The PowerPoint® Blog Archives - Page 212 of 238

PPT Autoshape BG (6)

Here is the finalized background with the title area drop shadow.

Click here to download PowerPoint file.

For virtually all presentations I develop the custom background art and elements in Photoshop. But with creative use of the available tools in PowerPoint, some great effects can be achieved!

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T16:03:09-08:00May 31st, 2007|Portfolio, Templates/Assets, Tutorial|

PPT Autoshape BG (4)

Using another gradient autoshape I created the title text area.

By having the more transparent area over the already darker right corner another sense of depth is created.

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T16:02:47-08:00May 29th, 2007|Tutorial|

PPT Autoshape BG (5)

Depth creates shadows. So adding a drop shadow is an easy way to add depth to this background. Using a very thin gradient autoshape is all that was needed.

Here are the FILL EFFECTS settings to create the drop shadow (note I am using black, but not starting with a solid color, 40%, to create a “dark grey” that mixes with the other colors).

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T16:02:23-08:00May 29th, 2007|Tutorial|

Next is an easy step, because I just use the previous gradient again. Here are the steps:
1. Select gradient
2. Duplicate
3. Go to DRAW >> ROTATE OR FLIP >> ROTATE RIGHT 90′
4. Position at bottom of slide
5. Stretch left/right to width of slide

With another layer a nice effect has been achieved leaving a lighter area in the top left, which creates a subtle visual motion with the darker streak (from the first autoshape)on the opposite axis:

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T16:01:51-08:00May 27th, 2007|Tutorial|

PPT Autoshape BG (2)

To create visual depth I layered some semi-transparent gradients to create lighter and darker areas (that were not overly linear). The second autoshape is a gradient, that begins with the darker blue and goes to transparent.

Here is this element placed over the right side of the slide. Layered on top of the first full size autoshape the upper right now has a larger dark area than the rest of the slide.

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T16:01:28-08:00May 25th, 2007|Tutorial|

PPT Autoshape BG (1)

My goal was to use a blue from the corporate color scheme and develop a visual with a sense of depth and subtle motion.

The first element is a full screen autoshape. The base color is a blue from the corporate color scheme. The secondary color is a darker version of the same blue.

Using the FILL EFFECTS options the darker blue radiates from the top right corner. Next we begin layering autoshapes.

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T16:00:47-08:00May 23rd, 2007|Tutorial|

Creating a Background w/ PPT Elements

On a recent project the specs were to develop a visually dynamic presentation, but maintain an extremely small files size (goal = under 2MB for 75-100 slides – with images!).

The first place was to begin with the template backgrounds. Because native autoshapes are vector based, they have the smallest files size – especially when needed as full screen images.

Here is the content slide developed using just autoshapes:

Over the next few posts we’ll build the background one autoshape at a time.

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T16:00:19-08:00May 21st, 2007|Portfolio, Templates/Assets, Tutorial|

PFC Pro 2007

I have been fortunate enough to beta test and enjoy using the PFC Media add-ins since their inception. For those unfamiliar PFC stands for “Plays For Certain”. If you look at my top 10 recommended PPT add-ins on the TLC Creative website you will see PFC Media listed. The developer goes to enormous effort to assure this software works!

Just a few weeks ago the official 2007 compatible version of PFC Pro was released. If you add movies to presentations, I definitely endorse this as the best solution available. Click here for the PFC website.

Kathy Jacobs’ full review of PFC Pro 2007 is posted here.

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T15:59:51-08:00May 19th, 2007|Software/Add-Ins|

PointClips.com = Great PPT Images

Jeff Koke of PointClips recently emailed me a few samples of their PowerPoint images. Pointclips offers “hand-crafted artwork and icons, built in PowerPoint.”

What impressed me was that not only did I see good quality, but that all were made of grouped vector images (autoshapes) and could be resized and even re-colored as needed! Sure you could (maybe) create all of these images yourself, but why spend hours doing so…

The left image is from PointClips free downloadable sample. On the right is a number of the elements ungrouped – all editable autoshapes!

Individual images for $5 and collections of 50 images for $99. Check them out here.

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-11-17T15:59:28-08:00May 17th, 2007|Resource/Misc, Software/Add-Ins|

Solving PPT 2003 & Vista Problems

Here are the steps to solve the two usability problems with Vista and PPT 2003 described in the previous two posts:

1. Locate the actual .exe for PowerPoint 2003 (C: >> Program Files >> Microsoft Office >> Office 11)

2. Right click the POWERPNT.EXE

3. Go to the COMPATABILITY tab

4. Check the DISABLE VISUAL THEMES option

5. Click OKAY and launch PowerPoint 2003

So I can pass along others experiences with Vista, send me an email (link is on the right) letting me know if things do, or do not, work on your computer – or if things work with earlier versions (PPT 2000, XP, etc.).

– Troy @ TLC

By TLC Creative Services, Inc.|2016-05-11T11:25:02-07:00May 15th, 2007|Software/Add-Ins, Tutorial|