Tutorial

Creating animated GIFs in PowerPoint is a newer feature, so it may be familiar. However this feature has been updated recently with the ability to export animated GIFs with transparent backgrounds.

To create an animated GIF with a transparent background, start with a new PowerPoint file. The secret for exporting an animated GIF with transparent background is to us a white background (eg. the slide background is set to white, not a white shape as the bottom layer).

An animated GIF is a “flip book” animation. Each slide is the next part of the motion. There is no animation used in this example animated GIF. Here is the first slide:

Next, the slide is duplicated and the hand graphic flipped to the opposite view using PowerPoint’s to FLIP HORIZONTAL tool and the text “HELLO” is rotated and larger.

This is a simple 2 step animation, but a 3rd step is needed for the animation effect. So slide 1 is duplicated and set as slide 3.

slide 1 transition = NONE, for a seamless transition of the animation. Set automatic slide advance after 0.00 seconds.

slide 2-3 transition = MORPH, which creates the smooth animation of the hand wave and text movement. Duration = .25 seconds. Set automatic slide advance after 0.00 seconds.

It is time to export as an animated GIF.

1. Go to FILE and select EXPORT
2. Select CREATE AN ANIMTED GIF
3. Choose the size and quality of the GIF
4. Check the box to MAKE BACKGROUND TRANSPARENT (this is the new feature!)
5. The “seconds to spend on each slide” can be left with the default value. It will not be used as each slide has a preset automatic transition set.
6. click CREATE GIF

And that’s it!

Jake @ TLC

One thing easy to do in PowerPoint is to distort images. Often it is unintentional, but it happens fairly often. As example, on this slide, the picture looks distorted.

The soccer ball looks distorted, more of an egg shape than round ball. Here is how to check: select the image > go to the FORMAT PICTURE tab > go to SIZE & PROPERTIES tab > look at SCALE HEIGHT and SCALE WIDTH.

All images should be 100% x 100% if they are using the original size. If the image has been resized to be smaller or larger, the percentage will adjust, but should remain the same value in each field. Here the height and width are different, telling us the image has been distorted and is wider than it’s height.

The simple fix is to make both fields that same value, say 100% x 100%. Then resize the picture using one of the 4 corners to maintain the aspect ratio.

Continuing looking at images in presentations, this time we are literally looking at an image on a slide and noting it appears “blurry”. The question is why? The #1 reason is the image has a small resolution and has been enlarged on the slide. Here is how to check and confirm.

The image here is not full slide, but it is noticeably blurry.

Select the image > go to the PICTURE FORMAT tab > click the RESET PICTURE dropdown menu > click RESET PICTURE AND SIZE.

The image will reset to its original/real size. In this example, the guess that the image was small and had been enlarged on the slide is correct. After resetting the image to the original size, it is MUCH smaller, hence the blurry resolution when it was enlarged.

Another option, also describe in the previous post, is to select the image > open the FORMAT PICTURE pane > go to the SIZE AND PROPERITES tab > review the SCALE HEIGHT and SCALE WIDTH settings. This image has been enlarged to 400% from the original (4X its original size). Just from the numbers, we know it is not going to be a crisp image display…

Puzzles are a great visual metaphor for presentations. We are sharing our process for creating a custom image for a presentation, with a puzzle piece theme. We do not want a single, flat image as that limits our presentation design options. But rather than create dozens of custom puzzle piece images in Illustrator or Photoshop, we prep a few images in these programs and let PowerPoint do most of the work.

1. Using Adobe Illustrator we created a image of 5 connecting puzzle piece shapes. These were exported as .SVG (vector) images.

2. Next we created a library of flag images that would be used in the puzzle pieces. These could be PNG or SVG format. We like the scalable nature of vector .svg images, and flags work well in this format. Here is an example of one flag image:

3. Insert the puzzle piece INSERT tab >> PICTURES tab >> FROM THIS DEVICE. From the dialog find the puzzle piece file.

4. Right click the puzzle piece and select FORMAT PICTURE.

5. On the left pane select FILL. In the right pane select PICTURE OR TEXTURE FILL.

6. Click FILE and from the dialog find the American Flag image.

7. Check the box to TILE the picture as texture and UNCHECK the box at the bottom “ROTATE WITH SHAPE”.

9. However, if you uncheck the TILE picture as texture box, select CROP and then use the outer dots (not crop bars) to adjust the flag image size and position.

10. Have fun with formatting your shape! All PowerPoint style effects are available: bevel, drop shadow, reflection, etc. Because the ROTATE WITH SHAPE option is turned off the puzzle piece shape rotates, but the flag stays in the same orientation!

Download the PowerPoint slide of the puzzle piece American flag HERE.

Sara @ TLC