Chapter 22. Enhancing Your Work with Pictures and Drawings

IN THIS CHAPTER

Inserting and customizing Shapes

An overview of SmartArt and WordArt

Working with other types of graphics

When it comes to visual presentation, Excel has a lot more up its sleeve than charts. As you may know, you can insert a wide variety of graphics into your worksheet to add pizzazz to an otherwise boring report.

This chapter describes the non–chart-related graphic tools available in Excel. These tools consist of Shapes, SmartArt, WordArt, and imported or pasted images. In addition to enhancing your worksheets, you'll find that working with these objects can be a nice diversion. When you need a break from crunching numbers, you might enjoy creating an artistic masterpiece using Excel's graphic tools.

NOTE

Most of the examples in this chapter are available on the companion CD-ROM.

22.1. Using Shapes

Microsoft Office, including Excel, provides access to a variety of customizable graphic images known as Shapes. You might want to insert shapes to create diagrams, store text, or just add some visual appeal to a worksheet.

22.1.1. Inserting a Shape

You can add a Shape to a worksheet's draw layer by choosing Insert Illustrations Shapes, which opens the Shapes gallery, shown in Figure 22.1. Shapes are organized into categories, and the category at the top displays the Shapes that you've used recently. To insert a Shape on a worksheet, you can do one of the following:

  • Click the Shape in the Shapes gallery and then click in the worksheet. A default-sized shape is added to your worksheet.

  • Click the Shape and then drag in the worksheet to create a larger or smaller Shape, or a Shape with different proportions than the default

When you release the mouse button, the object is selected, and its name appears in the Name field (as shown in Figure 22.2).

Figure 22.1. The Shapes gallery.

Figure 22.2. This Shape was drawn on the worksheet. Its name (Quad Arrow 1) appears in the Name field.

You can also insert a Shape into a chart. Just select the chart before you choose the Shape from the gallery and then click inside the chart to insert the Shape. When a chart is selected, the Chart Tools contextual tab also displays an icon to access the Shapes gallery: Chart Tools Layout Insert Shapes.


A few Shapes require a slightly different approach. For example, when adding a FreeForm Shape (from the Lines category), you can click repeatedly to create lines. Or click and drag to create a nonlinear shape. Double-click to finish drawing and create the Shape. The Curve and Scribble Shapes (in the Lines category) also require several clicks while drawing.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when creating Shapes:

  • Every Shape has a name. Some have generic names like Shape 1 and Shape 2, but others are given more descriptive names (for example, Rectangle 1). To change the name of a Shape, select it, type a new name in the Name field, and press Enter.

  • To select a specific shape, type its name in the Name field and press Enter.

  • When you create a Shape by dragging, hold down the Shift key to maintain the object's default proportions.

  • You can control how objects appear onscreen in the Advanced tab of the Excel Options dialog box (File Excel). This setting appears in the Display Options for This Workbook section. Normally, the All option is selected under For Objects Show. You can hide all objects by choosing Nothing (Hide Objects). Hiding objects may speed things up if your worksheet contains complex objects that take a long time to redraw.

About the Drawing Layer

Every worksheet and chart sheet has a drawing layer. This invisible surface can hold Shapes, SmartArt, WordArt, graphic images, embedded charts, inserted objects, and so on.

You can move, resize, copy, and delete objects placed on the drawing layer, with no effect on any other elements in the worksheet. Objects on the drawing layer have properties that relate to how they're moved and sized when underlying cells are moved and sized. When you right-click a graphic object and choose Size and Properties from the shortcut menu that appears, you get a tabbed dialog box. Click the Properties tab to adjust how the object moves or resizes with its underlying cells. Your choices are as follows:

  • Move and Size with Cells: If this option is selected, the object appears to be attached to the cells beneath it. For example, if you insert rows above the object, the object moves down. If you increase the column width, the object gets wider.

  • Move But Don't Size with Cells: If this option is selected, the object moves whenever rows or columns are inserted, but it never changes its size when you change row heights or column widths.

  • Don't Move or Size with Cells: This option makes the object completely independent of the underlying cells.

The preceding options control how an object is moved or sized with respect to the underlying cells.

Excel also lets you attach an object to a cell. To do so, open the Excel Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab, and select the Cut, Copy, and Sort Inserted Objects With Their Parent Cells check box. After you do so, graphic objects on the drawing layer are attached to the underlying cells. If you copy a range of cells that includes an object, the object is also copied. Note that this is a general option that affects all objects and, by default, this option is enabled.


