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Is there a way to download more "shape" options under the "Insert" button in Word 2016?

For example, for Halloween, I need a simple skull shape.  Rather than searching for clip art to insert, I'd like even more shapes than the standard ones that are available on the dropdown menu.

Thanks!

Use a graphics application to create any additional shapes that you require.
Hope this helps,
Doug Robbins - MVP Office Apps & Services (Word)
dougrobbinsmvp@gmail.com
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No, you cannot add new shapes to that menu option.  But you can do some interesting things to them you may not yet be aware of.

As Doug suggests, you can DIY one. The graphics app you can use is ...

PowerPoint!

This article has some tips, I'm just putting at the start as an extreme example of how good the graphics you can create in PowerPoint are with a little creativity and a lot of understanding of the features and commands described in the other articles farther down

How to Make an Infographic for Free with PowerPoint

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/longform-create-free-infographics-powerpoint/

How to Make an Infographic for Free with PowerPoint – Download PDF version of Article

Find a skull picture, and use this tip:

http://www.articulate.com/rapid-elearning/create-illustrated-characters-powerpoint/

July 1st, 2014

PowerPoint is a versatile application. You can use it for all sorts of things from presentations to online training programs. In previous posts I’ve shown you how to customize clip art and create your own graphics.

Today’s tip comes courtesy of blog reader, Daniel Albarrán. He sent me an email stating that once he understood the versatility of PowerPoint it opened his eyes to all sorts of possibilities—one of them being the ability to create illustrated characters. 

In the collection below, sometimes I've included the same tip for multiple versions of Office because they have different examples even though the instructions are essentially the same.

Or if you have an artistic bent, use some of these techniques to draw one from scratch...

This article has a DIY shape that is almost skull shaped:

Shape Subtract Command in PowerPoint 2010

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/shape-subtract-in-ppt2010.html

Excerpt/Capsule: Learn how you can subtract shapes in PowerPoint 2010 using the Shape Subtract command.

Shape Union Command in PowerPoint 2010

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/shape-union-in-ppt2010.html

Excerpt/Capsule: Learn how you can unite shapes in PowerPoint 2010 using the Shape Union command.

Merge Shape Commands in PowerPoint 2013 (only)

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/powerpoint-2013/merge-shape-commands.html

Explore the new Merge Shape commands in PowerPoint 2013.

Shape Union Command in PowerPoint 2013

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/2013/shape-union.html

Learn how you can unite shapes in PowerPoint 2013 using the Union command.

Shape Combine Command in PowerPoint 2013

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/2013/shape-combine.html

Shape Fragment Command in PowerPoint 2013

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/2013/shape-fragment.html

Create new shapes that overlap or surround using the Fragment command in PowerPoint 2013.

Shape Intersect in PowerPoint 2013

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/2013/shape-intersect.html

Learn how you can intersect shapes in PowerPoint 2013 using the Intersect command.

Easy to Create Pictogram Graphics in PowerPoint – Crane Lift Signals

https://community.articulate.com/articles/ridiculously-simple-ways-to-create-awesome-custom-e-learning-graphics

Example file: https://community.articulate.com/download/easy-to-create-pictogram-graphics-in-powerpoint/download 

Customize the Shape of Your AutoShapes

http://www.worldstart.com/customize-the-shape-of-your-autoshapes/

How to Create Your Own Custom Shapes in PowerPoint

http://www.presentationxpert.com/how-to-create-your-own-custom-shapes-in-powerpoint

https://web.archive.org/web/20130629215843/http://www.presentationxpert.com/how-to-create-your-own-custom-shapes-in-powerpoint  

By Ellen Finkelstein

PowerPoint 2010 has a new feature that’s very hard to find, but that people are praising over and over. It’s called Custom Shapes, and it’s a set of four tools that you can use to create your very own shapes. Why do you need Custom Shapes?

Creating Custom Shapes in PowerPoint 2010

http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-powerpoint/archive/2012/03/20/creating-custom-shapes-in-powerpoint-2010.aspx

PowerPoint has a lot of great preset shapes, but sometimes what you really need is a custom shape tailored-made for your presentation. If you’re looking to go beyond the Freeform Tool to create more complex custom shapes, we’ve created a new feature in PowerPoint 2010 called Combine Shapes to help you do just that! Using the principles of Boolean Geometry, the Combine Shapes tool allows you to create new shapes by combining multiple shapes in one of four ways: Union, Combine, Subtract, or Intersect.

