How to Add Clip Art to PowerPoint: Expert Tips!

Author:

Trish Dixon

Published:

September 14, 2024

Updated:

October 14, 2024

Clip art can significantly enhance the visual appeal of your PowerPoint presentations, adding creative elements to better engage your audience. Whether you’re creating a professional business presentation, an educational slideshow, or a fun personal project, adding clip art helps you illustrate ideas, grab attention, and make your content more engaging.

In this article, we’ll walk you through the step-by-step process of how to add clip art to PowerPoint and ensure it’s effectively integrated into your slides.

Why Use Clip Art in PowerPoint?

Before we get into the technical steps, it’s important to understand why you should consider using clip art in your presentations. Clip art can help:

Visualize complex ideas: Sometimes, words alone may not be enough to express a concept clearly. Clip art can represent ideas visually, making them easier to understand.
Engage your audience: Well-placed clip art can capture attention and keep your audience engaged throughout the presentation.
Break up text: Slides filled with text can be overwhelming. Adding visuals like clip art can break up text and make the slide more digestible.

Let’s explore the step-by-step guide on how to incorporate clip art into your PowerPoint presentation.

How to Add Clip Art in PowerPoint?

Adding clip art to your PowerPoint slides is a simple process that can be done in just a few steps. You can choose from PowerPoint’s built-in clip art gallery or use clip art from external sources. Here’s how to do both.

Step 1: Open Your PowerPoint Presentation

The first step in adding clip art is to open the PowerPoint presentation where you want to insert the artwork. You can start with an existing presentation or create a new one.

Launch Microsoft PowerPoint.
Open your existing presentation or create a new one by selecting “New Blank Presentation” from the main screen.

Step 2: Choose the Slide Where You Want to Insert Clip Art

Once your presentation is open, navigate to the slide where you’d like to add your clip art. Select the slide by clicking on it from the left-hand slide panel.

Step 3: Access PowerPoint’s Built-In Clip Art

PowerPoint includes a variety of clip art images available through its Insert menu.

Click on the Insert tab at the top of the screen.
In the ribbon, look for the Pictures section.
From the drop-down, select Online Pictures.

This option allows you to search for images, including clip art, directly from the web.

Step 4: Search for Clip Art

When you click Online Pictures, a dialog box will open, allowing you to search for images directly from Bing. To find clip art:

Enter a relevant keyword in the search bar (e.g., “clip art trees,” “clip art arrows”).
You can filter your search results by selecting Clip Art under the image type filter.

PowerPoint will display a range of clip art options that match your search term.

Step 5: Insert Clip Art into Your Slide

Once you’ve found the right clip art for your slide, select the image by clicking on it, and then click the Insert button at the bottom of the search box. The clip art will now appear on your slide.

Step 6: Resize and Move Clip Art

After inserting the clip art, you may need to resize or reposition it on your slide.

To resize: Click on the image and drag one of the corner handles to adjust its size proportionally. Avoid dragging from the side or top handles to maintain the aspect ratio.
To move: Simply click and drag the clip art to the desired location on the slide.

Step 7: Modify Clip Art (Optional)

If needed, you can make basic adjustments to your clip art using PowerPoint’s Picture Tools. This includes changing the color, brightness, contrast, or applying effects like shadows and reflections. To access these options:

Select the clip art image.
Go to the Format tab in the ribbon.
Explore the available adjustments, such as Color, Artistic Effects, and Picture Styles.

Using External Clip Art in PowerPoint

While PowerPoint provides a good selection of clip art, you might want to use images from external sources for more variety. Follow these steps to add external clip art.

Step 1: Find Clip Art from External Websites

There are many free and paid websites where you can download clip art. Popular sources include:

Pixabay
Freepik
OpenClipart

Download the clip art file (typically in PNG or JPEG format) to your computer.

Step 2: Insert the External Clip Art into PowerPoint

After downloading your clip art, insert it into PowerPoint by following these steps:

Click on the Insert tab.
Select Pictures, then choose This Device.
Locate the downloaded clip art on your computer and click Insert.

