I'm working on a presentation for my job at the High Tech Technology Center.
I know the topics I want to cover in the presentation, so I've already inserted slides for each area
I want to talk about. Right now, I want to edit the title slide
so it will really get the audience's attention. I think I'll apply a WordArt style to this
text.WordArt is a feature in Word and PowerPoint that allows the user to create stylized text
with textures, shadows, outlines, and more. To apply a WordArt style, just select the
text box and then click the Format tab that appears.
You can see the group of WordArt styles. Now select the text and hover over the WordArt
styles to see a live preview on the slide. You can click the down arrow to see more or
click the More arrow to see all the possible styles.
Here, I'll try this one just click it to select it.
You have the option of changing the fill color. Just click the command and hover over the
color options to see a live preview on the slide.
You could choose a fill color that matches and looks good or a color that doesn't quite
look right. You can also use no fill, or access more colors
than the ones above. You can use a picture on your computer to
fill the text, a gradient like these or a texture option.
When you find one you like, just click it to select it.
If you want to change the text outline, just click the command to see color options for
the outline. You'll see that in addition to the outline
color, you can change the weight, or the width of the outline, and even the style of the
line. When you see a color you like, just select
it. You've probably noticed by now that you can
make a WordArt that looks nice and professional, or you can choose from a wide variety of colors
and end up with something that doesn't look very good like my title slide.
Let's go back to WordArt styles and choose a different one.
Here, I like this one, it's pretty simple. Now before we finish, let me show you one
other WordArt command called Text Effects. Just click the command and you'll see a wide
variety of options. You can add shadows to your text some of which
are really subtle or you can add a reflection of the text.
This Word Art style already has a reflection, so we don't need those.
You can add a simple glow to the text or a really bright glow.
You have Bevel options that modify the text and some 3-D options, also.
Finally, you have some transform options that transform the text in some interesting ways.
This is what most people think about when they think of Word Art.
You want to be careful when you create your slides.
Some of these transform options are really fun looking, but I don't think they help my
title slide look very professional, so I'll just skip these! As you can see, WordArt really
helped me format the text on my title slide. Just remember when you work with WordArt that
just because you can format text in a certain way doesn't mean you should.
Imagine if I had used the transform, 3-D and glow options.I might have ended up with a
title slide like this...or like this. But, I'm happy with how this looks.
Now I'd like to show you how to insert a shape in PowerPoint.
There are many times when you will use shapes as you create various slides.
Here on this title slide I'd like to add a star between the words High and Tech since
our company logo uses a star. On the Home tab, click the Shapes command
to display a menu of shape options. We have everything from basic shapes, to math
signs. I'll just click the shape I want to insert,
and as I move the cursor toward the slide it changes to a cross.
When I reach the location I want to insert the shape, I'll click and hold down the mouse
button and drag the cursor until the star is the right size.
And then I'll release the button. After I insert the shape, I can see that a
Format tab has appeared on the Ribbon. I can select it and see a variety of formatting
options. In the Shapes Style group I have some options
for formatting the shape.I can hover over each style to see a live preview of it, and
click the More arrow to see all the style options.
Here, I like this one so I'll just click it to select it.
I can also change the shape fill color, by clicking the command and choosing an option
or I can change the shape outline. These commands work the same way as the fill
colors and outline colors do in WordArt Styles. You can also apply a Shape Effect.
This menu should look familiar to you. I want a glow option, so I'll select it, and
then click an option to choose one of the glow effects there, that looks good.
Now, I just need to select the text box and add a few extra spaces between the words.
I'll just click and drag the star to the desired location.
Yeah, right here between the words. Now, I can resize and move the shape, just
like I do text boxes and pictures. You may have noticed that there is an Insert
Shapes group right here on the Format tab. You can use this group to insert a shape if
the Format tab is already available. It may save you a bit of time because you
don't have go to the Shapes command on the Home tab. But the Shape options are the same in both places.
Also, from this group you can add a text box inside a shape and add text -- if the shape
is large enough. WordArt and Shapes are two very different
features, but you can see here how both can be used, together or separately to allow you
to create effective slides. Now you give it a try!