Creating Custom Shapes in PowerPoint 2010

http://blogs.office.com/b/microsoft-powerpoint/archive/2012/03/20/creating-custom-shapes-in-powerpoint-2010.aspx

PowerPoint has a lot of great preset shapes, but sometimes what you really need is a custom shape tailored-made for your presentation. If you’re looking to go beyond the Freeform Tool to create more complex custom shapes, we’ve created a new feature in PowerPoint 2010 called Combine Shapes to help you do just that! Using the principles of Boolean Geometry, the Combine Shapes tool allows you to create new shapes by combining multiple shapes in one of four ways: Union, Combine, Subtract, or Intersect.

What is the combine shapes tool? Part 1 (2010)

http://www.presentationwiz.biz/index.php/tutorials/category/powerpoint-drawing-tools/

Graphic icons have been around for a while. From cave paintings, to today’s smartphone apps, icons are effective visual clues that can play a strong role in helping your PowerPoint audience understand your story and ultimately influence the success of your presentation.  Creating icons using PowerPoint’s built-in tools can help ensure graphic consistency in your presentation, avoid potentially expensive photography costs and create universal designs, that are easy-to-recognize, and have a high image quality.

Add Combine Shape Commands to the Quick Access Toolbar in PowerPoint 2010

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/add-combine-shapes-in-qat-ppt2010.html

Learn how to add the Combine Shape commands to the Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) in PowerPoint 2010.

Shape Combine Command in PowerPoint 2010

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/shape-combine-in-ppt2010.html

Excerpt/Capsule: Learn how you can combine shapes in PowerPoint 2010 using the Shape Combine command.

Shape Intersect Command in PowerPoint 2010

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/shape-intersect-in-ppt2010.html

Excerpt/Capsule: Learn how you can intersect shapes in PowerPoint 2010 using the Shape Intersect command.

How to Add Connector Points to Autoshapes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9sdI088G93I&feature=youtu.be&mkt_tok=eyJpIjoiWlRrNVpUa3dNR1JoT0dWaiIsInQiOiJzS3FFSUdPRXI2a3k2ZmFGZ3BaQ3FPZ2tvNUhtY1ZjcVFtc0xhXC84M1FKTXNGckVoM1NFRTBZRjZRS0RtRkU4YTA1eEM1WUZcL1YwYkxoYlwvWEoyU2NuQ3phYnNFMUpIZEJuOWJlaVFiWHFUZz0ifQ%3D%3D

This 5:48 video describes how to more connector points to autoshapes. 

Select, Deselect, View, and Hide Shapes Using the Selection Pane in PowerPoint 2013

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/2013/selection-pane.html

Learn how to select Shapes using the Selection Pane in PowerPoint 2013.

https://nutsandboltsspeedtraining.com/4-things-can-do-powerpoint/

July 10, 2014/in Nuts & Bolts Presentations /by Nuts & Bolts

No matter how awesome you are at something, there will always be a trick or two to learn every so often.

In this post, we’ve pulled out 4 things that we think most people don’t know they can do in PowerPoint.

Convert Text to Shapes by Intersecting in PowerPoint 2013

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/powerpoint-2013/convert-text-to-shapes-ppt2013.html

Learn how to convert PowerPoint text into editable shapes in PowerPoint 2013

Convert Text to Shapes by Fragmenting in PowerPoint 2013

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/powerpoint-2013/convert-text-to-shapes-fragment-ppt2013.html

Learn how to convert PowerPoint text into individual editable shapes using Fragment command in PowerPoint 2013.

Merge Shapes with Pictures in PowerPoint 2013

http://www.indezine.com/products/powerpoint/learn/shapes/2013/merge-shapes-with-pictures.html

Learn how to merge shapes with pictures in PowerPoint 2013.

Turn Clip Art Into Custom Icons – PowerPoint Video Tip #1

February 16, 2011 | By Bruce Gabrielle

Here’s a neat trick for turning clip art into your own set of professional-looking custom icons, which I learned from the talented presentation designer Magda Maslowska. Enjoy! About the author: Bruce Gabrielle is author of Speaking PowerPoint: the new language of business, showing a 12-step method for creating clearer and more persuasive PowerPoint slides for boardroom presentations. Subscribe [...] Continue Reading

Create Your Own Slick-Looking Silhouettes – PowerPoint Video Tip #2

February 17, 2011 | By Bruce Gabrielle

Bring your boring business slides to life by adding pictures of people. Where do you find pictures that are free, look professional and give you full rights to use them any way you want? You make them yourself in about a minute. Here’s how. About the author: Bruce Gabrielle is author of Speaking PowerPoint: the [...] Continue Reading

Check out the "convert to shapes" feature in this article:

Drawing 101 across Microsoft Office apps

https://office-watch.com/2016/drawing-101-across-microsoft-office-apps/

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*****
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As computer scientists we are trained to communicate with the dumbest things in the world – computers –
so you’d think we’d be able to communicate quite well with people.
Prof. Doug Fisher

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Last updated September 11, 2024 Views 63,374 Applies to: