Tuesday Typefaces: Times New Roman

Times New Roman

Today we're going to be discussing the most-used typeface in undergraduate papers: Times New Roman. Anyone who has ever used Microsoft Word is familiar with this no-nonsense, serif typeface, and likely (I know this is true for me, at least) have seen it so often that you do not notice anything special about it. But what is the origin of this inimitable typeface?

Times New Roman, though a staple of the computer world, was actually designed much earlier. Originally commissioned by the British newspaper The Times after a writer, Stanley Morison, critiqued the paper for using an "antiquated" typeface, Times New Roman was first created in 1931 by Victor Lardent for the Monotype Foundry. After a few drafts, with changes made for economy of space and ease of reading, the typeface made its debut in the October 3, 1932 issue of The Times. Like many typefaces created in the early 20th century, Times New Roman is considered a "transitional" serif typeface. The difference between thick and thin lines in Times New Roman is more pronounced than will be found in "old style," while still remaining more understated when compared with later, "modern" ones. 

Times New Roman is also a typeface that, perhaps due to its popularity and use in the newspaper world, also comes in an astoundingly high number of weights: Times New Roman, Times New Roman Medium, Times New Roman Semi-Bold, Times New Roman Extra Bold, Times New Roman PS, Times New Roman Condensed, and Times New Roman Small Text—each with the variants of Roman, Italic, and Bold—are just some of the examples of the diversity Times New Roman has seen since it's first appearance nearly 80 years ago!

Perhaps because Times New Roman was originally created as a newspaper text, it is most often used in book typography, especially in mass-market paperbacks. While known mostly for its cleanness of readability, Times New Roman is quite beautiful in its simplicity. The curled serif at the tips of lowercase "a"s are especially graceful, and the use of both the curves and sharp points in the number "5" are just two of the small details that make Times New Roman the typeface equivalent of the quiet girl next door: beautiful in its own way, with an understated elegance that can often go under-appreciated.

Times New Roman stayed the main typeface of The Times for 40 years, until 1972, when the paper began undergoing formatting changes. Just because The Times no longer use it does not mean it is out of fashion, however. The versatility and ease of reading of Times New Roman has brought it to the forefront of the United States political arena: as of February 1, 2004, the US Department of State announced that all US diplomatic documents would henceforth use 14-point Times New Roman, replacing the previously used Courier New.

-Christina Squitieri

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