1. Using PowerPoint for Poster Design
Wayne Britcliffe
E-Learning Development Team
University of York, UK

2. To set up (or check) canvas size yourself:
If you have been provided with a template then it will likely be set up appropriately
Always check this before you start!
To set up (or check) canvas size yourself:
Click the ‘Design’ tab
Click ‘Slide Size’ (may be called ‘Page Setup’)
Select ‘Custom Slide Size’
Setting the Size
Size
Height (cm)
Width (cm) A0
118.9
84.1 A1
59.4

3. Changing Layout Placeholders
The default slide template is usually a title slide
To choose a blank slide template:
Right-click on the slide canvas
Roll-over ‘Layout’ and select ‘Blank’
Changing Layout Placeholders

4. To make grids guides visible:
Grid and Guides can make life easier for you when positioning poster elements
To make grids guides visible:
Right-click on the slide canvas
Roll-over ‘Grid and Guides…’ and select ‘Guides’ and/or ‘Gridlines’
To change the grid spacing:
Click on ‘Grid and Guides…’
Configure the ensuing panel to suit
Check ‘snap’ on as preferred
Grid and Guides

5. To add a background fill:
Right-click on the slide canvas
Select ‘Format Background…’
Background
PPT 2010
PPT 2013

6. To add a text box: Click the ‘Insert’ tab Click ‘Text Box’
Click (or click and drag) on the slide canvas:
Click and drag sets a text wrap at the right
Clicking sets a box that auto-expands right
Adding Text
Rotate Text Box Control
Scale Text Box anchors
Select the Home Tab to access text formatting tools

7. To format a text box: Select the ‘Text Box’ on the slide canvas
Click on the ‘Format’ tab that appears
Select a predefined style or create your own
Formatting Text Boxes
Click here to view predefined styles
Click the downward pointing arrows next to Shape Fill, Shape Outline and Shape Effects to custom style

8. Adjusting Line Spacing
To adjust line spacing:
Select the ‘Text Box’ on the slide canvas
Make sure the ‘Home’ tab is selected
Access the ‘Line Spacing’ drop-down
Click the ‘Line Spacing’ drop-down and select ‘Line Spacing Options…’
Adjusting Line Spacing
Change the drop-down from ‘single’ to ‘exactly’ for fine control
Use ‘Before’ and ‘After’ to adjust basic line spacing at the currently selected line

9. IMPORTANT re Formatting Text and Text Boxes
USE
WordArt
SPARINGLY
If you do use it, use it consistently
IMPORTANT re Formatting Text and Text Boxes
Just because you can doesn’t mean you should!

10. To insert an image: Click the ‘Insert’ tab Click ‘Pictures’
Browse, select and insert an image(s)
Inserting and Image

11. To crop an image: Select the image on the slide canvas
Rotate image control
To crop an image:
Select the image on the slide canvas
Click on the ‘Format’ tab that appears
Select the ‘Crop’ tool
Scale image anchors
Manipulating Images
Crop controls
Parts of image being cropped out

12. Special note to Photoshop users: Uncheck resample when setting DPI
Ideal image resolution for print is 300dpi
Images downloaded from the internet tend to be 72dpi
Use PNG rather than JPG if possible
Try and source high resolution images. 72dpi is not enough to print well even at 100%.
Is my image high enough resolution?
At 72dpi, you want the unscaled image size to be 4 times larger than you intend it to print at
Remember
Special note to Photoshop users: Uncheck resample when setting DPI

13. Charts/Graphs from Excel
If you have charts/graphs already in Excel:
Copy the chart/graph directly from Excel onto your slide canvas or…
Click ‘Insert’ then ‘Chart’, select a chart style and then paste/enter your data into the associated spreadsheet
Charts/Graphs from Excel

14. Save as PDF for sending to printers To save as a PDF:
Select the ‘File’ tab
Click on the ‘Save as Adobe PDF’ option if it’s directly available, if not, click ‘Save As’
When using ‘Save As’ select ‘PDF’ from the ‘Save As Type’ drop- down on the ‘Save As’ dialogue
The default ‘Options’ should be fine
Saving For Printing