12 Using Clip Art

Clip Art images stored in the Microsoft library can be added to your document. These images can be accessed via the Insert Clip Art task pane.

To search for and insert an image from Clip Art:

1. Place the cursor where you want to insert the image.
2. Click on Insert on the menu bar.
3. In the pop-down menu move the pointer to Picture.
4. In the next pop-down menu click on Clip Art and the Insert Clip Art task pane will appear:



5. Click in the white window following Search text and type in a word that best matches the image you want to insert. The above illustration shows the search word is 'office'.
6. Click on Search.
   If there are any pictures in Clip Art that matches the word you search for then a task pane containing the results of the search will appear on the screen:



7. If a scroll bar appears on the right hand side of the images then use this to see all the results.
8. Hover the pointer over a picture that you like. Additional information will appear next to the picture including other search words associated with it, the size of the image and the file size. A black triangle also appears next to the image indicating that a menu is available. This is illustrated below where the pointer has hovered over the first image:



9. Click on the image to insert it into your document where the cursor is located.
10. Click on the X at the top left of the Insert Clip Art task pane to close it.

Modifying a Clip Art search

If your search does not lead to any suitable Clip Art images you may want to modify the search by using different search words.

To modify a Clip Art search:

1. Search for an image using the Insert Clip Art image (shown above).
2. Click on Modify.
3. You will be returned to the Search task pane. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until you find a suitable image.
4. Click on the image to insert it into your document.

Resizing a Clip Art image

When you have inserted a Clip Art image you may decide to resize it.

To resize an inserted Clip Art image.

1. Click on the image to be resized.
   It will then be surrounded by a black box with a 'handle' on each corner and one on each side:



2. Use the mouse to move and hover the pointer over one of the corner handles and ensure that the pointer changes to a diagonal, double-headed arrow:



or



3. While the pointer is a double-headed arrow, left click on the mouse and drag the corner into the image to make it smaller, or away from the image to make it larger.
   A dotted box will appear connected to the pointer indicating the resizing of the image.
4. When you are happy with the size indicated by the dotted box release the mouse button. The image will be resized accordingly.

To squash and stretch an inserted Clip Art image.

1. Click on the image to be resized.
2. Use the mouse to move and hover the pointer over one of the side, top or bottom handles and ensure that the pointer changes to a double-headed arrow:



or



3. While the pointer is a double-headed arrow, left click on the mouse and drag the handle into the image to squash it, or away from the image to stretch it.

Cut, Copy, Paste or Move a Clip Art image

A Clip Art image can be cut, copied, pasted or moved in the same way that text can be. Click here for the handout Cutting, Copying, Pasting and Moving text.

Deleting a Clip Art image

To delete a Clip Art image from your document.

1. Click on the image.
2. Press the Delete key.

Exercises

For exercises to practice the above click here.

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