making posters with powerpoint and photoshopecommons.med.harvard.edu/.../poster_recipe.pdf ·...

Research Imaging Solutions it.med.harvard.edu

Making Posters with

PowerPoint and Photoshop

Research Imaging Solutions [email protected] it.med.harvard.edu/ris Beth Beighlie Digital Imaging Coordinator Research Imaging Solutions Information Technology Department Harvard Medical School 220 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 (617) 432-2323 [email protected] Written by Beth Beighlie Copyright © 2011 by Research Imaging Solutions Version 2, May 20, 2011 Version 2.1, April 6, 2012 Version3, May 26, 2015

The Poster Building Strategy ..................................................................................................... 2 Workflow Overview ................................................................................................................... 2 Workflow: step by step .............................................................................................................. 4

Creating your ‘storyboard’ to know what your target dimensions are. ......................... 4 Insert Text ................................................................................................................................ 6 Insert Vectors: Tables, Charts, Graphs and Drawing Objects .......................................... 7

How to Paste Special… vectors on a Mac: ............................................................... 10 How to Copy & Paste vectors on a Mac: .................................................................. 10 How to Paste Special… vectors on a PC: .................................................................. 10 How to Copy & Paste vectors on a PC: ..................................................................... 11 Editing Vector Objects Within PowerPoint ................................................................. 11 How to make a raster from your vectors: .................................................................. 12

Inserting Rasters .................................................................................................................... 13 How to determine correct dimensions for Rasters .................................................... 13 Edit raster images with Photoshop or something like that ....................................... 14 Inserting edited raster images ..................................................................................... 15

Finishing Touches: Arrange, Align and Group .................................................................. 16 Where to get posters printed ............................................................................................. 17

1 Making Posters with PowerPoint and Photoshop

Download additional copies of this handout at it.med.harvard.edu/ris

Poster Making with PowerPoint and Photoshop To make a good poster, it is important to understand that you will be using at least two tools: Photoshop to prepare your raster images and PowerPoint to assemble all the elements for printing. PowerPoint is actually a great tool for making a good poster. Most users are familiar with Microsoft Office and can navigate the tools with some confidence. Photoshop can be a little tricky, but we’ll walk you through the process. It is also very important to know that many posters won’t print due to images that were incorrectly resized or prepared and poor font choices. This document should help you minimize the likelihood of having a poster that won’t print. In order to understand concepts like raster & vector images and for step-by-step guidance in using Photoshop to resize images, please download the companion document Imaging Essentials. Find it at it.med.harvard.edu/ris and go to Handouts & Guides.



The Poster Building Strategy A good rule to follow is use each tool for what it does best:

• Use Photoshop for image adjustment, layer-merging, cropping, rotating and editing.

• Use PowerPoint or Adobe Illustrator for annotating with text and lines, editing text and line elements, incorporating tables, graphs, charts and other vectors and creating composites of multiple image elements.

Why can’t I edit rasters with PowerPoint? • you will need to control resolution and physical dimension for journal submission

and PowerPoint is not up to the task • it is unreliable • it looks terrible

Why can’t I build my figure using Photoshop?

• it will rasterize any inserted vectors • Photoshop is a needlessly complex tool for building figures (placement and

alignment features are very unwieldy) • Photoshop is all about the pixels and if you have any text, annotation,

illustrations, charts or drawing objects and aren’t careful you are at risk of rasterizing your text and other vectors

Workflow Overview The following workflow is diagrammed later in this document.

1. Contact the organizers of the poster session to find out the submission guidelines. Find out:

a. the size of your display space b. the orientation of the display space (landscape or portrait) consider making poster slightly smaller so you have somewhere to stand without blocking the view of your poster.

2. Create a poster sized ‘presentation’. Open PowerPoint- either a template or start from scratch (find templates at it.med.harvard.edu/ris)

a. set the Page Setup to the correct dimensions for your poster if the poster is more than 55” in either dimension, set the Page Setup to one half of the target poster dimension and tell the printer service bureau to print it at 200%.



