You're already using a theme in your presentation, even if you don't know it.
The default Office theme is where this color palette comes from… also your theme fonts…
and last but not least, shape styles.
So what exactly is a theme?
Well, basically, it's a set of design elements that can be applied to your presentation to
give it a consistent, professional look.
Themes are also extremely easy to change once you've applied one, so you can try different
styles and designs anytime you want.
Let's take a look at how they work.
To get started, go to the Design tab… then mouse over the options in the Themes gallery
for a preview.
As you can see, the background and the theme elements I've used are changing, including
the fonts, the colors—even the arrangement of the slide.
You can also click the arrow in the bottom right corner to see all of the themes at once.
Let's see…
I think this one looks nice and simple.
To apply a theme, all you have to do is click the thumbnail… and the change will take
effect immediately.
Now every slide has been given a fresh new look, including the picture slide here.
Another interesting thing about themes is the fact that each one uses its own set of
slide layouts.
These layouts control the way your content is arranged, so the effect can be pretty dramatic.
If we go back to the gallery, for example… and switch to a different theme… you can
see how easy it is to change to completely change the look of your presentation.
Why don't we go with this one?
You can even try a different version of your current theme using the variants on the right.
Just mouse over the options for a preview.
I think this feature is really neat, because it lets you change your color scheme and fonts,
without giving up the overall look of the design.
Keep in mind, trying out different themes like this will only work if you take advantage
of what they have to offer.
That means sticking to the built-in slide layouts, and using theme elements whenever
possible.
Let's take a look at what happens if I change my title text to a non-theme color, for instance.
We'll go with the dark red here at the bottom of the menu.
I'm also going to change this to a non-theme font.
At this point, if we go back to the Design tab, and choose a different theme… you'll
see that the text is going to keep the formatting I applied, no matter what—even if it doesn't
work well with the design.
Now, this doesn't mean you shouldn't use non-theme elements in your presentation.
It's just good to know how they work, so you can use them to your advantage.
If you don't like the way your changes have turned out, all you have to do is go to the
Home tab… click the Reset command… and PowerPoint will reset your current slide to
the default.
Themes are a great option for creating consistent, professional-looking presentations, even if
you don't have much experience as a designer.
They're easy to use and can be changed at any time, so don't be afraid to experiment!