Blog2021-05-06T12:54:43-07:00

100th Episode of The Presentation Podcast!

A new episode of The Presentation Podcast is available today – and it is the 100th episode! Troy, Nolan and Sandy recount 100 of their favorite tips and moments from the first 100 episodes of The Presentation Podcast. Yes, this is the 100th episode – amazing!! Listen on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify and Soundcloud – just search for The Presentation Podcast for “100 from 100” or go direct to the episode page here: https://thepresentationpodcast.com/podcast/100

[KGVID]https://thepowerpointblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/unnamed-file.mp4[/KGVID]

By |April 21st, 2020|Resource/Misc|

Image Transparency in PowerPoint

From a recent conversation about how a slide design was created, I realize that it is difficult to keep up with the number of new features being added to PowerPoint. If you have a familiar workflow, you might not be looking for a new workflow. This blog post is about a new, but not really that new, feature in PowerPoint – setting the transparency level of an image.

Here is a slide design scenario (inspired by the conversation noted above) and how to use PowerPoint’s image transparency. Starting with this example slide and inserting an image onto it.

Here is the image, positioned and cropped to fit the open right side of the slide.

The goal is to make the right side have a stylized background element (this photo) with content on top. Open the “Format Picture” pane on the right side.

Go to the PICTURE section and expand the PICTURE TRANSPARENCY options.

Use the presets to quickly change the opacity/transparency of the image.

Or use the Transparency slider, or select the number field and enter an exact percentage. The image on this slide was set to 90%.

All within PowerPoint we have placed an image. Sized, positioned and cropped an image. And adjusted the image transparency – no Photoshop needed. This faint image over the white background can now be the stylized background for the slide content.

Going one styling further, a golden gradient image was placed under the image, making this slide layout quick to update to any color accent (and the content text was updated to white to provide adequate contrast for legibility).

Troy @ TLC

By |April 17th, 2020|Tutorial|

New INSERT Image Options!

There is something new* in your PowerPoint, but it may not have been discovered yet. The Insert Picture button has expanded to offer more options, and NEW images.

Here is before the update. Insert PICTURES was just a button with no options.

It opened this standard, go-find-the-image-on-your-computer dialog

But now (*as of today this applies to Windows Monthly Targeted and Office Insider builds, I have not tested on standard release, Mac or online versions) the PICTURES button is a split button with more options!

Let me show what each option offers. Click the THIS DEVICE option and we get the same go-find-the-image-on-your-computer dialog

I am going to jump to the third option, ONLINE PICTURES, and save the new stuff for last. Online Pictures is an image search via Bing Images. Nothing new here.

Click the STOCK IMAGES option and we are treated to a new library of high quality photo images. These are all Royalty Free for use in Microsoft app products (eg. my understanding is they can be used in a PowerPoint, Word, Publisher, Excel document and there is no legal issues. But if they are extracted and added to an Illustrator or InDesign document or provided as a stand alone image, the royalty free status may not be enforce). I found the images very nice, great quality and good to use and look unique right now (after 18 months I feel everyone will have seen these images so many times, they will feel “old”).

 

The CUTOUT PEOPLE tab are all .png images of people with transparent background. These are going to get a lot of use and it is a great first release package.

The ICONS tab is also what the INSERT > ICONS button opens. It has a new layout to the icons and expanded set of icons (yay!). PRO TIP: 1 click access vs. 2 clicks. It is 2 clicks to open this dialog if we go to PICTURES and click for the drop down menu and a second click to open the dialog to STOCK IMAGES. But it is 1 click to click the ICONS button to bring up this dialog (opened to the icons tab).

The STICKERS option is new. I know some people are going to love these, and others (like me) cannot see a need for them… These are not animated .gifs, just static fun, full color “cartoons”.

Behind the scenes, Microsoft has done a lot of work on the search. This includes metatags for all images in the library, AI assisted recognition of entries, and a more streamlined process.

Something new for everyone to check out, experiment with and possibly use in your next presentation!

Troy @ TLC

By |April 15th, 2020|Resource/Misc, Software/Add-Ins|

Design Challenge #2 Results!

The TLC Creative design team is working remote and we are still having fun! With a twist on the elementary school game of “telephone”. Each designer had to use at least 1 element from the previous designer’s version in their design. Here are the results!

[videopack id=”13903″]https://thepowerpointblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/COVID-Challenge-2-Slideshow.mp4[/videopack]

Troy @ TLC

By |April 13th, 2020|Portfolio|

The (PowerPoint) Telephone Game

Remember back as a kid and the teacher had all the kids sit in a circle, whispered a sentence to the student sitting next them, then that student whispered the sentence to the next kid and the next, next, next. Finally the teacher announced what they had said, and the heard and the last student announced what they heard – which was very different. It was “The Telephone Game”!

For the TLC Creative presentation design we created the PowerPoint version of The Telephone Game. Everyone is designing this quote, starting with this very boring bullet list slide:

We then drew names for a random order. The first designer was able to create any slide design they wanted. The next designer created their own version of the slide BUT had to incorporate at least 1 element from the previous designers version! The results are amazing and show that there is no limit to creativity!

See you Monday when the TLC Creative COVID-19 Design Challenge #2 results are revealed!

Troy @ TLC 

 

By |April 10th, 2020|Resource/Misc|

New Episode of The Presentation Podcast – Being a Remote Presenter

A new episode of The Presentation Podcast is available today! Troy, Nolan, and Sandy are joined by Ken Molay of Webinar Success. They talk about how to create and deliver remote presentations, hardware and software platforms, and tips, tips and more tips!

Listen on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify and Soundcloud – just search for The Presentation Podcast for “Being a Remote Presenter (with Ken Molay)” or go direct to the episode page here: https://thepresentationpodcast.com/podcast/99

By |April 7th, 2020|Resource/Misc|

Challenge #1 – 6 Circles

Challenge #1 of the TLC Creative Services COVID-19 Design Challenge! 

Design a slide, or set of slides (up to 3 max), that integrates an amazing animation based on 6 circles. A “circle” is open to you to decide what that is. They can be small to large, any thickness, format, colors and styling effects. Your slide can be colorful, dark, monochrome – again, your design choice. Create an fantastic visual design, with even better animation.

[KGVID]https://thepowerpointblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/unnamed-file-1.mp4[/KGVID]

by TLC Creative staff presentation designer: Amber (1 slide)

[KGVID]https://thepowerpointblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/unnamed-file-2.mp4[/KGVID]

by TLC Creative staff presentation designer: Christie (2 slides)

[KGVID]https://thepowerpointblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/unnamed-file-3.mp4[/KGVID]

by TLC Creative staff presentation designer: Jake (3 slides)

[KGVID]https://thepowerpointblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/unnamed-file-5.mp4[/KGVID]

by TLC Creative staff presentation designer: Kelli (2 slides)

[KGVID]https://thepowerpointblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/unnamed-file-4.mp4[/KGVID]

by TLC Creative staff presentation designer: Sara (1 slide)

By |April 2nd, 2020|Portfolio|
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