Create a quick texture background

Starting with PowerPoint 2010, you can use Artistic Effects to create some cool effects for your pictures. You can convert a shape to an image and then apply an effect to that image. You can use the texture as a slide background or as an object on your slide. Here’s an example.

Here’s how to create this texture:

1. Insert a rectangle. You can drag it to cover the entire slide (or slide master) but you don’t have to — you can enlarge it later if you want. Unlike most images, textures are quite forgiving if you need to resize them because they’re so abstract.
2. With the rectangle selected, click the Format tab and choose Shape Outline, No Outline.
3. Copy the rectangle to the Clipboard.
4. Right-click and choose Picture under the Paste Options. Alternatively, go to Home tab, Clipboard group and choose Picture from the Paste drop-down list. Now, instead of seeing the Drawing Tools Format tab, you have a Picture Tools Format tab and you can use tools that apply to images instead of shapes.
5. On the Format tab, choose Artistic Effects and choose one of the options. I chose Pencil Grayscale for the above slide.

Here are some other changes you can make:

• Change the color: On the Format tab, choose Color and choose an option from the Recolor section.
• Soften: To mute the texture, choose Corrections. In the Sharpen/Soften section, choose the Soften: 50% option.
• Lighten or darken: Choose Corrections and choose one of the options in the Brighten/Contrast section.

There are other possibilities as well; poke around the settings to see what gives you the effect you like. Here’s another slide that uses these settings.

I’m working with a colleague to get you a great price on a whole library of textures — I think you’ll love them!