22.1.2. Adding text to a Shape

Many Shape objects can display text. To add text to such a Shape, select the Shape and start typing the text.

To change the formatting for all text in a Shape, Ctrl-click the Shape object. You can then use the formatting commands on the Home tab of the Ribbon. To change the formatting of specific characters within the text, select only those characters, and use the Ribbon buttons. Or, right-click and use the Mini toolbar to format the text.

In addition, you can dramatically change the look of the text by using the tools in the Drawing Tools Format WordArt Styles group. You can read more about WordArt later in the chapter.

22.1.3. Formatting Shapes

When you select a Shape, the Drawing Tools Format contextual tab is available, with the following groups of commands:

  • Insert Shapes: Insert new Shapes; change a Shape to a different Shape.

  • Shape Styles: Change the overall style of a Shape; modify the Shape's fill, outline, or effects.

  • WordArt Styles: Modify the appearance of the text within a Shape.

  • Arrange: Adjust the "stack order" of Shapes, align Shapes, group multiple Shapes, and rotate Shapes.

  • Size: Change the size of a Shape.

Additional commands are available from the Shape's shortcut menu (which you access by right-clicking the Shape). In addition, you can use your mouse to perform some operations directly: for example, resize or rotate a Shape.

Selecting and Hiding Objects

An easy way to select an object is to use the Selection and Visibility task pane. Just select any Shape and then choose Drawing Tools Format Arrange Selection Pane. Or, choose Home Editing Find & Select Selection Pane.

Like with all task panes, you can undock this pane from the side of the window and make it free-floating. The accompanying figure shows the Selection and Visibility task pane as a floating window.



Each object on the active worksheet is listed in the Selection and Visibility pane. Just click the object's name to select it. To select multiple objects, press Ctrl while you click the names.

To hide an object, click the "eye" icon to the right of its name. Use the buttons at the bottom of the task pane to quickly hide (or show) all items.


Figure 22.3 shows a worksheet with some Shapes that use various types of formatting.

As an alternative to the Ribbon, you can use the Format Shape dialog box. Right-click the Shape and choose Format Shape from the shortcut menu. You'll get a stay-on-top tabbed dialog box that contains some additional formatting options that aren't on the Ribbon. Changes appear immediately, and you can keep the Format Shape dialog box open while you work.

I could probably write 20 pages about formatting Shapes, but it would be a waste of paper and certainly not a very efficient way of learning about Shape formatting. The best way, by far, to learn about formatting Shapes is to experiment. Create some shapes, click some commands, and see what happens. The commands are fairly intuitive, and you can always use Undo if a command doesn't do what you expected it to do.

Figure 22.3. A variety of Shapes.

22.1.4. Grouping objects

Excel lets you combine (or group) two or more Shape objects into a single object. For example, if you create a design that uses four separate Shapes, you can combine them into a group. Then, you can manipulate this group as a single object (move it, resize it, apply formatting, and so on).

To group objects, press Ctrl while you click the objects to be included in the group. Then right-click and choose Group Group from the shortcut menu.

When objects are grouped, you can still work with an individual object in the group. Click once to select the group; then click again to select the object.

To ungroup a group, right-click the group object and choose Group Ungroup from the shortcut menu. This command breaks the object into its original components.

22.1.5. Aligning and spacing objects

When you have several objects on a worksheet, you may want to align and evenly space these objects. You can, of course, drag the objects with your mouse (which isn't very precise). Or, you can use the navigation arrow keys to move a selected object one pixel at a time. The fastest way to align and space objects is to let Excel do it for you.

To align multiple objects, start by selecting them (press Ctrl and click the objects). Then use the tools in the Drawing Tools Format Arrange Align drop-down list.

NOTE

Unfortunately, you can't specify which object is used as the basis for the alignment. When you're aligning objects to the left (or right), they're always aligned with the leftmost (or rightmost) object that's selected. When you're aligning objects to the top (or bottom), they're always aligned with the topmost (or bottommost) object. Aligning the centers (or middles) of objects will align them along an axis halfway between the left and right (or top and bottom) extremes of the selected shapes.

You can instruct Excel to distribute three or more objects so that they're equally spaced horizontally or vertically. Choose Drawing Tools Format Arrange Align and then select either Distribute Horizontally or Distribute Vertically.

