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Microsoft PowerPoint X

Customizing Slides: Using Color

When designing a PowerPoint presentation, color is an effective way to make your presentation eye-catching and persuasive. PowerPoint X offers several ways to manipulate the colors in your presentation. Using the Colors and Fill Effects dialog boxes, you can customize your colors to meet your specific needs. This document will show how to access and use both the Colors and Fill Effects dialog boxes.

return to topAccessing the Dialog Boxes

Both the Colors and Fill Effects dialog boxes can be accessed from the Color pull-down list. However, if you do not see the Fill Effects option listed, the Fill Effects option is not available for your selected object (e.g., fonts and jpg images). 

Accessing the dialog boxes varies depending on the object or text you want to customize. In all cases, you have to access the Colors and Fill Effects dialog boxes through the Color pull-down list, which appears in a wide variety of dialog boxes (e.g., Format AutoShape, Format Picture, and Font). 

Color List

Once you have accessed the Color pull-down list, you will see many color options, including the More Colors and Fill Effects options. After selecting the appropriate dialog box for the object you want to change, see Customizing Slide Elements. 

To open the Colors dialog box:

  1. Select the object to modify

  2. In the Formatting palette, locate the section relative to your object (e.g., Fill and Line, Font, Picture)

  3. In that section, from the Color pull-down list, select More Colors...
    The Colors dialog box appears.

To open the Fill Effects dialog box:

  1. Select the object to modify

  2. In the Formatting palette, locate the section relative to your object (e.g., Fill and Line, Font, Picture)

  3. In that section, from the Color pull-down list, select Fill Effects...
    The Fill Effects dialog box appears.

return to topUsing the Colors Dialog Box

The Colors dialog box is basically the color picker. It allows you to pick a color from a circular palette and then lets you format the shading of that color. 

Using the Colors Dialog Box: Selecting Colors on the Color Wheel

Using the Color Wheel, you can choose a standard color. To customize that color, see Using the Colors Dialog Box: Selecting Custom Colors. 

  1. Access the Colors dialog box 

  2. Click COLOR WHEELColor Wheel button
    The Color Wheel appears.
    Color Wheel

  3. From the Color Wheel, select a color
    The selected color appears in the Preview box.

  4. If you are satisfied with that color, click OK

Using the Colors Dialog Box: Selecting Custom Colors

Using the Custom Colors tab allows you to create custom colors. It allows for precise color selection when you enter exact amounts of hue, saturation, luminosity, red, green, and/or blue. 

  1. Access the Colors dialog box 
    The Colors dialog box appears.

  2. Click COLOR SLIDERS Color Sliders button
    The Color Sliders appear.
    Color Sliders

  1. From the pull-down list, select RGB Sliders (Red, Green, Blue), CMYK Sliders (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key), or HSB Sliders (Hue, Saturation, Brightness)
    The text boxes change according to your choice.

  2. Enter values for the selected mode
    OR
    Use the sliders to select the values

  3. Click OK

return to topUsing the Fill Effects Dialog Box

The Fill Effects dialog box adds gradient, texture, and pattern to your color. You can access the different formatting options by selecting the tabs on the Fill Effects dialog box. 

Using the Fill Effects Dialog Box: Gradient Tab

  1. Access the Fill Effects dialog box
    The Fill Effects dialog box appears.
    Fill Effects dialog box

  2. Select the Gradient tab

  3. Under Colors, select One color, Two colors, or Preset
    NOTE: The Preview area previews your selections.

  4. Adjust the color using the Dark and Light scroll bar
    OR
    From the Color1 pull-down list, select appropriate color
    NOTE: The Dark and Light scroll bar is not an option if you have two colors or a preset. For information on the More Colors option, see Using the Colors Dialog Box.

  5. Adjust the transparency as desired

  6. Under Shading styles, select the direction of your shading

  7. Under Variants, select one of the four options for your shading style
    An example of your color, shading style, and selected variant style appears under Preview.

  8. When you are satisfied with the gradient of your color, click OK

Using the Fill Effects Dialog Box: Texture Tab

  1. Access the Fill Effects dialog box
    The Fill Effects dialog box appears.

  2. Select the Texture tab

  3. Select the desired texture

  4. OPTIONAL: To select other textures saved in your own files, click OTHER TEXTURE...

  5. When you are satisfied with the texture of your color, click OK

Using the Fill Effects Dialog Box: Pattern Tab

  1. Access the Fill Effects dialog box
    The Fill Effects dialog box appears.

  2. Select the Pattern tab

  3. Select the desired pattern

  4. To change the foreground of the selected pattern, from the Foreground pull-down list, select a color
    NOTE: For information on the More Colors option, see Using the Colors Dialog Box.

  5. To change the background of the selected pattern, from the Background pull-down list, select a color
    NOTE: For information on the More Colors option, see Using the Colors Dialog Box.

  6. When you are satisfied with the pattern of your color, click OK

Using the Fill Effects Dialog Box: Picture Tab

  1. Access the Fill Effects dialog box
    The Fill Effects dialog box appears.

  2. Select the Picture tab

  3. To access a picture in your file, click Select Picture...
    The Choose a Picture dialog box appears.

  4. Select the desired picture and click INSERT

  5. Click OK

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