IT Services

MS WORD - USING GRAPHICS

Adding graphics to documents is as easy as a couple of clicks of the mouse. A graphic can be a picture that came with the software, a picture someone has drawn or created, animated text, or text within a graphic. Each of these types of graphics can also be combined with any other type of graphic and linked to create a single graphic.

When using any of the components of Office 97, go to the Insert menu and you can insert a variety of types of graphics. Below are examples.

Inserting Graphics

Symbols from the established symbol sets in Office97 are the easiest pictures to use in a document. Think of a symbol exactly as you would any other character on the keyboard, except that it was entered using a menu and a chart.

In order to insert a symbol or to simply examine the many symbol sets and characters contained with in each, click on Insert and Symbol.

Just as increasing the font size can change the size of characters, the same is true of symbols. After inserting the symbol into your document, highlight it and increase the font size to enlarge the symbol.

Using the AutoShapes feature is another quick and easy method of putting attractive graphics into your Word documents. 

When “AutoShapes” is clicked, the AutoShapes toolbar is displayed on your screen.

Clicking on an AutoShape category, a menu of pre-set graphics drops down.  Choose your desired shape by clicking on it. Your mouse pointer now becomes a large plus sign. + 

Position the cursor where you would like the shape to be placed in your document. Click the left mouse button and keep it held down. Drag the mouse to set the size and proportion of your shape. When finished, release your mouse button. 

Click on your WordArt to select it. Whenever WordArt is selected, the WordArt toolbar will appear (as seen below). The WordArt toolbar allows you to do any and all possible changes to your style.

?         a fill of one color only from the regular color palette

?         a designed color²

²If you would like to design your own color, click on “More Colors” and you will get the “Colors” box. This offers a wider variety of color choices. By clicking on the “Custom” tab, you can create your own colors.

³Using fill effects will make your WordArt more dramatic and eye-catching Access the fill effects dialog box by clicking on “Fill Effects . . .”. Three types of effects will be introduced here.

To add a pattern to your text, click on the shown sample. Click the drop-down lists for background and/or foreground to change either color. When you have completed making your changes, click “OK.”

Should you only want the shape to change, but want to keep the font and colors, click on the WordArt Shape button on the WordArt toolbar after selecting the WordArt. Next click on the sample of the shape you wish to apply.

The quickest and easiest method to modifying graphics is selecting the graphic, then right click with either the four-prong or double-edged arrow cursor. This will access the graphics pop-up menu. From here click on “Format . . .”.
The type of graphic selected will be displayed in the menu option. This will bring up a dialog box with a “Color and Lines” tab which is identical to the tab in “Formatting WordArt” dialog box you used earlier.
Selecting and/or changing colors, patterns, texture will be done in the same manner. The only difference in this screen is that you also can apply the same lines. Lines can be arrows, regular lines, graphic borders, etc.

When layering graphics it is best to “group” them. When grouped together, the multiple graphics act as one. This makes for easier resizing and moving.

When using graphics, it is also helpful to be familiar with the drawing and picture toolbars.

To have a toolbar visible on your desktop, go to the View menu and click on “Toolbars.”. Select the toolbar that you wish to have displayed by clicking on it.