Placing WordArt Over Graphics

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 16, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Jack noted that Word seems to stop him from placing a WordArt graphic over the top of a graphic already placed in a table. It seems that when he tries to do this, the WordArt appears above, below, or to the side of the existing picture, but cannot be moved over it.

The way to correct this problem is to change the way in which the WordArt graphic is created and used. Start by inserting your picture in the table, as desired, and then follow these general steps:

Outside of the table, create your WordArt graphic.
Right-click on the WordArt graphic and choose Format WordArt from the resulting Context menu. Word displays the Format WordArt dialog box.
Make sure the Layout tab is displayed. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Layout tab of the Format WordArt dialog box.

Click on In Front of Text. This allows the graphic to "float" over existing text.
Click Advanced. Word displays the Advanced Layout tab with the Picture Position tab selected. (See Figure 2.)

Figure 2. The Picture Position tab of the Advanced Layout dialog box.

Make sure the Move Object with Text check box is cleared.
Make sure the Lock Anchor check box is cleared.
Make sure the Allow Overlap check box is selected.
Close all the dialog boxes.

You should now be able to move the WordArt graphic so that it overlaps the graphic in the table.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (7330) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Picking Which Outlook Address to Use in Word

If your Outlook contacts have more than one address each, you may want to select which one is used in Word. This tip ...

Discover More

Inserting the Current Month

Need to add the name of the current month to your document? Word includes a field that can make the addition easy, and it ...

Discover More

Diagonal Borders in a Conditional Format

Conditional formatting is a great tool for changing how your data looks based on the data itself. Excel won't allow you ...

Discover More

Learning Made Easy! Quickly teach yourself how to format, publish, and share your content using Word 2021 or Microsoft 365. With Step by Step, you set the pace, building and practicing the skills you need, just when you need them! Check out Microsoft Word Step by Step today!

More WordTips (menu)

Changing Color in WordArt

You can make your document flashier by using WordArt to punch it up. Here's how you can change the color of the text in ...

Discover More

Getting Rid of the Jaggies in WordArt

Sometimes the fonts you use in your WordArt creations can look smooth and clean on the screen, but when printed, have ...

Discover More

Using Different Shapes in WordArt

You can apply different shapes in WordArt to create different effects.

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is eight more than 8?

2017-03-15 07:34:36

PADMA SARADHA

Really Awesome..Thanks a lot...

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.