Step 3: Resize and Move Clip Art

Just like with the built-in clip art, you can resize and move your external clip art using the same methods. Additionally, you can use PowerPoint’s Picture Tools to further modify the image.

Best Practices for Adding Clip Art to PowerPoint

To ensure your presentation looks professional and clean, here are some best practices to follow when adding clip art:

1. Use Relevant Clip Art

Always choose clip art that is relevant to your content. Random images can confuse your audience and distract from the message you’re trying to convey.

2. Avoid Overloading Your Slides

It’s tempting to add multiple images to make your slides more attractive, but too much clip art can clutter your slides. Use clip art sparingly to maintain a clean and professional look.

3. Keep a Consistent Style

To avoid visual inconsistencies, make sure all the clip art in your presentation follows a similar style. Don’t mix modern flat design clip art with more realistic images, as it can create visual disharmony.

4. Balance Text and Visuals

Your slides should maintain a balance between text and visuals. Avoid filling the entire slide with clip art; instead, use it to complement your text and enhance comprehension.

5. Optimize Image Size

Large clip art files can slow down your PowerPoint presentation. Ensure that all images are optimized for file size without losing too much quality. You can compress images in PowerPoint by going to File > Compress Pictures.

Clip Art Formats and Compatibility

When using external clip art, it’s important to consider the file format. Here are some common formats and their compatibility with PowerPoint.

Format	Description	PowerPoint Compatibility
PNG	Transparent background, high quality	Fully compatible
JPEG	Compressed image, small file size	Fully compatible
GIF	Supports animation, low quality	Compatible but rarely used
SVG	Scalable vector graphics, high quality	Compatible in newer PowerPoint versions

Use PNG or SVG formats whenever possible for high-quality images with transparent backgrounds.

Troubleshooting Issues While Inserting Clip Art in PowerPoint

Sometimes, you may encounter issues when inserting clip art into PowerPoint. Here are some common problems and how to solve them.

1. Clip Art Not Inserting Properly

If you are unable to insert clip art, it could be due to:

Internet connectivity issues: Check your internet connection if using online clip art.
File corruption: Ensure that the clip art file is not corrupted or damaged.

2. Clip Art Appears Blurry

If your clip art appears blurry after inserting it into PowerPoint, it might be due to the image’s low resolution. Choose high-resolution clip art files for clearer visuals.

3. Clip Art Not Aligning Properly

If your clip art is not aligning with other elements on the slide, use PowerPoint’s alignment tools:

Select the clip art.
Go to the Format tab.
In the Arrange group, choose Align and select the appropriate alignment option (e.g., Align Center, Align Middle).

Final Thoughts

Adding clip art to your PowerPoint presentation can make it more visually appealing and engaging for your audience. By following the steps outlined in this guide, you can easily insert clip art from both PowerPoint’s built-in library and external sources. Be mindful of the visual style, keep your slides balanced, and use clip art that enhances your message without overwhelming your audience.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I insert clip art into PowerPoint?

To insert clip art, click on the Insert tab, select ‘Online Pictures,’ and search for clip art. Once you find the right image, click ‘Insert’ to add it to your slide.

Where can I find free clip art for PowerPoint?

You can find free clip art on websites like Pixabay, OpenClipart, and Freepik. These external sources offer a wide variety of downloadable clip art images.

Can I resize clip art in PowerPoint?

Yes, you can resize clip art by selecting the image and dragging the corner handles to increase or decrease its size while maintaining its aspect ratio.

How do I edit clip art once it is inserted?

You can edit clip art by selecting it and using the ‘Format’ tab. From there, you can adjust colors, brightness, and apply effects like shadows and reflections.

Why is my clip art blurry in PowerPoint?

Blurry clip art is usually caused by a low-resolution image. To fix this, use high-quality clip art images in PNG or SVG format for clearer visuals.

What file formats are compatible with clip art in PowerPoint?

PowerPoint is compatible with several file formats, including PNG, JPEG, GIF, and SVG. For best results, use PNG or SVG formats for higher quality images.

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