Graphics

Last updated: November 10, 2014

Word allows you to insert images and graphics into a document. For example, you can insert organizational charts, shapes, an image from your files, or an image from Word’s Clip Art library.

Inserting an Image

To insert an image from your files into a document:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the Insert tab.
  3. Click the Picture icon picture icon from the Illustrations group. A dialog box will open that allows you to select any image from your files.
  4. Double-click the image you want to insert.

Inserting Clip Art

To insert a Clip Art image:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the Clip Art icon Clipart Icon on the Insert tab. The Clip Art pane will open on the right of the screen.
  3. Search for an image you like using the Search For feature in the pane.
  4. Click and drag the image into your document.

Resizing an Image

To change the size of an image:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the image to select it. A border with eight handles will appear around the image box.
  3. Click and drag a handle to resize the image.

Editing an Image

You can edit and customize an image using the Picture Tools bar. The Picture Tools bar will appear on the Ribbon once you click an image. These tools allow you to make a number of changes to an image, for example brightening and darkening an image, adding a border, changing the size, or placing an image in front or behind text.

Shapes

The Shapes feature allows you to draw a number of geometrical shapes, arrows, flow chart elements, stars, and other graphics on a slide. To add shapes:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the Shapes icon Shapes icon on the Insert tab. A dialog box will open, showing the available shapes.
  3. Click the shape you want.
  4. Click the document where you want the shape to appear.

Connecting Shapes

You may want to connect shapes together in order to make a flowchart. You can do this by adding a line between shapes. To add a line:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the Shapes icon Shapes icon on the Insert tab. A dialog box will open, showing the available shapes.
  3. Select a line from the lines menu.
  4. Click the slide where you want the line to appear.

Resizing a Shape

To change the size of a shape:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the shape to select it. A border with nine handles will appear around the shape. The circles in the corners allow you to resize both the length and width of the shape at once. The squares on the sides allow you to resize the shape either horizontally or vertically.
  3. Click and drag a handle to resize the shape.

Moving a Shape

To move a shape:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the shape to select it.
  3. Hold the mouse over the shape until the pointer changes to a arrow cursor.
  4. Click and drag the shape to its new location.

Deleting a Shape

To delete a shape:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the shape to select it.
  3. Press Delete on your keyboard.

SmartArt

SmartArt is an easy way to create diagrams and flowcharts. To insert SmartArt:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the SmartArt icon smartart icon on the Insert tab. A dialog box will open, showing the available SmartArt options.
  3. Choose the diagram you want.
  4. Click OK. To insert text into the diagram, click the shapes with “[Text]” on them and type in the text.

You can further customize your SmartArt using the SmartArt Tools bar. To access the SmartArt Tools bar:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click inside the SmartArt box in your document.
  3. Click SmartArt Tools above the Format tab on the Ribbon.

From here, you can add a new shape to your art by clicking the Add Shape button in the Create Graphic group. If you expand the Add Shape button by clicking on the arrow, you can choose to insert the shape before or after the shape that is currently selected. If you need to change a shape’s position in a hierarchy, click the Promote button to move it to a higher level and the Demote button to move it to a lower level. You can also use the Text Pane in the Create Graphic group to edit text.

Charts

To insert a chart:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Click the Chart icon Charts icon on the Insert tab. A window will open, showing the available chart templates.
  3. Select the chart you want.
  4. Click OK. Don’t Panic! Unlike previous versions of Word, Word 2007 will automatically open your chart as an Excel file. This allows you to input your data and make changes to your chart with more ease.
  5. When you are finished editing your data, close Excel. The chart will appear in your Word document

To edit the data at a later time, double-click the chart, and the Excel data sheet will appear.

Deleting Images and Graphics

To delete an image or graphic:

  1. StepsActions
  2. Select the image or graphic by clicking it.
  3. Press  on your keyboard.

Note: Some graphics can only be placed where the cursor allows, for example pictures, charts, Clip Art, and SmartArt. Other graphics can be placed and moved freely around the page, for example shapes.