Easy Guide to Change the Color of Clipart
How to Easily Change the Color of Clipart: A Step-by-Step Guide with PowerPoint
Unlock Your Creative Potential with Custom Colored Clipart
When it comes to creating visually stunning printables and templates, the ability to customize clipart colors is a game-changer. Today, we’ll dive into how you can easily alter the color of clipart using PowerPoint, enhancing your creative projects by giving your graphics a fresh look. Let's delve into this useful trick that can elevate your design game.
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Introduction to Changing Clipart Colors with PowerPoint
When it comes to design tools, many people swear by Canva for its versatility and user-friendliness. However, PowerPoint, a tool often relegated to the realm of presentations, offers surprisingly robust features for manipulating graphics and creating printables.
By using PowerPoint, you'll not only save time but also gain unparalleled control over your clipart colors. Follow along as I guide you through this simple yet powerful feature.
Getting Started: Why PowerPoint?
Before we dive into the steps, let’s briefly discuss why PowerPoint is a great tool for this task. PowerPoint is highly accessible and often comes pre-installed on many computers. Moreover, its tools for graphic manipulation are more powerful than most people realize. Whether you’re a crafter, teacher, or a hobbyist, PowerPoint’s capabilities are worth exploring.
Acquiring Your Clipart
To start, you’ll need a set of clipart. In this example, I chose the Boho Christmas SVG Design Bundle package from Creative Fabrica, a popular site for high-quality graphic elements. The pack includes files in both PNG and SVG formats.
PNG vs. SVG: The Key Difference
You might wonder why the SVG format is crucial. PNG files are static images, making color changes difficult without specialized software. SVGs, on the other hand, are vector graphics, easily broken down into individual shapes that can be modified. Thus, for the task at hand, SVG is your go-to format.
TIP: Be sure to check the terms of use for any clipart you purchase before changing the color of images as some artist may not allow such edits.
Step-by-Step Guide to Changing Clipart Colors
Step 1: Import Your SVG File
Once you have your SVG file, import it into PowerPoint. Simply drag and drop the file onto a new slide. Upon clicking the image, you’ll notice a “Graphics Format” tab appears on the top toolbar.
TIP: Please note that your menu bar may look different from mine as I have several PowerPoint add-ins I use to create printables.
Step 2: Convert to Shape
Click on the SVG file, then navigate to the “Graphics Format” tab. You will find an option to “Convert to Shape.” Select this option. This will break down the graphic into individual, editable components.
Step 3: Modify Each Shape
After conversion, click on individual parts of the graphic. PowerPoint will switch from “Graphics Format” to “Shape Format”.
This is where the real magic happens:
- Select a Shape: Click on the part you wish to recolor.
- Shape Fill Tool: Go to the “Shape Format” tab and select “Shape Fill.” This opens a color palette.
- Eyedropper Tool: Use the eyedropper tool to choose custom colors. This is especially helpful if you’re matching a specific palette.
Step 4: Group Modified Shapes
Once you've adjusted your colors to satisfaction, group the modified shapes together. Highlight the shapes you’ve recolored, then press “Ctrl + G” (or “Command + G” on a Mac) to group them. This action preserves your changes, allowing you to manipulate the group as a single unit.
Applying This Technique Across Multiple Cliparts
You can repeat this process with different elements, creating a cohesive set of graphics tailored precisely to your needs. For instance, holiday-themed printables can be customized with various color palettes to suit different tastes or branding.
Tips for Advanced Customization
- Shadow and Outline: Add shadows or outlines via the “Shape Format” tab for additional depth.
- Multiple Selections: Hold down the “Ctrl” or “Shift” key to select multiple shapes and change their color simultaneously.
- Reuse Colors: PowerPoint keeps track of recent colors, allowing for easy reuse and consistent design.
Final Thoughts
Customizing clipart colors in PowerPoint is not only straightforward but also incredibly effective for personalizing your design projects. By leveraging this technique, you can create unique, vibrant graphics that meet your exact needs. PowerPoint offers a user-friendly environment to experiment and perfect your designs, making it an invaluable tool in your creative arsenal.
Feel free to leave any questions in the comments below, and don't forget to check out Creative Fabrica for a wide selection of clipart. Plus they have daily freebies.
I hope you found this guide helpful, and I look forward to seeing how you utilize these tips in your own projects! Happy designing!
