Using Layout Effectively

Michael Heavener, ABC

heavener@heavenr.com

Here’s what’s likely

• The following slide is what most services would see

Matthew 25:35-39

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

• No criticism intended but …

Wasn’t that a little

… boring?

There could be more

• Now is the time to try– Other effects– Other placements– Other techniques

You can easily …

• Make text stand out while maintaining readability *– By experimenting with

• Text boxes• Fill boxes• Textures• Rotation• Shadow

* http://www.heavenr.com/project/readability/readability.ppt

I recommend displaying the “Drawing” toolbar

Put it at the bottom of PowerPoint

Where it’s out of the way but always available.

Then play with the various buttons and tools.Learn them.

Make them yours.

Own them.

For more drawing toolbar information:http://www.fgcu.edu/support/office2000/ppt/graphics.html

• Here are some slides with simply visual treatments– Feel free to disassemble them– To find out how they work.

As long as the basic rules of readability are followed

Feel free to expand your creative horizons

Go for it!

If you hit on something that works, hurray!– Teach it to us, so we can use it, too

If something doesn’t work– Let us know, so we can avoid it

And remember, there’s always next week

Bounding boxes(the dotted line thingies)

Forget sticking to the standard PowerPoint bounding box defaults

Push

Pull

Prod

Until you achieve something pleasing

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Matthew 25:35-39

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Matthew 25:35-39

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Matthew 25:35-39

Rotating text

When rotating text (as with the verse numbers), it’s probably most readable on the left side running bottom to top

I’ve seen it done on the right and running up but that generally slows my eye

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Matthew

25:35-39

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Mat

thew

25:

35-3

9

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Mat

thew

25:

35-3

9

Mat

thew

25:

35-3

9

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Variations

PowerPoint offers a million-and-one color, texture, shadow, and pattern variationsSome work well

Some … well … work

Matthew 25:35-39Matthew 25:35-39Matthew 25:35-39Matthew 25:35-39

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

Matthew 25:35-39Matthew 25:35-39

For I was hungry, you gave me meat:

I was thirsty, and you gave me drink:

I was a stranger, and you took me in:

Naked, and you clothed me:

I was sick, and you visited me:

I was in prison, and you came unto me.

But be watchful of how people respond

So experiment —

The Rules

1. Keep some “blank space” on all sides

2. Try things, play around, have fun

3. Be creative, visualize

4. Think like the audience

5. There ain’t no other rules

Resources

There are also millions of websites with free templates and color schemes

If you find something you like and it’s appropriate to the worship setting …

Use it

heavener@heavenr.com

425 208-5130 or 425 885-0961

Questions?