PowerPoint slide with several shapes and one picture

PowerPoint 2016
When creating a presentation, you simply choose some existing company presentation template. However, you might need to invent something new and creative to impress the stakeholders. This tip shows how to use several simple shapes to create a visually appealing design for your slides.
Several shapes and one picture in PowerPoint 365

To create the slide like the one above, do the following:

   1.   On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, select Shapes:

Shapes in PowerPoint 365

   2.   In the Shapes list, from the Rectangle group, select and add to the slide several Rectangles shapes:

Rectangle shapes in PowerPoint 365

   3.   Positioning them like you want, for example:

Several rectangles in PowerPoint 365

Notes:

  1. To position shapes easily, you can use Grids and Gridlines.

    To turn them on or off, on the View tab, in the Show group, check or uncheck Guides and/or Gridlines:

    Show group in PowerPoint 365
  2. To create squares, you can enter or choose width and height on the Shape Format tab in the Size group:
    Size group in PowerPoint 365

   4.   Add a picture to some of these shapes:

   4.1   Select shapes that will show the picture, for example:

Selected rectangles in PowerPoint 365

   4.2.   Do one of the following:

  • On the Home tab, in the Drawing group, select the Arrange dropdown list, then click the Group command:

    Group shapes in PowerPoint 365
  • On the Shape Format tab, in the Arrange group, click the Group command:
    Shape Format group in PowerPoint 365
  • Right-click one of the objects and choose Group -> Group from the popup menu:
    Popup group shapes in PowerPoint for Microsoft 365

PowerPoint puts a single box around the objects instead of a separate box around each object:

Grouped shapes in PowerPoint 365

   4.3.   Right-click on the grouped shapes and choose Format Shape... from the popup menu:

Format grouped shape in popup in PowerPoint 365

   4.4.   On the Format Shape pane, on the Shape Options tab, in the Fill & Line group:

  • In the Fill section:
    • Choose Picture or texture fill,
    • Click on the Insert... button:
      Insert file in Format Picture pane PowerPoint 365
    • In the Insert Pictures dialog box, choose the picture location, select the picture file, and then click Open or Insert:
    Insert picture in PowerPoint 365
  • In the Line section, select No line:
    Line in Format Shape pane in PowerPoint 365

   5.   Change the color for the remaining shapes:

   5.1.   Select one of the shapes or all of them.

   5.2.   Right-click on the selection and choose Format Shape... from the popup menu.

   5.3.   On the Format Shape pane, on the Shape Options tab, in the Fill & Line group, in the Fill section, choose Solid fill and then select Color as you prefer:

Fill in Format Shape pane in PowerPoint 365

Add any other adjustments you like.

See also this tip in French: Comment créer une diapositive PowerPoint avec plusieurs formes et une image.

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