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Lance Wyman
Encyclopedia
Lance Wyman is an American graphic designer. He is known for such work as the logo of the 1968 Summer Olympic Games and the route map of the Washington Metro
.
, where he worked in the factories during summers to pay for college. He acquired an appreciation for the "no-nonsense functional aesthetic of the sea and the factories", which he has described as "an important influence in my approach to design." He graduated from the Pratt Institute
with a degree in industrial design in 1960. The subject of graphic design
was just being introduced in American universities at the time; when Wyman met a student who studied logo
design with Paul Rand
at Yale
, he wanted to design logos.
Wyman began his career in Detroit, Michigan
, at General Motors
, where he worked on a packaging system for Delco
automotive parts that unified 1,200 different packages. Later, he moved to the office of William Schmidt
, where he produced the graphics for the American pavilion at a 1962 trade fair in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
In 1963, Wyman moved to New York, where he joined the George Nelson
firm. He designed the graphics for the Chrysler
Pavilion at the New York World's Fair
. He later reported that devising a "pointing hand" theme logo and adapting it to the site directional signs convinced him that logos could play a more important role in an overall design program. In 1966, he participated in a design competition for the graphics for the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games
. His "Mexico68" logotype was the winner, and launched his career. Wyman remained in Mexico for four and one-half years, following his Olympic work with development of graphic programs for the Mexico City Metro
and the 1970 World Cup
competition.
After returning to New York in 1971, Wyman formed a partnership with Bill Cannan (Wyman & Cannan). In 1979, he established his own firm, Lance Wyman Ltd. He has also taught corporate and wayfinding design at Parsons School of Design since 1973.
, and many other symbols. Stepping outside his usual genre, he designed a poster for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign. Perhaps his most enduring design is the stylized route map he devised for the Washington Metro
in the mid-1970s, showing routes, stations, transfer points, and certain landmarks in a clear fashion, although distances are not to scale. In 2011, Wyman was called on to design a new Metro map, able to depict planned new lines and route orientations, as well as some station names that have been expanded to the point of being cumbersome. It is one of the few occasions in which the original designer has a chance to revise his own creation.
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
.
Life and career
Wyman, the son of a commercial fisherman and a typist, grew up in Kearny, New JerseyKearny, New Jersey
Kearny is a town in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. It was named after Civil War general Philip Kearny. As of the United States 2010 Census, the town population was 40,684. The town is a suburb of the nearby city of Newark....
, where he worked in the factories during summers to pay for college. He acquired an appreciation for the "no-nonsense functional aesthetic of the sea and the factories", which he has described as "an important influence in my approach to design." He graduated from the Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute
Pratt Institute is a private art college in New York City located in Brooklyn, New York, with satellite campuses in Manhattan and Utica. Pratt is one of the leading undergraduate art schools in the United States and offers programs in Architecture, Graphic Design, History of Art and Design,...
with a degree in industrial design in 1960. The subject of graphic design
Graphic design
Graphic design is a creative process – most often involving a client and a designer and usually completed in conjunction with producers of form – undertaken in order to convey a specific message to a targeted audience...
was just being introduced in American universities at the time; when Wyman met a student who studied logo
Logo
A logo is a graphic mark or emblem commonly used by commercial enterprises, organizations and even individuals to aid and promote instant public recognition...
design with Paul Rand
Paul Rand
Paul Rand Paul Rand Paul Rand (born Peretz Rosenbaum, (August 15, 1914 — November 26, 1996) was an American graphic designer, best known for his corporate logo designs, including the logos for IBM, UPS, Enron, Westinghouse, ABC, and Steve Jobs’ NeXT...
at Yale
YALE
RapidMiner, formerly YALE , is an environment for machine learning, data mining, text mining, predictive analytics, and business analytics. It is used for research, education, training, rapid prototyping, application development, and industrial applications...
, he wanted to design logos.
Wyman began his career in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, at General Motors
General Motors
General Motors Company , commonly known as GM, formerly incorporated as General Motors Corporation, is an American multinational automotive corporation headquartered in Detroit, Michigan and the world's second-largest automaker in 2010...
, where he worked on a packaging system for Delco
Delco
Delco may refer to:* Delaware County, Ohio* Delaware County, Pennsylvania* Delco, North Carolina* Delco Electronics...
automotive parts that unified 1,200 different packages. Later, he moved to the office of William Schmidt
William Schmidt
William Joseph Schmidt, Jr was an American composer, arranger and publisher of classical music.He was born in Chicago, Illinois and began playing the saxophone at the age of six and later added clarinet and piano to his studies...
, where he produced the graphics for the American pavilion at a 1962 trade fair in Zagreb, Yugoslavia.
In 1963, Wyman moved to New York, where he joined the George Nelson
George Nelson
George Nelson may refer to:*George Nelson , Lord Mayor of London*George Nelson *George Nelson , American*George Nelson, 1st Baron Nelson of Stafford , British engineer...
firm. He designed the graphics for the Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
Pavilion at the New York World's Fair
New York World's Fair
New York World's Fair may refer to:* 1939 New York World's Fair* 1964 New York World's Fair...
. He later reported that devising a "pointing hand" theme logo and adapting it to the site directional signs convinced him that logos could play a more important role in an overall design program. In 1966, he participated in a design competition for the graphics for the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games
1968 Summer Olympics
The 1968 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIX Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Mexico City, Mexico in October 1968. The 1968 Games were the first Olympic Games hosted by a developing country, and the first Games hosted by a Spanish-speaking country...
. His "Mexico68" logotype was the winner, and launched his career. Wyman remained in Mexico for four and one-half years, following his Olympic work with development of graphic programs for the Mexico City Metro
Mexico City Metro
The Mexico City Metro , officially called Sistema de Transporte Colectivo, is a metro system that serves the metropolitan area of Mexico City...
and the 1970 World Cup
1970 FIFA World Cup
The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by...
competition.
After returning to New York in 1971, Wyman formed a partnership with Bill Cannan (Wyman & Cannan). In 1979, he established his own firm, Lance Wyman Ltd. He has also taught corporate and wayfinding design at Parsons School of Design since 1973.
Work
Wyman, who has been described as a "rock star" of graphic arts, made his reputation when he designed the logo for the 1968 Summer Olympic Games. He has also designed icons for museums and many other institutions, individualized signs for buildings at the U.S. National ZooSmithsonian National Zoological Park
The Smithsonian National Zoological Park, commonly known as the National Zoo, is one of the oldest zoos in the United States, and as part of the Smithsonian Institution, does not charge admission. Founded in 1889, its mission is to provide leadership in animal care, science, education,...
, and many other symbols. Stepping outside his usual genre, he designed a poster for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign. Perhaps his most enduring design is the stylized route map he devised for the Washington Metro
Washington Metro
The Washington Metro, commonly called Metro, and unofficially Metrorail, is the rapid transit system in Washington, D.C., United States, and its surrounding suburbs. It is administered by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority , which also operates Metrobus service under the Metro name...
in the mid-1970s, showing routes, stations, transfer points, and certain landmarks in a clear fashion, although distances are not to scale. In 2011, Wyman was called on to design a new Metro map, able to depict planned new lines and route orientations, as well as some station names that have been expanded to the point of being cumbersome. It is one of the few occasions in which the original designer has a chance to revise his own creation.