3. Insert text content into poster

a. if using a template, insert text content into existing text boxes b. if starting from scratch, use the Text Box tool to insert text boxes, then add

text content c. edit content so the message is conveyed with minimal verbiage d. format content

i. be sure to leave room on poster for graphic elements ii. font should be sized to keep number of words per line to about 12

4. Place and edit vector-based images, if needed 5. Determine target dimensions for raster images

a. use the Rectangle Tool to insert placeholders where raster images will go b. click on the Format Tab or double-click image placeholder to determine

target physical dimension 6. Prepare raster images: edit a copy of raster image with Photoshop to meet file

type, color mode, resolution, physical dimension, etc. needs. a. file type: .jpg, flattened .tif or .png files are acceptable file types b. color mode: if there’s color, use RGB; if not, use grayscale c. resolution:

i. if printing at 100%, 125-225 dpi ii. if printing at 200%, 250-450 dpi

d. physical dimension: see step 4, above (the goal is to use Photoshop to prepare a raster image that is exactly the correct resolution and physical dimension you need, so that once you insert it into PowerPoint you only need to adjust placement and annotate. See the Imaging Essentials guide for definitions of rasters, vectors and ways to correctly resize images. You should not resize or otherwise make raster image edits once you have inserted the image into PowerPoint)

7. Insert edited raster images into PowerPoint (do NOT Copy & Paste) 8. Adjust placement only and annotate raster images within PowerPoint (do NOT

resize with PowerPoint) 9. Align, Group, Save, proofread and submit.



Workflow: step by step

Creating your ‘storyboard’ to know what your target dimensions are. Find poster templates at it.med.harvard.edu/ris

1. Open a template or a New Presentation in PowerPoint. 2. Set poster size: Set the custom Page Setup size- this number should equal the size

of the poster, unless it is larger than 55” in either dimension. (Maximum Page Setup size is 55” x 55”. If you need a larger poster, calculate half the desired dimension and insert those values into the size fields. You will then need to double the resolution of your inserted raster images to 250-450 dpi and print the poster at 200%)

figure 4 Office 2010 on a PC: use Page Setup to make figure the proper size

figure 5 Office 2013 on a PC: use Slide Size to make figure the proper size

set Custom ‘custom’ size

Design Tab Page Setup

set Custom ‘custom’ size

Design Tab Slide Size



figure 6 Office 2011 on a Mac: use Page Setup to make figure the proper size



Insert Text

3. Insert text blocks and edit and format text

figure 7 Using the Text Box tool, insert separate boxes for poster title, sections and captions. Edit, and then format all text (12 words per line is a good target)

Note: Font choice is important. If the journal does not specify a particular font, choose a versatile, cross-platform font like Arial, Times, Times New Roman, Georgia, Verdana or

Home Tab

Office 2013

Shapes Palette

Home Tab

Office 2010

Shapes Button

Home

Tab

Office 2011



Insert Vectors: Tables, Charts, Graphs and Drawing Objects

4. Vector objects: Paste or Paste Special…-ing them into the poster You may have created tables, graphs, cartoons or other vector objects in other applications (Word, Excel or other scientific applications that generate vector objects). These vector-based objects often will incorporate well into figures created with PowerPoint. This method is the preferred way to handle vectors because of their superior quality. Since they are vectors they are easily edited within PowerPoint, eliminating the need to use Photoshop for editing. Important: Vector objects should NOT be edited within the pixel-based Photoshop application- it will rasterize the graphic and make it blurry. If, however, using the Copy & Paste or Paste Special methods yield unsatisfactory results, you may need to deliberately rasterize a vector and use Photoshop.



About Copy & Paste vs. Paste Special… with Excel Charts and PowerPoint There are many options for getting vectors into your figure. This chart illustrates the options worth considering.