22.1.6. Reshaping Shapes

Excel has many Shapes to choose from, but sometimes the Shape you need isn't in the gallery. In such a case, you may be able to modify one of the existing shapes using one of these techniques:

  • Rotate the Shape. When you select a Shape, it displays a small green dot. Click and drag this dot to rotate the Shape.

  • Group multiple Shapes. You may be able to create the Shape you need by combining two or more Shapes and then grouping them. (See "Grouping objects," earlier in this chapter.)

  • Reconfigure the Shape. Many Shapes display one or more small yellow diamonds when the Shape is selected. You can click and drag this diamond to change the Shape's outline. The exact behavior varies with the Shape, so you should experiment and see what happens. Figure 22.4 shows six variations of an up-down arrow. This particular shape, when selected, has two yellow diamonds, which allows lots of variations.

  • Create a Freeform Shape. Select the Freeform Shape (in the Lines category of the Shapes gallery) to create a custom Shape. Figure 22.5 shows a Freeform Shape, with eyes and a mouth added. The shadow effect completes the masterpiece.

  • Editing a Shape's Points. Another way to create a unique Shape is to edit its points. Select the Shape and choose Drawing Tools Format Insert Shapes Edit Shape Edit Points. You can then drag the points to reconfigure the Shape. Figure 22.6 shows an example of a Shape that has been edited beyond all recognition.

Figure 22.4. Six variations on a Shape.

Figure 22.5. When none of the existing Shapes will do, create your own Freeform Shape.

22.1.7. Printing objects

By default, objects are printed along with the worksheet. To avoid printing a Shape, right-click the Shape and choose Size and Properties. In the Format Shape dialog box, click the Properties tab and then clear the Print Object check box.

Exporting Graphic Objects

If you create a graphic in Excel using Shapes, SmartArt, or WordArt, you may want to save the graphic as a separate file for use in another program. Unfortunately, Excel doesn't provide a direct way to export a graphic, but here's a trick you can use. Make sure that your graphic appears the way you want it and then follow these steps:

  1. Save your workbook.

  2. Choose File Save As to save your workbook as a Web Page. In the Save As dialog box, select Web Page (*.htm; *.html) from the Save as Type drop-down list.

  3. Close the workbook.

  4. Use Windows Explorer to locate the HTML file you saved in Step 2. You'll notice that Excel also created a companion directory for the HTML file. If you save the file as myart.htm, the directory will be named myart_files.

  5. Open the directory, and you'll find *.png graphic files — one for each graphic object in your workbook. The *.png files have a transparent background.


Figure 22.6. A Shape, before and after editing its points.

22.2. Using SmartArt

Excel's Shapes are certainly impressive, but the SmartArt feature is downright amazing. Using SmartArt, you can insert a wide variety of highly customizable diagrams into a worksheet, and you can change the overall look of the diagram with a few mouse clicks. This feature was introduced in Office 2007, and is probably more useful for PowerPoint users. But many Excel users will be able to make good use of SmartArt.

22.2.1. Inserting SmartArt

To insert SmartArt into a worksheet, choose Insert SmartArt. Excel displays the dialog box shown in Figure 22.7. The diagrams are arranged in categories along the left. When you find one that looks appropriate, click it for a larger view in the panel on the right, which also provides some usage tips. Then click OK to insert the graphic.

NOTE

Don't be concerned about the number of elements contained in the SmartArt graphics. You can customize the SmartArt to display the number of elements you need.

Figure 22.7. Inserting a SmartArt graphic.

Figure 22.8 shows a SmartArt diagram after I customized it and added text. When you insert or select a SmartArt diagram, Excel displays its SmartArt Tools contextual tab, which provides many customization options.

Figure 22.8. This SmartArt shows a simple organizational chart.

22.2.2. Customizing SmartArt

Figure 22.9 shows a SmartArt graphic (named Vertical Equation, from the Process category) immediately after I inserted it into a worksheet. The Type Your Text Here window makes it very easy to enter text into the elements of the image. If you prefer, you can click one of the [Text] areas in the image and type the text directly.

Figure 22.9. This SmartArt needs to be customized.

Figure 22.10 shows the SmartArt after I added some text.

This particular diagram depicts two items combining into a third item. Suppose that your boss sees this graphic and tells you that you need a third item: Advanced Technology. To add an element to the SmartArt graphic, just select an item and choose SmartArt Tools Design Create Graphic Add Shape. Or you can just select an item and press Enter. Figure 22.11 shows the modified SmartArt.

