Ian Lynam Design is a Tokyo design studio operating at the intersection of graphic design, design education and design research. We specialize in identity, cultural research and typography. We make stuff for forward-thinking humans.

The Failed Painter

A book about art, design and culture.

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Rick Froberg: The Beating You Deserve

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.

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Start Somewhere - A Handbook of Dubious Exercises, Tips and Rants About Becoming a Designer Who Writes

Start Somewhere

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.

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“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.”

– Chloe Eudaly

Reading Frenzy

What We Do