Understanding WordArt

WordArt is a program that allows you to treat text as a graphic. You can use the program to add special effects and flourishes to text, and then insert the text in your document. It is useful for creating special text elements such as logos, mastheads, or titles. Exactly how you access WordArt depends on the version of Word you are using.

Word 97 includes WordArt 2.0, although it is not automatically installed when you install Word. You can tell if WordArt is installed by trying to access WordArt. If it is not installed, then you can run the Word Setup program again and install WordArt on your system.

You access WordArt using either of these methods in Word 97:

• Double-click on a graphic originally created with WordArt.
• Choose Object from the Insert menu. You will see the Object dialog box. Choose Microsoft WordArt 2.0 from the Object Type list and click on OK. You will see the WordArt dialog box.

When WordArt if running, you see the WordArt dialog box, and most of your Word 97 menus and toolbars are hidden. It is a good idea to periodically update your Word document from within WordArt. This is done by clicking on the Apply button in the WordArt dialog box. When you do this, your changes will be updated in both the WordArt preview area and in your Word document. When you are through using WordArt, you can exit the program simply by using the mouse to click somewhere else in your Word document. (You can also press Esc to exit WordArt.)

Word 2000, 2002, and 2003 use a more integrated approach to WordArt. In these versions of Word you should follow these steps:

1. Make sure the Drawing toolbar is displayed.
2. On the Drawing toolbar click on the Insert WordArt tool. You then see the WordArt Gallery. (See Figure 1.)



Figure 1. The WordArt Gallery.

3. Select a general appearance that you want used for your text, and then click on OK. You then see the Edit WordArt Text dialog box. (See Figure 2.)



Figure 2. The Edit WordArt Text dialog box.

4. Enter the text you want used by WordArt, and click on OK.

At this point, the WordArt graphic is created and added to your document. You should also see the WordArt toolbar, which includes commands specific to working with WordArt objects. To hide the toolbar, simply click a different place in your document so that the WordArt object isn't selected.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1816) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Understanding WordArt.