Create Your Own Backgrounds—For the Artistically Challenged

Ellen Finkelstein

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Components of a presentation

Content: – Your message– Its organization– Your choice of words

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Components of a presentation

Content:

Your message, its organization, your choice of

words

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Backgrounds aren’t necessary!

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What a bright idea!

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Hire a professional

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Find a free background

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Show that you care

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Choose your colors

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Text should be clear!• Arial• Verdana• Tahoma• Calibri

• Times New Roman

• Book Antiqua• Cambria• Century

Schoolbook

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Choose your font for legibility• Arial• Verdana• Tahoma• Calibri

• Times New Roman

• Book Antiqua• Cambria• Century

Schoolbook

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Sans-serif fonts are easy to read• Arial• Verdana• Tahoma• Calibri

• Times New Roman

• Book Antiqua• Cambria• Century

Schoolbook

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Washout

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Photo with semi-transparent placeholders

• Which road should we take?

• Left or right?

• We can’t decide without information

• So, let’s stop here and plan

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Gradients should be understated

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Colorized photos are common

Sunrise is the start …

… of a new day

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• Is the start of a new day

• A chance for new beginnings

A sunrise

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Preparation is the key to success• Always have a plan

• Learn from experience

• Adjust the plan as necessary

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Do you have enough time?

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1st Quarter Financial Results

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How can we see forever?

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1st quarter financial results

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Content

Your message, its organization, your choice of

words

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Agenda• Review results of project to date

• Explain problems

• Explain successes

• Brainstorm solutions to problems

• Decide on appropriate solutions

• Assign action steps

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Ideas for developing creativityWatch children

playing

Brainstorm many possibilities

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We are global

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New York

Los Angeles

Miami

Mexico City

São Paulo

Buenos Aires

Tokyo

Mumbai

Shanghai

Jakarta

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Washout

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Photo with semi-transparent placeholders

• Which road should we take?

• Left or right?

• We can’t decide without information

• So, let’s stop here and plan

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Gradients should be understated

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Colorized photos are common

Sunrise is the start …

… of a new day

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Preparation is the key to success• Always have a plan

• Learn from experience

• Adjust the plan as necessary

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Agenda• Review results of project to date

• Explain problems

• Explain successes

• Brainstorm solutions to problems

• Decide on appropriate solutions

• Assign action steps

You CAN design your own backgrounds!

For more ideas and monthly tips, visit www.ellenfinkelstein.com

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For more information on PowerPoint• How to Do Everything with

PowerPoint 2003, 2007• 101 Tips Every

PowerPoint User Should Know

• PowerPoint for Teachers: Dynamic Presentations and Interactive Classroom Projects

37www.ellenfinkelstein.com/estore.html

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Learn more!• Sign up for the PowerPoint Tips

Newsletter

• Read my PowerPoint Tips Blog

www.ellenfinkelstein.com

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Special offer• Download the presentation and the

handout with step-by-step instructions. (10 pages)

• Get 15% off my new ebook, 101 Tips Every PowerPoint User Should Know.

39www.ellenfinkelstein.com/events/backgrounds.html

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Contest!• Submit a presentation using the 5

background techniques plus a no-background slide (7 slides)

• My choice of the 5 best entries will get a free copy of 7 Steps to Great Images, my latest e-book

• The deadline is in 2 weeks: May 28, 2008

• Send to contact@ellenfinkelstein.com; put Contest in the subject

Wishing you great backgrounds!