Part III: Creating Charts and Graphics

Using WordArt

WordArt is available in previous versions of Excel, but this feature got a well-needed facelift in Excel 2007. You can use WordArt to create graphical effects in text. Figure 22.14 shows a few examples of WordArt.

To insert a WordArt graphic on a worksheet, choose Insert WordArt and then select a style from the gallery. Excel inserts an object with the placeholder text Your text here. Replace that text with your own, resize it, and apply other formatting if you like.

When you select a WordArt image, Excel displays its Drawing Tools contextual menu. Use the controls to vary the look of your WordArt.

Note

The controls in the Drawing Tools Format Shape Styles group operate on the Shape that contains the text — not the text. To apply text formatting, use the controls in the Drawing Tools Format WordArt

Styles group. You can also use some of the standard formatting controls on the Home tab or the Mini toolbar. In addition, right-click the WordArt and choose Format Text Effects for more formatting options. n

FIGURE 22.14

WordArt examples.

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Chapter 22: Enhancing Your Work with Pictures and Drawings

Working with Other Graphic Types

Excel can import a wide variety of graphics into a worksheet. You have several choices:

•Use the Clip Art task pane to locate and insert an image.

•Import a graphic file directly.

•Copy and paste an image using the Windows Clipboard.

About graphics files

Graphics files come in two main categories: bitmap and vector (picture).

•Bitmap images are made up of discrete dots. They usually look pretty good at their original size, but often lose clarity if you increase the size. Examples of common bitmap file formats include BMP, PNG, JPEG, TIFF, and GIF.

•Vector-based images, on the other hand, are comprised of points and paths that are represented by mathematical equations, so they retain their crispness regardless of their size. Examples of common vector file formats include CGM, WMF, and EPS.

You can find hundreds of thousands of graphics files free for the taking on the Internet. Be aware, however, that some graphic files have copyright restrictions.

Caution

Using bitmap graphics in a worksheet can dramatically increase the size of your workbook, resulting in more memory usage and longer load and save times. n

Using the Clip Art task pane

Clip art refers to pre-made images (as opposed to custom image) that are used to illustrate just about any medium. The term originated back in the days when images were actually clipped from books and reused in new print projects. Nowadays, clip art is almost always in electronic form.

Want a Great Graphics File Viewer?

Many users are content to use the graphics file-viewing capabilities built into Windows. If you do a lot of work with graphics files, though, you owe it to yourself to get a real file-viewing program.

Many graphics viewers are available, but one of the best products in its class is IrfanView. It enables you to view just about any graphics file you can find, and it has features and options that will satisfy even hard-core graphics mavens. Best of all, it’s free. To download a copy, visit www.irfanview.com.

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Microsoft Office includes lots of clip art images, and you access them via the Clip Art task pane. This task pane provides an easy way to locate and insert images into a worksheet.

Note

The Clip Art task pane also allows you to insert sound and video files, and gives you direct access to the Microsoft Design Gallery Live on the Web. n

Display the Clip Art task pane by choosing Insert Clip Art. You can search for clip art by using the controls at the top of the task pane. Figure 22.15 shows the task pane, along with the thumbnail images resulting from a search for “people”. To insert an image into the active worksheet, just double-click the thumbnail. For additional options, right-click the thumbnail image.

FIGURE 22.15

Use the Clip Art task pane to search for clip art and other multimedia files.

If you can’t find a suitable image, go online and browse through the extensive clip art at the Microsoft Clip Gallery Live Web site. Click the Find More at Office.com link (at the bottom of the task pane), and your Web browser will be activated, at which point you can view the images (or listen to the sounds) and add those you want to your Clip Organizer.

Inserting graphics files

If the graphic image that you want to insert is available in a file, you can easily import the file into your worksheet. Choose Insert Picture. Excel displays its Insert Picture dialog box, from which you can browse for the file.

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Chapter 22: Enhancing Your Work with Pictures and Drawings

When you insert a picture on a worksheet, you can modify the picture in a number of ways from the Picture Tools Format contextual tab, which becomes available when you select a picture object. For example, you can adjust the color, contrast, and brightness. In addition, you can add borders, shadows, reflections, and so on — similar to the operations available for Shapes.

And don’t overlook the Picture Tools Format Picture Styles group. These commands can transform your image in some very interesting ways. Figure 22.16 shows various styles for a picture.

FIGURE 22.16

Displaying a picture in a number of different styles.

New Feature

A new feature in Office 2010 is Artistic Effects. This command can apply a number of Photoshop-like effects to an image. To access this feature, right-click and image and choose Format Picture. Then, in the Format Picture dialog box, choose Artistic Effects. Each effect is somewhat customizable, so if you’re not happy with the default effect, try adjusting some options.

You might be surprised by some of the image enhancements that are available. The best way to learn this feature is to dig in and experiment. Even if you have no need for image enhancement, you might find that it’s a fun diversion when you need a break from working with numbers. n

Inserting screenshots

A new feature in Excel 2010 allows you to insert an image of any program currently running on your computer. To use the new screenshot feature

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Part III: Creating Charts and Graphics

1.Make sure that the window you want to use displays the content that you want.

2.Choose Insert Illustrations Shapes. You’ll see a gallery that contains thumbnails of all windows open on your computer.

3.Click the image you want. Excel inserts it into your worksheet.

When the image is selected, you can use any of the normal picture tools.

Taking Pictures of Ranges

One of Excel’s best-kept secrets is its ability to copy and paste “live” pictures of cells and charts. You can copy a cell or range and then paste a picture (as an object) of the cell or range on any worksheet or chart. If you change the contents of a cell that’s in a picture, the picture changes. The accompanying image shows a picture of a range after applying some picture effects.

To “take a picture” of a range

1.Select the range.

2.Press Ctrl+C to copy the range.

3.Activate another cell.

4.Choose Home Clipboard Paste Linked Picture (I).

The result is a live picture of the range you selected in Step 1.

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