enhancing our corporate identity and marketing strategy. We will continue to work with Ian because he takes time to understand our business, speaks to us about technological issues in language we understand, and adds business acumen on top of creativity to help us achieve our goals.”
Identity for the director behind the opening sequence for the TV show True Blood.
“Joyfully and skillfully straddling the line between creator and critic, theorist and practitioner, formalist and rebel, American and expatriate, serious analyst and humorous deconstructor, Ian Lynam always brings a wholly original perspective to his writing on design. The insights are always fresh, and the stakes are always extremely high.”
Design and typography for the Portland Documentary and eXperimental Film Festival (PDX Film Fest). Portland, Oregon.
LP, CD and promotional materials for Barsuk Records.
“Joyfully and skillfully straddling the line between creator and critic, theorist and practitioner, formalist and rebel, American and expatriate, serious analyst and humorous deconstructor, Ian Lynam always brings a wholly original perspective to his writing on design. The insights are always fresh, and the stakes are always extremely high.”
The very first specimen of fonts for the web!