Figure 22.10. The SmartArt now has text.

Figure 22.11. The SmartArt, after adding a new element.

When working with SmartArt, keep in mind that you can move, resize, or format individually any element within the graphic. Select the element and then use the tools on the SmartArt Tools Format tab.

22.2.3. Changing the layout

You can easily change the layout of a SmartArt diagram. Select the object and then choose SmartArt Tools Design Layouts. Any text that you've entered remains intact. Figure 22.12 shows a few alternate layouts for the previous example.

22.2.4. Changing the style

After you decide on a layout, you may want to consider other styles or colors available in the SmartArt Tools Design SmartArt Styles group. Figure 22.13 shows the diagram after I chose a different style and changed the colors.

SmartArt styles available vary depending upon the document theme assigned to the workbook. To change a workbook's theme, choose Page Layout Themes Themes. Switching to a different theme can have a dramatic impact on the appearance of SmartArt diagrams.


Figure 22.12. A few different layouts for the SmartArt.

Figure 22.13. A few mouse clicks changed the style of this diagram.

22.2.5. Learning more about SmartArt

This section provided a basic introduction to SmartArt. The topic is complex enough to warrant an entire book, but I recommend simply experimenting with the commands.

22.3. 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.

Figure 22.14. WordArt examples.

22.4. 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.

22.4.1. 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.

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.


22.4.2. 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.


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.

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.

22.4.3. 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.

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.

NOTE

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.

22.4.4. 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

  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.

If you use this feature frequently, you can save some time by adding the Excel Camera tool to your Quick access toolbar:

  1. Right-click the Quick Access toolbar and choose Customize Quick Access Toolbar from the shortcut menu that appears.

  2. On the Customization tab of the Excel Options dialog box, select Command Not in the Ribbon from the drop-down list on the left.

  3. Select Camera from the list and click Add.

  4. Click OK to close the Excel Options dialog box.

After you add the Camera tool to your Quick Access toolbar, you can select a range of cells and click the Camera tool to take a "picture" of the range. Then click in the worksheet, and Excel places a live picture of the selected range on the worksheet's draw layer. If you make changes to the original ranges, the changes are shown in the picture of the range.


NOTE

Keep in mind that the image is static. If the program from which it was taken updates its window, the image in your worksheet will not change.

In many cases, you don't want the entire window — just a portion of it. The solution is to crop the inserted screenshot by choosing Picture Tools Format Size Crop. This command adds cropping marks to the corners of the image. Just drag the cropping marks to crop the image.

22.4.5. Displaying a worksheet background image

If you want to use a graphics image for a worksheet's background (similar to wallpaper on the Windows desktop), choose Page Layout Page Setup Background and select a graphics file. The selected graphics file is tiled on the worksheet. Unfortunately, worksheet background images are for onscreen display only. These images do not appear when the worksheet is printed.

22.5. Using the Equation Editor

NOTE

The final topic in this chapter deals with the new Equation Editor. Use this feature to insert a nicely formatted mathematical equation as a graphic object.

Figure 22.17 shows an example of an equation in a worksheet. Keep in mind that these equations do not perform calculations: They are for display purposes only.

Figure 22.17. An equation created by the new Equation Editor.

The best way to become familiar with the Equation Editor is to insert one of the pre-made equations. Choose Insert Symbols Equation, and choose one of equations from the gallery. The equation is inserted in your worksheet.

When you select an Equation object, you have access to two contextual tabs:

  • Drawing Tools: Used to format the container object

  • Equation Tools: Used to edit the equation

The Equation Tools Design tab contains three groups of controls:

  • Tools: Used to insert a new equation, or control how the equation is displayed. Click the dialog box launcher in the bottom-right corner of the Tools group to display the Equation Options dialog box, where you can specify how the equation is copied and also define keyboard shortcuts (click Math AutoCorrect).

  • Symbols: Contains common mathematical symbols and operators that you can use in your equations.

  • Structures: Contains templates for various structures that are used in equations.

Describing how to use the Equation tools is more difficult than actually using them. Generally, you add a structure, and then edit the various parts by adding text or symbols. You can put structures inside of structures, and there is no limit to the complexity of the equations. It might be a bit tricky at first, but it doesn't take long before you understand how it works.

Figure 22.18 shows two equations that illustrate an old calculus joke.

Figure 22.18. Two Equation objects on a worksheet.

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