Times new roman

FIRST APPEARED IN

TIMES ON 3.10.1932. DUE TO DEVELOP-

ments in printing conditions and technology, it later disappeared
until further changes led to its reinstatement. The Times asked
Stanley Morison to design a face specifically for newspaper work
using stereotype plates. Morison was an important figure in. type
design and its history and greatly influenced Gill and Jan van
Krempen, among others. The Times invited him to become their
typographical designer following his criticisms of their existing
typeface. Times New Roman, according to Morison himself, is
based on Robert Granjon’s Gros Cicero, produced in Paris
around 1569 - the face that had been the model for Plantin. It is a
black face, comparatively speaking, with small unobtrusive
capitals. The italic is regular, of moderate inclination, with roman
serifs. On its release to the public it quickly became the leading
bookface and is among the most practical faces of our time. It has
subsequently been extended to include Greek, Cyrillic, maths,
phonetics and chemistry. A modified version for bookwork has
been issued with longer descenders. Lighter capitals are available
for setting in German. Claritas is the name of the special small
design to this type (43A point) intended for use in ‘small
announcements.’