With creative use of PowerPoint shapes and gradients 3D objects can be created directly in PowerPoint! Note: these are 2D shapes with a 3D appearance, not true 3D models.
For the final blog post in this PowerPoint gradients series, is a step-by-step process for creating this 3D sphere.
Download the step-by-step slides here.
Troy @ TLC
I am honored to have the invite from Microsoft to attend the 2022 Microsoft MVP Summit that is happening this week! It is a virtual 3-day conference, so lots of really great time with the PowerPoint team Program Managers, Devs and the other MVPs for PowerPoint (of course in person hanging out together in Seattle/Bellevue would be better!). As I note every year, almost every conversation is under NDA, so not much I can report here – but I am always encouraged by the compassion and drive the PowerPoint team has for constantly improving the app!
(also, the MVP event artwork is from Microsoft – not something I created)
Troy @ TLC
Metallic surfaces are created with gradients. Here are gold-silver-bronze-copper metallic gradients, all created within PowerPoint.
As example, the gold gradient is 6 color stops with asymmetrical spacing.
Download all 4 metallic gradients here.
Troy @ TLC
Combining long gradients and hard transition gradients within a single shape was used in creating this beveled bar. In addition, because this is a PowerPoint shape, it can become a combination graphic element, and text box.
The bevel effect is created with a set of tight/hard stops on the far left and right. The bevel bar is created with 8 color stops.
Download a slide with the Beveled Callout Bar here.
Troy @ TLC
We’re celebrating the first day of Spring with this new Spring 2022 template that we’ve made available for you to download for FREE!
This spring template features retro flowers & stripes.
Thank you to TLC Creative staff designer, Karen, for this fun and vibrant full feature PowerPoint template! Click the button below to download it now.
By using the color stop positions gradients can be designed to be very short transitions, or “hard transitions”, to create new styling options.
As example, this full slide PowerPoint rectangle is created with 10 color stops* going from very dark blue to blue with long/smooth transition and a white hotspot (vertical line) created by positioning the color stops very close to the white creating “hard transitions.”
* TIP: the maximum number of color stops PowerPoint supports is 10.
Download a slide with this gradient fill shape, here.
Troy @ TLC
Gradients from one color to another have nice smooth transitions. As example this 6 color rainbow:
On the design, the gradient fill is composed of 6 equally spaced color stops using the rainbow color spectrum.
Download the Linear Gradient Rainbow PowerPoint shape here.
Troy @ TLC
Presentation design work is often developing a PowerPoint template as a standalone project or developing a PowerPoint template that is then used for the presentation design phase. On this episode, Troy & Lori, the co-founders of TLC Creative Services, Inc. chat about PowerPoint template design projects they have each recently completed.
One of the easiest, and most useful, design elements for slide design is a “fade” gradient. A 2 stop gradient that goes from a solid color* to transparent.
Download these slides to have preset white fade and black fade gradients. DOWNLOAD HERE
Troy @ TLC
These 3 gradients are the same PowerPoint rectangle set as a 2 stop gradient. The goal is a smooth gradient from the solid color on the left to a nice transparency on the right. The visual appearance is a “1 stop gradient; color to nothing”.
#1 is solid colors, blue to white.
#2 is the solid blue to the white set to 100% transparency (ie. not visible)
#3 is the solid blue to a 100% transparency blue (this is the secret!)
Looking at the details for the three gradients.
#1 displays exactly as expected; solid blue to solid white with a smooth gradient from left to right.
#2 is not what is expected; solid blue to a muddy grey. Note, stop #2 is white, which does not match the step #1 color and PowerPoint is showing the color blend from blue to white in the visible gradient (ick!).
#3 is the exact same transparency settings, but color stop #2 has been updated to be the same blue as stop #1. The result is a wonderful, smooth gradient of the left blue fading to nothing. The reason is that the color blend from blue-to-the-same-blue does not create any tertiary colors in the blend.
* * #3 is the secret to creating smooth fades to nothing in PowerPoint!
Troy @ TLC