SmartArt in PowerPoint

SmartArt is a new type of graphical tool included in the latest versions of Word. SmartArt is, basically, a way to make organized presentation art. (Some folks think that SmartArt was created as a tool primarily for PowerPoint.) It is suitable for "organizational" types of artwork, such as org charts and process lists.

Working with SmartArt

SmartArt lets you add shapes, color and emphasis to your text. Think of it as turning your text into a diagram, flow-chart, organizational chart or just making a list a little more exciting. This lesson will discuss how to make changes to your SmartArt by adding more shapes, changing the color, changing the text and converting a bullet list into a SmartArt graphic.

But before we begin, let's review how to add a SmartArt graphic to your slide:

1. First, select the Insert menu on the ribbon.
2. And then, under the Illustrations grouping of commands, click on the SmartArt command.
3. A list of SmartArt categories with several different layouts to choose from will appear. Select the layout you want and click OK.

Now, let's continue and learn about making changes to our SmartArt.

Adding More Shapes

You will find it necessary to add more shapes to your SmartArt. For example, if you wanted to create an enhanced version of an agenda, you could use SmartArt. This would replace the typical bullet list of agenda items.

Imagine you are creating a presentation for an upcoming meeting, and a couple of days before, you decide to add a short, team-building exercise. You need to add another list item, or shape, to your SmartArt.

So, here are the steps:

1. First, click on the SmartArt graphic and select an existing shape closest to where you want to add the new shape.
2. In the ribbon, under the SmartArt Tools, click on the Design menu.
3. In the Create Graphic grouping of commands, click on the pick-list icon, next to the Add Shape icon.

• • To insert a shape at the same level as the selected shape but following it, click on Add Shape After.
  • To insert a shape at the same level as the selected shape but before it, click on Add Shape Before.
  • To insert a shape one level above the selected shape, click on Add Shape Above.
  • To insert a shape one level below the selected shape, click Add Shape Below.

To quickly add a shape that matches those in your SmartArt graphic, you can click directly on the Add Shape button. This will, by default, add a shape directly to the right of the shape you have selected.

And here is something to keep in mind: depending on the layout you choose for your SmartArt graphic, all options may not be enabled. For example, if your layout choice goes from left to right or right to left, you may not see the Add Shape Above or Add Shape Below, since your layout choice does not have shapes above or below.

Changing the Color

Okay, let's move on to changing the color. So, the easiest way to quickly change the look of your SmartArt is to change the color. This can happen with just a few clicks of your mouse. Select the SmartArt graphic, and in the SmartArt Tools, click on the Design menu. In the ribbon, go to the SmartArt Styles grouping of commands and click on Change Colors.

PowerPoint offers several different color variations. You can choose to change your SmartArt to multi-color or choose any of the 1-color combinations. This is the easiest way to quickly add some variety to your slide and your SmartArt graphic.