Free Creative Ways toCustomizeVisuals

Working with Microsoft Clipart
1. Insert a clipart image onto a PowerPoint slide.
2. Right click on the image to open a contextualized menu.
3. Click Edit Picture.
4. Click Yes.
5. Right click on the image to open a contextualized menu.
6. Click Ungroup.
7. Select the part(s) of the picture you want to change. In Office 2010, go to the Format tab. Use Shape Fill to change the color.

Variations:Delete unwanted parts of the image. Select part of an image and paste it into a new image. Make a figure all one color to create a silhouette.

How to get just the right color: Pixie

Want to use the edited image later?Right click and then click Save as Picture.

Working with Photographs
1. Insert a photo onto a PowerPoint slide.
2. In Office 2010, select the photo and go to the Format tab.

Options: Remove the photo’s background, change the overall color, use Artistic Effects, or crop it.

Don’t have Office 2010?
Try paint.net for Windows: w


Working with Fonts
Default Office fonts don’t get much attention. Try downloading some free fonts from Font Squirrel.
Note that you need the ability download in order to do this on your work computer.
Consider the font’s personality and readability.

Playful
Dramatic
Serious
Thoughtful

(Some) Free Infographics
An infographic is a poster that is often shared online and may include visually represented data. High quality free ones can be created by using Piktochart. Create a user account first and after creating a graphic or poster, save it as a pdf or photograph to share with others.

C.R.A.P. Design Principles
C: Contrast. Make items that are different really different.
R: Repetition. Repeat a design aspect throughout the piece.Also known as consistency.
A: Alignment. Don’t place anything arbitrarily.
P: Proximity. Place related items near each other and use white space to create groups.

Your Turn!
Work with a partner—two people per computer. Try these practice exercises.

  1. Search for a generic clipart image, such as “man” and then edit the image. Delete something. Change the color of his shirt, etc.

THIS ACTIVTY WAS (check all that apply):

EASY

FUN

USEFUL

NOT USEFUL

FRUSTRATING

CHALLENGING
OTHER:

______

Questions/Concerns/Opinions/Thoughts: ______

  1. Search for a generic photograph, such as “computer” and then edit the image. Delete the background. Change the color, etc.

THIS ACTIVTY WAS (check all that apply):

EASY

FUN

USEFUL

NOT USEFUL

FRUSTRATING

CHALLENGING
OTHER:

______

Questions/Concerns/Opinions/Thoughts: ______

  1. Imagine that you would like to create a flyer to recruit volunteers to lead a new conversation circle. Find two fonts that you could use in the flyer: One for headings and the other for the details.

THIS ACTIVTY WAS (check all that apply):

EASY

FUN

USEFUL

NOT USEFUL

FRUSTRATING

CHALLENGING
OTHER:

______

Questions/Concerns/Opinions/Thoughts: ______

  1. Look at the conference program. What C.R.A.P. do you notice? Look at your conference handouts. Do you have any suggested design improvements?

THIS ACTIVTY WAS (check all that apply):

EASY

FUN

USEFUL

NOT USEFUL

FRUSTRATING

CHALLENGING
OTHER:

______

Questions/Concerns/Opinions/Thoughts: ______