Most of you use it daily. But have you ever given thought to what your typeface says about you? The standard for Microsoft Word until 2007, Times New Roman was developed around 1930 in response to the criticisms of the Arts and Crafts movement. In 2007 Microsoft replaced Times as their default with Calibri, a sans-serif font.
Times was a type designed to be robust enough for high-speed rotary printing. The letters are chunky and solid, yet narrow: much less fragile than modern typefaces such as Bodoni and Didot. Times New Roman was commissioned for the British newspaper, The Times, hence its name.
Every era tends to reinvent typography. In the 1980s the explosion of computer type saw a growing trend in “grunge” types. Currently, you may not have noticed, but typography is everywhere. If there is one thing contemporary type designers and artists are saying, it is unanimous that Times New Roman is dated and overused. From household items to furniture, here are a few of the most appealing typography inspired products popping up all over the Internet:
Typography soap from Fred Flare
Mac doc icon spelling from Mike Giepert
Google Maps typography by Rhett Dashwood
Chair by artist Joseph Kosuth
