How to Create a PowerPoint Template With a Subdued Picture

Using a custom picture to create a PowerPoint template can make the difference between an eye-catching presentation and one that looks like all of the others ever created with the Microsoft application. But when you bring a picture into PowerPoint as a background, it has the potential to completely overwhelm the text and other elements on the slide. Subdue the image by fading it using PowerPoint's image controls.

Instructions 1. Open PowerPoint. A blank white slide serves as the initial template. Click the "Design" tab at the top of the work area.
2. Click the "Background Styles" button on the right side of the ribbon below the tab. Click "Format Background."
3. Click the "Picture or texture fill" radio button. Click the "File" button under "Insert from." Browse to the picture to use for the template and double-click the image name. PowerPoint inserts the picture, but it is still 100 percent opaque.

The Differences Between a Powerpoint Template & a Powerpoint Background

Microsoft PowerPoint backgrounds and templates are two different things. A template provides the presenter with a PowerPoint format that can be applied to numerous presentations. A background formats the background of one slide or all of the slides in a single presentation. Backgrounds can be applied to a presentation, which can then be saved as a template for future use. PowerPoint also provides users with another formatting tool similar to templates and backgrounds called themes. Themes take templates a step further by providing preformatted styles.

Backgrounds
PowerPoint uses a feature called "Backgrounds" to add pictures, clip art, watermarks, textures, color or gradient of colors to customize a slide. Backgrounds always appear behind text and objects in the slide and cannot be brought forward using the arrange command. Creating backgrounds is easy; the user simply right-clicks on a blank area of the slide and selects "Format Background." From there, the user applies the desired format and selects whether to apply to just the one slide or to all slides in the presentation.

How to Use PowerPoint Templates

Microsoft PowerPoint includes templates that make PowerPoint presentations much more attractive. Once a PowerPoint template has been applied to a presentation, every page in the PowerPoint presentation will use the theme and colors that are included in the selected PowerPoint template. You can then apply slide layouts, which makes creating PowerPoint slides very easy. Here is how to use PowerPoint templates.

Instructions How to Select PowerPoint Templates in PowerPoint 2007
1. Open a new file. Click the "Office" button in the upper left corner. Then, click "New." The new presentation window opens.
2. Locate the "Templates" section. The "Templates" section is located in the upper left side of the window.
3. Click "Installed templates." The window populates with the PowerPoint templates that are stored on your computer.
4. Click to select a PowerPoint template. Scroll through the PowerPoint template options available on your computer and then click on the one you want to apply to your PowerPoint presentation.

The Screen Windows (Power Point)

 

The PowerPoint Screen

PowerPoint is a complete presentation graphics package. It gives you everything you need to produce a professional-looking presentation. PowerPoint offers word processing, outlining, drawing, graphing, and presentation management tools- all designed to be easy to use and learn.

You use PowerPoint to create effective slide show presentations. The PowerPoint screen has many elements.

Title Bar

The Title bar generally appears at the top of the screen. The Title bar displays the title of the current presentation.

Menu Bar

The Menu bar displays the menu. You use the menu to give instructions to PowerPoint.

Standard and Formatting Toolbars

PowerPoint has several toolbars. Toolbars provide shortcuts to menu commands. The most commonly used toolbars are the Standard and Formatting toolbars. You use the Standard toolbar to do such things as open a file; save a file; print a file; check spelling; cut, copy, and paste; undo and redo; or insert a chart or table. You use the Formatting toolbar to change the font, font size or font color; bold, underline, or italicize text; left align, right align, center, or justify; bullet or number lists; highlight; or decrease or increase the indent.

Rulers

Rulers are vertical and horizontal guides. You use them to determine where you want to place an object. They are marked in inches.

Placeholders

Placeholders hold the objects in your slide. You use placeholders to hold text, clip art, and charts.

Status Bar

The Status bar generally appears at the bottom the screen. The Status bar displays the number of the slide that is currently displayed, the total number of slides, and the name of the design template in use or the name of the background.

Outline Tab

The Outline displays the text contained in your presentation.

Slides Tab

The Slides tab displays a thumbnail of all your slides. You click the thumbnail to view the slide in the Slide pane.

View Buttons

The View buttons appear near the bottom of the screen. You use the view buttons to change between Normal view, Slider Sorter view, and the Slide Show.

Normal View 
Normal view splits you screen into three major sections: the Outline and Slides tabs, the Slide pane, and the Task pane. The Outline and Slides tabs are on the left side of your screen. They enable you to shift between two different ways of viewing your slides. The Slides tab shows thumbnails of your slides. The Outline tab shows the text on your slides. The Slide pane is located in the center of your screen. The Slide pane shows a large view of the slide on which you are currently working. The Task pane is located on the right side of your screen. The Tasks pane enables you to select the task you want to perform.

Slide Sorter View 

Slide Sorter view enables you to view thumbnails of all your slides. In Slide Sorter view you can easily add, delete, or change the order of your slides. When you are in Slide Sorter view, a special Formatting toolbar appears. It has options that allow you to make changes to your slides

Slide Show 
Use the Slide Show view when you want to view your slides, as they will look in your final presentation. When in Slide Show view:

Esc	Returns you to the view you were using previously.
Left-clicking	Moves you to the next slide or animation effect. When you reach the last slide, you automatically return to your last view.
Right-clicking	Opens a pop-up menu. You can use this menu to navigate the slides, add speaker notes, select a pointer, and mark your presentation.

Drawing Toolbar

The Drawing toolbar generally appears near the bottom of the screen. It contains tools for creating and editing graphics.

Common Tasks Buttons

Using the common tasks buttons, you can select the type of tasks you want to perform.

Task Pane

The Task pane enables you to select the specific task you want to perform.

Vertical Splitter Bar

You can click and drag the vertical splitter bar to change the size of your panes.

Minimize Button

You use the Minimize button to remove a window from view. While a window is minimized, its title appears on the taskbar.

Maximize/Restore Button

You use the Maximize button to cause a window to fill the screen. After you maximize a window, if you click the Restore button, the window returns to its former size.

Close Button

You use the Close button to exit the window and close the program.


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