Using the Drawing Toolbar to Create Objects
You can use the Drawing toolbar to add a variety of visual objects to your PowerPoint presentation such as rectangles, ovals, AutoShapes, WordArt, and clip art. You can also modify existing objects using the toolbar buttons to apply shading, 3D, color, and other effects.
To open this toolbar, choose View, Toolbars, Drawing. Table 12.1 lists all the buttons on this toolbar.
Adding Lines and Arrows
You can add lines (p. 236) and arrows (p. 569) to your presentation for emphasis. For example, you may want to add a line beneath a word or phrase to draw attention to it. You could also use an arrow to point to text or an object of special importance.
Tip
To underline selected text, you can also click the Underline button on the Formatting toolbar. The line drawing feature, however, provides more flexibility in terms of the color, position, and width of line you use.
Creating a Line
To draw a line on your presentation, click the Line button on the Drawing toolbar. Use the mouse to draw a line in the exact location you want to place it. If the line looks crooked or is the wrong length, select it and adjust the ends.
Tip
Press the Shift key as you drag the mouse to create perfectly straight horizontal or vertical lines. Press the Ctrl key as you drag the mouse to draw a line from a center point, lengthening the line in both directions as you drag.
To specify line style, select the line and click the Line Style button on the toolbar. The Line Style palette displays, shown in Figure 12.1.
Figure 12.1. Create either single or double lines in your presentation.
You can choose from a variety of single and double lines from 1/4 point to 6 points in width. For additional options, select More Lines, which opens the Format AutoShapes dialog box where you can set additional line options.
Tip
You can also open this dialog box by right-clicking the mouse and choosing Format AutoShape.
→ To learn more about this dialog box, see"Using the Format Dialog Box."
→ For more details about coloring lines, see "Specifying Line Color."
You can use the Line Style palette for more than just formatting lines. You can use this palette to format lines associated with arrows, rectangles, ovals, AutoShapes, and other objects as well.
Tip
You can also change your line to a dashed line or an arrow by clicking the Dash Style or Arrow Style button.
Creating an Arrow
To draw an arrow on your presentation, click the Arrow button on the Drawing toolbar. Use the mouse to draw an arrow in the location you want to place it.
To specify an arrow style, select the arrow and click the Arrow Style button on the toolbar. The Arrow Style palette displays, shown in Figure 12.2.
Figure 12.2. Arrows can point to areas you want to emphasize.
You can choose from a variety of arrow types—both single and double arrows. For additional options, select More Arrows, which opens the Format AutoShapes dialog box.
→ For details on the available options in this dialog box, see "Using the Format Dialog Box."
Figure 12.3 shows a slide that utilizes both lines and arrows.
Adding Rectangles and Ovals
You can draw rectangular and oval shapes directly on your PowerPoint presentation.
To draw a rectangle, click the Rectangle button on the Drawing toolbar and use the mouse to draw a rectangular (or square) shape.
Tip
To draw a square, press the Shift key while drawing your shape.
To draw an oval or circular shape, click the Oval button on the Drawing toolbar and use the mouse to draw the desired shape.
Tip
Pressing the Shift key while creating an oval shape forms a perfectly shaped circle.
Figure 12.4 shows the use of rectangular and oval shapes in a slide.
Figure 12.4. You can add images such as squares and circles to your presentation.
You can then reshape and resize this image or apply other formatting to it.
Tip
You can add text to a rectangular or oval shape. If you only want to add a word or two, select the object and type in the text you want to enter. Or click the Text Box button on the Drawing toolbar and create a text box inside the original object. Be sure, however, that the text box fits into the object without overlapping its borders.
Adding Text Boxes
You can create a text box (p. 58) to add text to your slide other than in your original text placeholders or to frame special text. Click the Text Box button on the Drawing toolbar and click where you want to place the text box on the slide. Start entering text to create the box. Figure 12.5 illustrates the use of a text box.
Figure 12.5. A text box calls attention to something you want to say in your presentation as well as enables you to place text exactly where you want it.
You can format the text in a text box as you would any other text, including formatting the font, font size, color, and style.
→ For more details on ways to format text in PowerPoint, see "Formatting Text."
→ To learn how to make changes to a text box you add, see "Formatting a Text Box."
Adding AutoShapes
An AutoShape is a drawing object such as a rectangle or oval. AutoShapes make creating callouts, flowcharts, block arrows, and other special objects much easier.
To insert an AutoShape, click the AutoShapes button on the Drawing toolbar and choose the type of AutoShape you want from the menu. Options include
Lines Includes special line forms such as curves, scribbles, and freeform.
Connectors Offers three different kinds of connectors to connect objects—straight, elbow, or curved. Even if you move one of the connected objects, its connector stays attached and moves with it.
Tip
To ensure that the connection between two objects is the shortest possible distance, you can reroute connectors. To do this, click the Draw button from the Drawing toolbar and choose Reroute Connectors.
Basic Shapes Includes shapes such as a hexagon, moon, triangle, box, arc, and plaque.
Block Arrows Offers large block arrows similar to regular line arrows, but much thicker.
Flowcharts Offers flowchart images such as process, document, input, and terminator.
Stars and Banners Offers waves, scrolls, explosions, and pointed stars.
Callouts Includes several types of callout images that you can use to call attention to a particular part of the slide.
Action Buttons Includes several action button options such as beginning, forward, and next.
Choose the specific AutoShape you want from the palette that displays when you select a menu option and place it on the slide by dragging the mouse. You can then format the AutoShape as you would any other object. Figure 12.6 shows some sample AutoShapes.
Figure 12.6. Callouts are just one example of an AutoShape.
Tip
Choose More AutoShapes from the AutoShapes menu to open the More AutoShapes dialog box, which offers even more options. This dialog box works in much the same way as the Microsoft Clip Gallery.
→ To learn how to insert clip art images, see "Using the Microsoft Clip Gallery."