After receiving my Save the Dates, many of my friends and family members have asked me how I was able to create the images, and my response that it was done using Microsoft PowerPoint has generated a number of dumbfounded looks. It seems that many individuals have a hefty diversion to any program in the Microsoft Office suite that isn't Word and have missed out on the creative potential of its other programs. Contrary to popular belief, Office can be used for far more than essays, spreadsheets, and slideshows, and it doesn't take a computer software genius to take full advantage of its options. So, in answer to some requests, I've decided to post some basic instructions for how I created my Save the Dates.
Before I get started, I do want to clarify that I in no way believe that Office is the 'end-all, be-all' of creative design software. There is, in fact, much better software available on the market, but it comes at a cost. In contrast, Office is generally more affordable and accessible for the average computer user. If nothing else, it's free to use at your local library. That disclaimer out of the way, on to the tutorial.
Using PowerPoint 2007
1. After opening PowerPoint, ensure that you start with a blank slide. This may be done by manually selecting all existing items and deleting them, or by selecting Home tab on the top of your screen, mousing over the Layout drop-down menu, and selecting the Blank layout.
2. If not already activated, turn on gridlines to help monitor how all pictures and items line up within your page. Do this by selecting the View tab and then checking the Gridlines box.
3. Change the page dimensions so that your slide is the size that you want your final image to be. (Note: you can always resize your final image after it is saved, but to keep your page proportions in tact, it's best to start with this step.) Select the Design tab on the top of your screen, and then select Page Setup on the far right. A dialogue box will appear, giving you the option to edit your page height, width, and landscape. Change these to your desired dimensions. For mine, I created 2 files, one with 4x6 and the other with 5x7 dimensions.
4. Begin inserting the items of your choice and arranging them on the page in your preferred layout. Select the Insert tab, and you may choose to add several types of items, including pictures, clip art, word art, shapes, and text boxes. For my slide, I used a combination of pictures from our engagement session, text boxes, and shapes (the lines used to create the white borders between objects).
5. To alter individual items, double click the item you wish to change and select the Format tab. From here, you may alter the item's size, color, and outline, and select various item effects if desired.
6. Once you are happy with the overall layout and design of your slide, you will need to select all individual items within it. Beginning at one corner of your slide, hold your left mouse button and 'draw' a rectangle which ends at the opposite corner. (Note: this is best done if you zoom out on your screen so that the entire slide is visible.) If done properly, outlines should appear for all items on your slide. If an item's outline does not appear, it was not completely included in your rectangle and you will need to try again.
7. With all slide items selected, right click on your slide (anywhere should work) and select Group from the drop-down menu that appears. This will group all individual items together to create one linked object.
8. After your items have been grouped together, right click your image again and select Save As Picture. This will open a Save dialogue box and give you the option to save your slide in the picture format of your choice, typically JPEG or PNG.
9. Now your slide can be treated as any type of picture format, meaning you can edit it using photo software, upload to online websites, and (as in my case) send it to the retailer of your choice for mass reproduction.
At a later time, I hope to revise this post to include directions for other versions of PowerPoint and pictures detailing each step for the non-tech-savvy, but that is definitely a project best saved for another day. In the meantime, I hope this helps. If you have any specific questions or concerns, feel free to post a comment or send me an email!
No comments:
Post a Comment