Saving WordArt Graphics as Files

It is easy to develop unique graphics and text flourishes in WordArt. Unfortunately, the program does not provide a way for your creations to be saved as regular graphics files. (You may want to save your work in a graphics file so you can use it in a program besides WordArt or Word.) There are ways around this problem, however. Perhaps the simplest way to save your WordArt graphic in another format is to use the Windows Clipboard. You can accomplish this method by following these steps:

1. While using Word, click (don't double-click) on the WordArt graphic.
2. Press Ctrl+C. This copies the graphic to the Clipboard.
3. Start your favorite graphics program, such as Windows Paint or Paint Brush Pro.
4. Press Ctrl+V to paste the contents of the Clipboard (your graphic) to the graphics program.
5. Using your graphics program, edit your graphic as desired and save in the format desired.

You can also use PowerPoint to accomplish much the same task. Follow these steps if you are using a version of Office prior to Office 2007:

1. While using Word, click (don't double-click) on the WordArt graphic.
2. Press Ctrl+C. This copies the graphic to the Clipboard.
3. Start PowerPoint.
4. Choose Paste Special from the Edit menu. This displays a submenu, from which you should select Picture as the insertion type.
5. Double-click on the inserted image. PowerPoint will display a dialog box asking if you want to convert the picture to a Microsoft Office drawing. Click on Yes.
6. Resize the drawing so that it is the size desired.
7. Choose Save As. In the dialog box, indicate a file name and save your file as a Windows Metafile.
8. When prompted, indicate you want to save only the current slide.

The resulting WMF file can be inserted into any application that can work with WMF graphic files. You may also want to load it into a graphics program to further edit it.

If you are using Office 2007 then you can use PowerPoint in this manner:

1. While using Word, click (don't double-click) on the WordArt graphic.
2. Press Ctrl+C. This copies the graphic to the Clipboard.
3. Start PowerPoint.
4. With the Home tab of the ribbon displayed, click the down-arrow under the Paste Tool and then choose Paste Special. PowerPoint displays the Paste Special dialog box.
5. Choose one of the available Picture types for pasting the image. (Pasting as a JPG figure is a good choice, for instance.)
6. Click OK. The WordArt image is inserted in the current slide as a graphic.
7. Resize the drawing so that it is the size desired.
8. Right-click the WordArt image and choose Save As Picture from the resulting Context menu. PowerPoint displays the Save As Picture dialog box. (This is nothing more than a standard Save dialog box with a different title.)
9. Specify a file name and save your graphic.

That's it. You end up with a graphic file that you can use in any other graphics program, as desired.