Got the presentation blahs? Use Office images to add some spice to your PowerPoint presentations

Technorati Tags: powerpoint,presentations,backgrounds,clip art,photos,illustrations

j0403837If your standard PowerPoint background has you (and your audience) yawning, consider adding a little pizzazz with background images from the Office Online Clip Art & Media collection.

 

For an immediate visual upgrade, add a background image

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1. First, check out these background images on Office Online and download one you like – we have lots of new illustrations in styles ranging from funky and modern to slick and professional.

2. Then, add the picture as a background:

  1. In PowerPoint, click the slide that you want to add a background picture to.

    To select multiple slides, click a slide, and then press and hold CTRL while you click the other slides.

  2. On the Design tab, in the Background group, click Background Styles, and then click Format Background.

    Design tab

  3. Click Fill, and then click Picture or texture fill.

  4. Do one of the following:

    • To insert a picture from a file, click File, and then locate and double-click the picture that you want to insert.
    • To paste a picture that you copied, click Clipboard.
    • To use clip art as a background picture, click Clip Art, and then scroll to find the image you downloaded or in the Search text box, type a word or phrase that describes the clip that you want, or type all or part of the file name of the clip.
  5. Do one of the following:

    • To use the picture as a background for the slides that you selected, click Close.
    • To use the picture as a background for all of the slides in your presentation, click Apply to All.

  Notes 

  • To adjust a picture's relative lightness (brightness) or the difference between its darkest and lightest areas (contrast), in the Format Background dialog box, click the Picture pane, and then choose the options that you want.
  • To have text appear on top of the picture, add a text box. On the Insert tab in the Text group, click Text Box, and then drag to make it the size that you want. Enter your text in text box.

Let me know if you have any trouble with these steps – if you do others might as well and I can update them super quick with your suggestions.

--Sheila

Comments

  • Anonymous
    May 07, 2009
    PingBack from http://microsoft-sharepoint.simplynetdev.com/got-the-presentation-blahs-use-office-images-to-add-some-spice-to-your-powerpoint-presentations/
  • Anonymous
    May 27, 2009
    Sweet thank u so much :) really helpful
  • Anonymous
    June 10, 2009
    Our May 7th blog entry ( Got the presentation blahs? Use Office images to add some spice to your PowerPoint
  • Anonymous
    June 16, 2009
    Hi! Great blog! I just wanted to also add that you can buy great royalty-free retro and vintage style clip art at my website http://www.myretroclipart.com. I have hundreds of images that can be used for signage, graphic design, logos, etc. Surf on over and check it out! Thanks for reading!
  • Anonymous
    July 06, 2009
    Is MS clip-art free to use on media and Web sites, if it's downloadable without a cost associated?
  • Anonymous
    August 04, 2009
    How can you make the clip art bigger for s slide show with it becoming fuzzy?
  • Anonymous
    August 04, 2009
    Better worded and spelled question - how can you make the clip art bigger for a slide show without it becoming fuzzy?
  • Anonymous
    August 06, 2009
    i'm writing a book and wish to use some clip art to stress some points throughout the book.  Is this legal?
  • Anonymous
    August 26, 2009
    ok, i ran into a problem here.  I'm designing a flyer and brochure for my company but am i able to actually use any of those clipart pics for those purposes?