Over the last two weeks I've introduced PowerPoint 2010's Shape Union and Shape Subtract tools. Now I'd like to give a quick example of how you could incorporate this into your eLearning projects made with PowerPoint.
Your end result would look something like this:
Using what you've previously learned about the Shape Union tool, construct a few puzzle pieces. I added a 2 pt width and height bevel to mine to give them some dimension.
Insert an image onto your slide in which you'd like to illustrate a "missing piece." I'm going to use this stock photo of a corporate brainstorming session.
The goal is to have each of the puzzle pieces illustrate a potentially missing piece to the overall productivity picture. The correct missing piece will fit perfectly into the image.
First, you'll need to make your image into a shape. (Shape subtract will not subtract shapes from images, only from other shapes.)
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Insert a shape on your slide (Insert > Illustrations > Shapes). Make it the size you would like your image to be.
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Right-click the shape and choose Format Shape.
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From the Format Shape dialog box, ensure the Fill category is selected. Choose Picture or texture fill and navigate to where the picture you would like to use is located.
(Mine was from my clip art catalog, so I clicked the Clip Art button.)
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Manipulate the shape and the Stretch options until it appears as you would like it.
Now let's make the puzzle pieces look as though they belong in the image.
- Select one of the puzzle pieces you created.
- Right-click and select Format Shape.
- Select the Fill category.
- Select Picture or texture fill and navigate to where the picture you would like to use is located.
- Adjust the Stretch options accordingly so that your puzzle piece is filled with the area of the picture you would like to have a missing puzzle piece.
(For my image I set the Top offset to -146%.)
- Click Close.
- Repeat these steps for the other pieces.
- Add a text box to each piece with a phrase that could be the "missing piece." I've made my winning piece say "online collaboration" and the other two say "donuts" and "more team members."
Now let's cut the puzzle piece from the image.
- Drag the puzzle piece to where you would like it to be removed.
- Press [Ctrl] [C] to copy the puzzle piece.
Don't forget this step-when you "subtract" the piece from the image it will disappear. If you do not copy it you will no longer have the shape.
- Select the image from which you are subtracting.
- Hold down [Ctrl] and select the puzzle piece.
- Click the Shape Subtract tool from your ribbon.
- For a more realistic look, right-click the image and select Format Picture. From the Shadow category, select Inside Center from the presets.
From here you could add any number of effects or transitions to move the lesson along. Perhaps clicking the correct puzzle piece causes the piece to move to the empty space, making the image complete before transitioning to the next slide. Perhaps the student would drag the puzzle piece to the right spot to move to the next slide. The possibilities are endless.
About the author: AJ George is IconLogic's lead Technical Writer and author of both "PowerPoint 2007: The Essentials" and "PowerPoint 2008 for the Macintosh: The Essentials."
I am using PowerPoint 2010 and was with you all the way until shape subtract. I used shape combine and shape subtract to create puzzle pieces but when I went to subtract the shape from my image the shape subtract tool was not available. I do not seem to be able to subtract shapes from anything other than other shapes. Am I doing something wrong? Any help is appreciated.
I am using PowerPoint 2010 and was with you all the way until shape subtract. I used shape combine and shape subtract to create puzzle pieces but when I went to subtract the shape from my image the shape subtract tool was not available. I do not seem to be able to subtract shapes from anything other than other shapes. Am I doing something wrong? Any help is appreciated.
I am using PowerPoint 2010 and was with you all the way until shape subtract. I used shape combine and shape subtract to create puzzle pieces but when I went to subtract the shape from my image the shape subtract tool was not available. I do not seem to be able to subtract shapes from anything other than other shapes. Am I doing something wrong? Any help is appreciated.
Mary, me too – this doesn’t work with a non-shape image like jpeg/png. This can only be done if you
– insert a rectangle shape and then
– Right hand clicknd select “Format Shape”
– Select “Picture ot Texture fill”
– “Insert from File”
– and select your image (the table with folks in this case!)
THEN you can subtract any shape from it!!! Took me a while to figure out this missing step 🙂
Mary, me too – this doesn’t work with a non-shape image like jpeg/png. This can only be done if you
– insert a rectangle shape and then
– Right hand clicknd select “Format Shape”
– Select “Picture ot Texture fill”
– “Insert from File”
– and select your image (the table with folks in this case!)
THEN you can subtract any shape from it!!! Took me a while to figure out this missing step 🙂
Mary, me too – this doesn’t work with a non-shape image like jpeg/png. This can only be done if you
– insert a rectangle shape and then
– Right hand clicknd select “Format Shape”
– Select “Picture ot Texture fill”
– “Insert from File”
– and select your image (the table with folks in this case!)
THEN you can subtract any shape from it!!! Took me a while to figure out this missing step 🙂
Thanks for pointing this out. I updated the steps to reflect the missing part.
Thanks for pointing this out. I updated the steps to reflect the missing part.
Thanks for pointing this out. I updated the steps to reflect the missing part.