Context of Practice: Typography Analysis

The typeface 'times new roman' was invented in 1929 when The times newspaper hired Stanley Morison to design them a typeface. He worked for the font foundry monotype. At the time Monotype foundry was rivals with Linotype, this is significant because The Times used Linotypes typesetting machines so this meant that Monotype had to give over the license to Linotype. Lino type adjusted the name to Times Roman and released it, although it is essentially the same typeface. 

The main use of Times New Roman is for the newspaper however because of its popularity it is widely used online and also as a default typeface on software such as Microsoft Word. It became popular quickly as it was one of the only types that was available in each format.  It fits into the Roman typeface category as its serifs lead the readers eye onto the next letter and help to make each letter easily recognisable for quicker reading. It is seen as a default type and is never really questioned, people take more of an interest in the story and content rather than the type itself, in fact the typeface doesn't even come into question. "There is nothing simple or dull in achieving the transparent page". It is quite a skill to create a typeface that is 'transparent' and rarely thought into by the readers.

Although the typeface is famous and one of the most used connotatively in any other context than the one it is intended for it appears to be cheap and an easy option. Whenever you see a business card or poster where the type is in Times New Roman it makes you think that it has been rushed. That the designer couldn't be bothered to choose an appropriate typeface so rather went with the default. 

"Typography is not a self-expression within predetermined aesthetics, but that it is conditioned by the message it visualises." This stands true to Times New Roman, it wasn't designed with an aesthetic idea in mind rather it aimed to create an appropriate type for newspapers and because of the boxes it had to tick to be appropriate it became conditioned by them. For example the type face in all formats is thinner  but longer vertically so that more text can fit into a line - this is useful for newspaper prints.

"A public speaker is more audible in that sense when he bellows. But a good speaking voice is one that is inaudible as a voice." A  legible font is different to one that is readable. Each letter may be legible but when put together they may be unreadable. Times New Roman is readable as a font the letters flow nicely and don't 'bellow' at you but rather work as a normal 'voice'.