Adding colour and textures to Shapes in PowerPoint

Hi,

I'm not very good with shapes within PowerPoint and I was wondering if you could help me with the basics of -

• Adding Shapes in PowerPoint to slides
• Moving Shapes around a slide
• Coloring Shapes in PowerPoint
• Adding textures to Shapes in PowerPoint

I know it is asking a lot but I really want to improve my skills with the drawing tools in PowerPoint.

Thank you

RachelS

Hi Rachel,

ok lets start off with the basics

PowerPoint lets you add a variety of different premade shapes to the slides of your presentation. These premade shapes are called AutoShapes, and can be found by using the AutoShape tool on the drawing toolbar.

To add an AutoShape to your slide, for example a Star.

• Click the AutoShapes button or if you are using PowerPoint 2007 or PowerPoint 2010 simply select the Star shape from the icons in the Drawing section of the PowerPoint ribbon menu.
• Point to Stars and Banners.
• Click the 5-pointed star AutoShape, and the pointer changes into a crosshair.
• Click anywhere on your slide and the Star AutoShape in a default size is inserted

Would you like learn how to scale and resize the AutoShape as well Rachel?

Yes please admin.

I'm looking for the A-Z of AutoShapes in PowerPoint!

Everything I can do with AutoShapes

RachelS

Ok Rachel, well if we stick with our example of the Star AutoShape, then lets look at resizing and scaling it.

To make the AutoShape larger or smaller, select the shape, and drag a resizing handle from one of the corners of the shape. To resize the shape proportionally, hold down the SHIFT key as you drag and the AutoShape will scale.

Let us say that you have to move the AutoShape on your slide Rachel because you need to place an image, or a text box placeholder on the slide.

To move the AutoShape, again select the Star, and the cursor transforms into a crosshair (four-headed arrow) pointer when you move the cursor over the AutoShape.

Click and hold down the mouse button, and then drag the AutoShape to the new location on the slide.

When the star is positioned where you want it, simply release the mouse button.

And that's it.

And coloring the AutoShapes?

RachelS

To add color to an AustoShape Rachel, again lets just follow our example.

• Click the Star shape to select it on your slide.
• Click the arrow beside the Fill Color button. In PowerPoint 2007 and PowerPoint 2010 select the Shape Fill icon in the Drawing section of the PowerPoint ribbon menu.
• Click More Fill Colors.
• A Colors dialog box appears.
• Click the Standard tab, then under Colors, click a color that you would like to color your AutoShape.
• Click OK to close the Colors dialog box.

Now let's try adding a texture to the AutoShape Rachel.

• Click the AutoShape once more on your slide to select it.
• Click the arrow beside the Fill Color button.
• Click Fill Effects. (The Fill Effects dialog box appears.)
• Click the Texture tab.
• Click on a texture, and then click OK.

In PowerPoint 2007 and PowerPoint 2010 

• Click the AutoShape once more on your slide to select it.
• Select the Shape Fill icon in the Drawing section of the PowerPoint ribbon menu.
• Select the Texture sub menu item.
• Click on a texture, and then click OK. 

And that's it Rachel, you've added a textured fill to your AutoShape.

So now you can add, resize, scale, move, fill, and texture any AutoShape in PowerPoint Rachel. Hope this helps