Including Vectors, an Overview

Resizing Edit Text Edit Objects

O

ffic

e 2

013

for W

ind

ow

s

Copy & Paste, Linked

objects resize well; text, not

so much

mostly, but not legends

Yes

Copy & Paste, Embed


so much


Yes

Paste Special, MOGO


so much


Yes

Paste Special, Picture

(Enhanced Metafile)

text & objects both resize

reliably

yes, if you first ungroup & convert to

MODO

Yes

Paste Special, Picture

(Windows Metafile)


reliably

yes, if you first ungroup & convert to

MODO

Yes

O

ffic

e 2

011

for M

ac

Copy & Paste, Chart


so much


Yes

Copy & Paste, Excel Chart


so much


Yes

Copy & Paste, Picture


reliably No No

Paste Special, MODO


so much


Yes

Paste Special, PDF


reliably No No

✔

✔

✔

✔

✔



figure 8 to include vectors in your figure, start by copying the vector from the source

figure 9 Paste Special… on the Mac works best with PDF and Microsoft Office Drawing Objects

whether you Copy & Paste or Paste Special… select the object in the source document and Copy

YES:

•  Microsoft Office Drawing Object •  PDF NO:

•  Microsoft Excel Chart Object •  Picture

✔ ✗#

✔ ✗#



How to Paste Special… vectors on a Mac:

a. Go to your source document and select a pre-existing vector object (chart, table, graph or other vector object).

b. Copy it c. Go to your target document and Edit > Paste Special… d. In the Paste Special… dialog box choose one of the following

• Microsoft Drawing Object • PDF

How to Copy & Paste vectors on a Mac:

a. Go to the source vector object you would like to use and Copy it b. Go to the document that you would like to use the vector object in and Paste it

as a Chart or Picture

How to Paste Special… vectors on a PC:

a. Go to your source document and select a pre-existing vector object (chart, table, graph or other vector object).

b. Copy it c. Go to your target document and Paste Special… d. In the Paste Special… dialog box, choose one of the following

• Picture (Enhanced Metafile) • Picture (Windows Metafile)

figure 10 Paste Special… on the PC works best when avoiding the raster options

Home

Tab

Paste Options

on the PC, most reliable •  Picture (Windows Metafile) or •  Picture (Enhanced Metafile)

when inserting vectors, many Paste Special... options work quite well, as long as you avoid any option that

is raster based (jpg, gif, tif, png, etc)



figure 11 Copy & Paste on the PC works best when avoiding the Picture option

How to Copy & Paste vectors on a PC:

a. Go to the source vector object you would like to use and Copy it b. Go to the document that you would like to use the vector object in and Paste it

as a Linked, Embeded or Microsoft Office Graphics Object

Editing Vector Objects Within PowerPoint You may wish to edit the vector object once placed into the figure. Regardless of how the vector was placed, grabbing a selection handle will allow you to resize. After resizing vectors, it is important to proofread all the text elements carefully because different methods of including vectors will give different editing options. Text can be resized, font styles changed, objects and lines recolored and elements can be moved or deleted. Please see the Including Vectors Chart for an overview on editing features.

✔ ✗#✔ ✔ ✔



How to make a raster from your vectors: Given the choice, don’t. Just don’t. But there may be a reason you need to. The versions of PowerPoint that were released in 2007 or later have taken several steps backwards in terms of how they handle vector objects. In some cases when Paste-ing or Paste Special-ing vector objects, PowerPoint will automatically rasterize the drawing object. The quality is usually terrible, since you are unable to control the resolution or size. It is often better to use the application that made the vector to create a new raster version of the illustration.

A. Usually this can be done using either the File > Export or File > Save As… options B. Save the file as a .PNG, .TIF or .JPG file type C. You will almost certainly need to change the physical dimension using

Photoshop, so save the file at an exceedingly high resolution: 600 dpi or better D. With that resulting raster file, determine the target resolution and physical

dimension and use Photoshop or some other pixel-based image editing application to correct the resolution and physical dimension.

See Determining target resolution, dimension, color mode and file type for rasters section in this document for information on that task. See Resizing raster images section in the Imaging Essentials guide for information on how to make changes to resolution and physical dimension. Imaging Essentials can be downloaded at the web site listed at the bottom of this page.



