{"id":8831,"date":"2018-09-07T16:28:27","date_gmt":"2018-09-07T16:28:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mauriziolacava.com\/?p=8831"},"modified":"2026-01-22T13:35:19","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T13:35:19","slug":"combine-text-with-images-in-powerpoint","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mauriziolacava.com\/en\/combine-text-with-images-in-powerpoint\/","title":{"rendered":"How to effectively add text to images in PowerPoint"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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When you add text to images, it doesn’t just look nice, but also helps to better communicate your message. According to the famous “Double-coding theory<\/a>” developed by Allan Paivio at the University of Western Ontario, the human brain remembers memories more easily<\/strong> when they have a double coding<\/strong> thanks to multiple mental representations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Are you lost? Follow me, it’s easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If I show you a picture<\/span> of a cat at the same time as the word “cat<\/strong>“, your brain will store that information in two ways: through an image<\/span> and through a writing (“double coding<\/strong>“).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the moment you want to remember that memory, the brain will have the option to remember it as an image<\/span> or as a text and, therefore, it will have more chances of recovering it in case one of the two storage modes has been lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does the “theory of dual coding” teach us? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That the image<\/span> is very powerful, but if we associate it with a text label<\/strong>, we maximize its duration in the minds of the people. For this reason, we make slides with images and text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You would have said that only the images help to remember longer? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, adding text to images can make all the difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that you can place the image<\/span> on the entire slide, without distorting it, can you also associate it with the actual text? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beware, the answer is not trivial at all.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I designed a slide on the subject of reaching goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What did I write? Which is the message?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can’t read it properly because it does not contrast<\/strong> with the background and, therefore, becomes illegible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instinctively I can move it to an area of the slide where you read better, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Alternatively, I just have to change the image<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I choose a text, I would like to not have to change it because of design problems and, therefore, I need a smarter solution<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The most effective technique that I usually use to solve the problem of positioning the text independently of the image<\/span> is the one of the transparent boxes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I show you how it works.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I select the text box and assign a background color to create as much contrast as possible with the color of the text.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, the color of the box I choose is the same as the color of an object that is already part of the image<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this case, the suit is perfect because it is dark grey and the dark grey contrasts with the white<\/strong> of my text. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In addition, the suit is the only object of high contrast on the slide and unbalances the weight of the view on the right side, then, thanks to a dark grey box on the left side that rebalances the weights of the slide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To put exactly the same dark grey color of the suit, use the eyedropper tool<\/span><\/strong> (or “Dropper<\/strong>“) present only in the latest versions of PowerPoint<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The box contrasts and the text is readable<\/strong>, but we can\u2019t leave it that way because it is too violent in the image<\/span>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, we present the concept of transparency that we will assign to the bottom of the box to preserve the best possible contrast and improve its integrability with the photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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In this example, I have also rounded the corners of the box to adapt to the rounded shapes of the photo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alternatively, you could take advantage of the third slide (see Creating an effective presentation in PowerPoint<\/a>  with the rule of thirds) and draw the design that follows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Or even make the box interact with the protagonist by passing it under the surfboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Do you wonder how I did it? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can anticipate that I only used PowerPoint<\/a><\/span> and I will explain it in the next paragraph.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Crop only parts of an image in PowerPoint<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

To pass the box behind the surfboard, you must duplicate the piece of the surfboard and place it on a higher level. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

To duplicate the surfboard, you must duplicate the photo<\/strong> and, when you duplicate the photo, there is still the problem of cropping the board.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is how I did it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, duplicate the photo so you have a new photo from which you can retrieve your piece.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I select the tool<\/span> “Curve”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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This tool<\/span> creates a curved line with a point of inflection every click<\/span>. Hence, you can follow the contour of the figures that are going to be cut out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I zoom on the part of the surfboard that I intend to crop to follow the contour more easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Do you see the blue line<\/strong> on the board? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That is the curve that I am drawing. <\/strong>I turn around and close the curve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At this point, I select in order (it is important to follow this order) the image<\/span>, the photo and apply the “Intersect<\/strong>” function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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At this point, simply place the piece of the surfboard over the original photo<\/strong> and classify the three levels: the surfboard, text box and background image<\/span>, so that the text box is between the two levels of the image<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To open the layers panel in PowerPoint<\/span>, simply select the “Select panel”<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Now I would say that the cropping of images in PowerPoint, expecially with tools like our MLC PowerPoint Add-In<\/a>,<\/span> is enough to be able to unleash your creativity<\/strong> in future presentations<\/span> and amaze your next audience<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Get a professional style by combining boxes in transparency and black and white images<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It may happen that you have to work on business presentations<\/strong> that require<\/strong> a very formal<\/strong> style<\/strong> and this can force you to maintain a much more peaceful and professional tone of voice. In these cases, relying on a PowerPoint presentation design agency<\/a> can help ensure that both visuals and messaging stay consistent with your brand identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Inserting images<\/span> that have many colors at different levels of the presentation<\/span> becomes complex because you run the risk of not being in tune.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Does this mean you can not use images<\/span> anymore? <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Absolutely not! It means only that you have to communicate them in a different way and an excellent solution<\/span> are the boxes in transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Imagine making a presentation<\/span> for Microsoft<\/strong> that works with a predominant blue color<\/strong> (Microsoft blue).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cover slide can be made using an image<\/span> placed behind a box in transparency. In the box you could assign the color of the principal of the brand and here you would get a slide that uses the strength of the visual content of the image<\/span>, but has a very calm tone<\/strong> and in line with the brand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Note that the image<\/span> has been desaturated<\/strong>, that is, it has been left in black and white so that the overlap with the blue box is clean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To desaturate an image<\/span><\/strong>, simply select the image<\/span> and remove the color from the “Color” menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you pay attention to apply boxes in transparency on the desaturated images throughout the presentation, the result will be a presentation that takes advantage of the power of the images with very calm tones and always coherent with the brand from a stylistic point of view.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

GO BACK: HOW TO USE FREE IMAGES FOR POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Get the PDF now!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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