Microsoft Office/Using Graphics and Animations

Picture as Background

 * 1) Have the picture you want to use as a background saved in a folder where you know where it is.
 * 2) Go to the Design Tab
 * 3) Go to the Background Group
 * 4) Click on Background Styles drop down menu
 * 5) Click on Format Background
 * 6) Click the radio button for Picture or texture fill
 * 7) Click on the FILE button and browse to the picture
 * 8) *Click on CLOSE to apply the picture to just the current slide
 * 9) *Click on APPLY TO ALL to apply the picture to all slides in the presentation

Creating graphics with transparent backgrounds
NOTE: if you want more than one color transparent you will need to do this in a photo editor and save the picture as a PNG, GIF, or TIFF
 * 1) Click on the INSERT Tab
 * 2) Click on either Picture or Clip Art
 * 3) Find the picture you want and bring it into the slide
 * 4) Click on the PICTURE TOOLS button at the top of the window
 * 5) Click the RECOLOR button in the ADJUST group
 * 6) Click on the Set Transparent color button at the bottom of the dialog box
 * 7) Click on the one color you want to be transparent



Transitions
Transitions are the motion of how to get to the current slide.
 * 1) Go to the Animation tab
 * 2) Go to the TRANSITION TO THIS SLIDE group
 * 3) Choose a transition for how this slide will enter
 * 4) *if you want the presentation to run automatically then on the far right change the Advance Slide to Automatically and set the amount of time.
 * 5) *If you want to have to click to get the slides to advance click the ON MOUSE CLICK check box
 * 6) You can also set the speed of the transition
 * 7) You can also add sounds for the transition

Animations
One of the more fun things you can do in PowerPoint is to make things move. One thing to keep in mind is for formal presentations, don't overdo the animations. Let your audience focus on your content and not be distracted with all the motion. If the motion adds to the meaning or content, then it belongs.

Under the Animation Tab you have several choices for how you will add animation to your show.
 * Text can be animated with these custom entrances to add flair:
 * Whip
 * Swish
 * Flip
 * Unfold
 * Grow & Turn
 * Color Typewriter
 * many others
 * Pictures can be animated simply
 * Fade
 * Wipe
 * Fly In
 * Slide Transitions
 * Fades
 * Cuts
 * Dissolves
 * Wipes
 * Uncovers
 * Wheels
 * Many variations of each

Custom Animations
Pictures can be animated more dramatically with Custom Animations. To get there go to the:

Animations Tab - Animations Group - Custom Animation Button

There are four main groups of animations:
 * Entrance
 * Appear
 * some other affect to enter onto the screen
 * Emphasis
 * spin either direction and any set number of degrees
 * Many other motions
 * Exit
 * Disappear
 * Many other ways to remove off the screen
 * Motion Paths
 * Draw Custom Path - Scribble
 * Many other ways to move on the screen

The best thing to do is take a graphic and try some of the animations out.

Once you have several affects added to your picture or text you might want some of them to occur at the same time. In the drop down under the Custom Animations you can set them to: With these settings and the speed settings you can get many dramatic affects.
 * on Click
 * with Previous
 * after Previous

Try to take a picture of a skier and have them fall down a hill by adding a spin and a motion path that occur with previous.

Sounds
Sounds are another way to add a special touch to a presentation. But here to you can go overboard. Only add sounds that really need to be there for the effect you want.

To get to sounds go to:

Insert Tab - Media Clips Group - Sounds icon

You can add sounds from the following sources:
 * Sounds from file
 * Sound from the clip organizer
 * Play CD Audio Track
 * Record sound

If you have a folder of Royalty Free sounds you can add any of them to your PowerPoint by browsing to it. If you use the clip organizer it is just like adding a clip art. If you play with the CD then you need to make sure the CD is in the CD player anytime you want to view the presentation. If you want to create something like a kids book where the book reads along with the kid, you can record your own sounds. You must have a microphone hooked up for this option to work.

Once you have the sounds in the presentation they will appear in the Custom Animation list and you can set when in the presentation you want them to play. You can set them to play automatically or after you click or after some other action. You can also set it to repeat the sound, and to hide the sound icon during the presentation.

Rehearsal Timing
A finishing touch to a presentation is to have practiced your presentation and have the slide change automatically for you when you are ready for them. This can be done easily with the rehearsal timings. To get to this go to the:
 * Slide Show Tab - Set up Group - Rehearse Timings button
 * Give your presentation as you would normally
 * Press space bar as you need
 * Re-play the slide show and it will keep the timings you just set.

Project
Create a mini movie on a school appropriate topic of your choosing.

Examples:
 * snowmobile safety
 * chemistry lab safety
 * Newtons laws of motion
 * World War II
 * Frogs in their natural habitat
 * A video game prototype

Requirements: Helpful hits to make this extrodinary:
 * 1) Custom animations on every page
 * 2) Slide transitions between every slide
 * 3) One slide needs to have a picture for a background
 * 4) Individual creativity
 * 5) Creating graphics with transparent backgrounds
 * 6) A Sound must be added to at least one slide for emphasis
 * Use a tool such as Photoshop or Gimp to edit your graphics
 * Use layers with some layers semi-transparent to make it look like you are behind glass or under water
 * Use layers so you can go behind different items
 * Bring in a CD to add music in the background
 * Work with the custom animations and have several of them "start with previous". This works really well with a motion path and an emphasis.