ClipArt borders/shadows (PowerPoint 2007)

[Yang]

Not sure if this is PP-specific... When I insert certain ClipArt, their
borders/shadows are a fixed color that doesn't match the background, which
is ugly. To see what I'm talking about:

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/808/21856646jt5.png

I thought maybe a white background would help, but it doesn't - looks just
as bad. Is there any solution to this problem? Thanks in advance.

(If the solution is ClipArt-specific, is there a more general solution for
all images? I.e. without resorting to elite skills using Photoshop's wand?)

BTW is there an instant-response community support resource for Microsoft
products? In the open-source world there's FreeNode IRC (chat), but I know
of no such help for Windows, Office, etc.

 

[Patrick Schmid [MVP]]

This here is as instant as it gets.
The thing you are concerned about is part of the picture. To get rid of
it, you'd have to edit it. If you take the radio in your example slide,
right-click it, select Edit Picture, press Yes. It will then convert it
into individual objects. Click on the shadow thing and once it shows the
selection frame, press delete. That will remove it. If you deleted the
wrong thing, use Undo. The radios have two such backgrounds, the router
only one.

Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP]
--------------
http://pschmid.net
***
Office 2007 RTM Issues: http://pschmid.net/blog/2006/11/13/80
***
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OneNote 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/onenote
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[Yang]

Thanks, I didn't realize the vector ClipArt could be decomposed into
Office Art. Very handy! I'm really liking PP07.

(BTW, another way to do this - for the more pervasive case of raster
images - is to use the Select Transparent Color tool. This may leave
some jagged edges, esp. if you're using a contrasting background, so I
just apply Blur and/or Glow to the result.)

This here is as instant as it gets.
The thing you are concerned about is part of the picture. To get rid
of it, you'd have to edit it. If you take the radio in your example
slide, right-click it, select Edit Picture, press Yes. It will then
convert it into individual objects. Click on the shadow thing and once
it shows the selection frame, press delete. That will remove it. If
you deleted the wrong thing, use Undo. The radios have two such
backgrounds, the router only one.

Patrick Schmid [OneNote MVP]
--------------
http://pschmid.net
***
Office 2007 RTM Issues: http://pschmid.net/blog/2006/11/13/80
***
Customize Office 2007: http://pschmid.net/office2007/customize
RibbonCustomizer Add-In:
http://pschmid.net/office2007/ribboncustomizer OneNote 2007:
http://pschmid.net/office2007/onenote ***
Subscribe to my Office 2007 blog: http://pschmid.net/blog/feed

Not sure if this is PP-specific... When I insert certain ClipArt,
their borders/shadows are a fixed color that doesn't match the
background, which is ugly. To see what I'm talking about:

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/808/21856646jt5.png

I thought maybe a white background would help, but it doesn't - looks
just as bad. Is there any solution to this problem? Thanks in
advance.

(If the solution is ClipArt-specific, is there a more general
solution for all images? I.e. without resorting to elite skills using
Photoshop's wand?)

BTW is there an instant-response community support resource for
Microsoft products? In the open-source world there's FreeNode IRC
(chat), but I know of no such help for Windows, Office, etc.