Author: Heather Miller

Categories
Icons Misc Tips and Tutorials

Arrange by Date in Box

 

Photos, templates and icons are added all the time to the university’s brand downloads. While notifications can’t be sent out whenever something gets updated, it is possible to see the latest additions to the downloads.

For example, we’ve added some new icons this past month. Go into one of the subject folders and arrange them by date by selecting ‘Updated’ above the list. Now you can see the most recent files we’ve added.

We’ll send out monthly updates on what’s been added to the downloads, but it never hurts to check often. Thank you and good luck.

Categories
Microsoft Powerpoint Tips and Tutorials

Designing with Powerpoint

In this training session, you will learn how to create branded print materials using PowerPoint. We will demonstrate by building a brochure with step by step instructions.

Creating professional, attractive communication pieces is important to conveying information about the important work that is being done. Publisher is a software program that is accessible to many and more intuitive than Adobe InDesign, but it also has its drawbacks. As part of the new OSU brand rollout, University Marketing began developing templates in InDesign and PowerPoint. This session is an opportunity see a demonstration on how to use the design tools in PowerPoint to create branded communication and marketing pieces for your programs. It is also an opportunity to learn more about brand elements such as photo style, use of logos, headline and sub-head font choices, and more. Learners should be inspired to look at PowerPoint as an approachable design tool.

Also attached is a downloadable PDF with how-to instructions, to revisit some of the information mentioned in the video in a simpler format: Templates – How To.pdf

Categories
Adobe InDesign Fonts Microsoft Powerpoint Microsoft Word Tips and Tutorials

Full-Height Numerals for Rufina Stencil

Rufina Stencil is one of Oregon State University’s brand fonts, and defaults to using hanging numerals, as seen in the top example.

However, our brand calls for using full-height numerals, as seen in the lower example.
To change the figures in InDesign, there are a few different options. First is to select the number you want to change one-by-one, and select the full-height numeral that appears next to it.

This can also be done one-by-one by going to Window > “Type and Tables” > Glyphs, and double-clicking the correct version.

The easiest for us that takes care of all the numbers at once is to create a paragraph style. Go to Window > Styles > Paragraph Styles and create a new paragraph style. Double-click and in the ‘OpenType Features’ tab, next to Figure Style, change to Proportional Oldstyle. Now all numbers in that paragraph style for this document will stay full-height.

Microsoft Word also allows you to change numeral height. Select the text and on the advanced Font Options, open the Font dialog box. Go to the advanced tab and next to number forms, select Old-Style.

Unfortunately Microsoft Powerpoint doesn’t allow for changing numbers to full height, so we advise if numbers are being shown prominently to use either Stratum or Kievit Office instead.

Thank you and good luck.

Categories
Microsoft Powerpoint Tips and Tutorials

Changing Photos from the Slide Master

 

To change a photo that’s locked on the Slide Master, first go to View> Slide Master, and you’ll see all the layout options available to you. These aren’t being seen in the final presentation, but they are the starting place that your presentation bases it’s design on.

To change the image, select the picture and go to Format Picture>Change Picture. Locate the photo you’d like to use, and click Replace.

Because the photo you choose might not be the same dimensions as a Powerpoint slide, you may need to change the size of the photo to make it full screen.

From Format Picture, click crop, and hover over the edges to get your cursor to change to a black T or L.

Expand this to the size of the slide, and then enlarge the photo to fit within. Move around the photo to make sure nothing vital gets cut off, or to leave room for the text to be readable. Click off of the photo to apply the changes.

When you’re done, go to Slide Master>Exit Master view to return to your presentation. If your changes haven’t been updated, you may need to use the drop down for Layout and choose the slide with your new image.

Thank you and good luck.

Categories
Misc Tips and Tutorials

Favorite your Box Folders

 

If you find you’re stuggling with too many folders in your ‘All Files’ in Box, there is a quick solution to make favorites and only use the folders most relevant to you.

 

First, click the ‘More Options’ icon next to any folder, and select ‘Favorite’ on the drop-down. Your favorites can be found off to the left-hand sidebar to view your favorites. For even quicker access, you can create a bookmark in your browser for your Favorites folder, so you can bypass ‘All Files’ completely.

Categories
Microsoft Powerpoint Tips and Tutorials

Powerpoint Layouts

 

One of the most common things we get asked about is Powerpoint Templates.

Many think their only option is to use the slide they see as the title, and the default title slide shows a whale in this arrangement. If you go to the layout drop-down, you can see there are many title slides to choose from. We have a couple different images to work with as placeholder, or if you’d like to use your own photo you can edit it from the Slide Master.

The same applies to the interior slides, so you can choose a different layout, color variation, or if you’d like to have just a blank slide. Thank you and good luck.