Inserting Rasters

How to determine correct dimensions for Rasters

5. Determine raster image size requirements for editing process • use the Rectangle Tool to insert placeholders where raster images will go

Since it is vitally important that you not resize any raster image from within PowerPoint, this is a very important step. Be mindful of the aspect ratio of the images you intend to use (are they oriented as landscape or portrait?) You do not need to size your image to be exactly the size of the image placeholder rectangle, just use it as a guide- it is likely that you won’t want either dimension of the edited picture to exceed either dimension of the image placeholder rectangle.

figure 12 since it is a bad idea to resize rasters within PowerPoint, the Rectangle Tool is useful for determining how big your rasters need to be. Figuring out the target dimension: Using the Rectangle Tool, draw boxes to represent where you’ll place your images. See numerical values of target dimensions by clicking on the Format Tab or double-clicking on the image placeholder rectangle. Use these numbers as an approximate target when editing your image size.

Office 2010

Shapes Button

Office 2011

Home Tab

Office 2013

Shapes Palette

Home Tab

Home Tab

Mac

PC

PC



• click on the Format Tab or double-click image placeholder to determine

target physical dimension

figure 13 make note of the dimensions so you can use Photoshop to resize your raster files

Edit raster images with Photoshop or something like that 6. Prepare raster images: edit a copy of raster image with Photoshop to meet file

type, color mode, resolution, physical dimension, etc. needs.

• file type: .jpg, flattened .tif or .png files are acceptable file types • color mode: if there’s color, use RGB; if not, use grayscale • resolution:

o if printing at 100%, 125-225 dpi o if printing at 200%, 250-450 dpi o physical dimension: see prior step: how to Determine target dimension of

inserted raster images: find the numbers For instructions on properly resizing and editing raster images, see the Imaging Essentials guide at it.med.harvard.edu/ris. (the goal is to create an image that is exactly the correct resolution and physical dimension you need, so that once you insert it into PowerPoint you only need to adjust placement and annotate. Do not add text or annotation with Photoshop and do not resize or otherwise make image edits once you have inserted the image into PowerPoint)

•  double-click on the image placeholder rectangle to get the Format tools and information

Mac

PC



Inserting edited raster images a. Delete image placeholders b. Insert edited raster images into PowerPoint (do NOT Copy & Paste) c. Adjust the image placement only and annotate raster images within PowerPoint

(do NOT resize with PowerPoint) d. Align, Group, Save and proofread.

Figure 14 don’t Copy & Paste, instead, Insert Picture from File

Home

Tab

Mac

PC

Insert Tab

NEVER

Copy &

Paste



Finishing Touches: Arrange, Align and Group

PowerPoint has tools that will aid in controlling text boxes, pictures and drawings. The Align Tools help add balance and symmetry and the Bring to Front, etc Tools allow you to adjust what layer an object is on.

7. Align, Group, Proofread, Save and submit

Aligning and Grouping objects will ensure all elements remain where you intend them to be. Failing to Group leaves you vulnerable to the poster printer service bureau inadvertently moving something when they open the document for printing. Once done annotating and arranging all objects, Select All the objects, then Group all selected objects. Using the Align or Distribute Tools, click on the To Slide option and click on the Center Align buttons (there is one for horizontal and another for vertical) Everything is now centered and your poster is complete! PROOFREAD! And submit. Then proofread the actual poster, especially scientific symbols.



Where to get posters printed Remember, if you have an oversized poster that needs to be printed at 200%, you need to notify them of this fact! The following is a list of service bureaus that will print posters. This list is by no means an endorsement, instead it is only suggestion of what’s conveniently available. MakeSigns http://www.makesigns.com/scientific_posters.htm Mega Print http://www.megaprint.com/medical.html Thinkiii http://www.thinkiii.com/ Imagers http://www.imagers.com/poster.html Children’s Hospital Multi-Media Services http://web1.tch.harvard.edu/research/mrrc/mrrcmm/mrrc_multimedia_services1.htm or 617-355-6884 or [email protected]

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