About graphics in Word

There are two basic types of graphics that you can use to enhance your Microsoft Word documents: drawing objects and pictures. Drawing objects include AutoShapes, diagrams, curves, lines, and WordArt drawing objects. These objects are part of your Word document. Use the Drawing toolbar to change and enhance these objects with colors, patterns, borders, and other effects.

Pictures are graphics that were created from another file. They include bitmaps, scanned pictures and photographs, and clip art. You can change and enhance pictures by using the options on the Picture toolbar and a limited number of options on the Drawing toolbar. In some cases, you must ungroup and convert a picture to a drawing object before you can use the Drawing toolbar options.

When you insert a drawing object in Word, a drawing canvas is placed around it. The drawing canvas helps you arrange a drawing in your document.

Multiple drawing objects on a drawing canvas

When you insert a picture, the drawing canvas is not automatically placed around it; however, you can add a picture to a drawing canvas.

The drawing canvas helps you keep parts of your drawing together, which is especially helpful if your drawing consists of several shapes.

The drawing canvas also provides a frame-like boundary between your drawing and the rest of your document. By default, the drawing canvas has no border or background, but you can apply formatting to the drawing canvas as you would any drawing object.

By default, Word places a drawing canvas in your document when you insert a drawing object (except WordArt). The canvas is automatically positioned to be inline with the text of your document.

You can add a variety of diagrams using the diagramming tools on the Drawing toolbar. Diagram types include Cycle, Target, Radial, Venn, and Pyramid. Use the diagrams to illustrate various conceptual material and to enliven documents (diagrams are not numerically based).

Diagram with drawing canvas

Callout 1 Diagram (radial type)

Callout 2 Diagram toolbar

Callout 3 Drawing sizing handles

Callout 4 Drawing border

When you add or change a diagram, the diagram is outlined by a nonprinting border and sizing handles. You can size the diagram by using sizing commands to make the drawing area larger so you have more room to work, or you can get rid of extra space by fitting the border more closely to the diagram.

Format the entire diagram with preset styles; or, format pieces of it like you format shapes— add color and text, change line weight and style, and add fills, textures, and backgrounds. Use the Diagram toolbar that appears with your diagram to add elements or segments and to move them forward or backward.

Flowcharts (or flow diagrams) can be created using a combination of AutoShapes on the Drawing toolbar, including flowchart shapes and connectors.

Flowchart shapes and connectors

Callout 1 Connectors that are available

Callout 2 Some flowchart shapes that are available

You can use the diagramming tool on the Drawing toolbar to create an organization chart to illustrate hierarchical relationships, such as department managers and employees within a company.

Organization chart with canvas

Callout 1 Organization chart toolbar

Callout 2 Organization chart

Callout 3 Drawing border

Callout 4 Drawing sizing handles

When you add or change an organization chart, the organization chart appears with drawing space around it, outlined by a nonprinting border and sizing handles. You can size the organization chart by using sizing commands to make the drawing area larger so you have more room to work, or you can get rid of extra space by fitting the border more closely to the diagram.

Organization chart shapes

Callout 1 Superior shape

Callout 2 Assistant shape

Callout 3 Subordinate shapes (assistant and employee of the superior shape)

Callout 4 Coworker shapes (also a subordinate of the superior shape)

Format the entire organization with preset styles; or, format pieces of it like you format shapes— add color and text, change line weight and style, and add fills, textures, and backgrounds. Add shapes— such as manager (superior), employee (subordinate), assistant, or coworker— or change branch layout options with the Organization Chart toolbar, which appears when you insert or select the diagram.