Pictures in AutoShapes

Excel allows you to format the appearance of the AutoShapes you place in a worksheet. If you display the Format AutoShape dialog box, you can change all sorts of colors, lines, fills, fonts, and other attributes of the AutoShape. One really nifty formatting feature is to place a picture within an AutoShape. Follow these steps if you are using a version of Excel prior to Excel 2007:

1. Create your AutoShape as you normally would.
2. Right-click the AutoShape. Excel displays a Context menu for the AutoShape.
3. Choose Format AutoShape from the Context menu. Excel displays the Format AutoShape dialog box. (If Format AutoShape was not one of the options from the Context menu, then you didn't right-click the AutoShape itself in step 2. Make sure that you right-click one of the lines that make up the AutoShape.)
4. Display the Colors and Lines tab. (Click here to see a related figure.)
5. Click the drop-down arrow for the Color drop-down list.
6. On the drop-down list, choose Fill Effects. Excel displays the Fill Effects dialog box.
7. Make sure the Picture tab is displayed. (Click here to see a related figure.)
8. Use the controls in the dialog box to select a picture you want in the AutoShape.
9. Click OK as many times as necessary to close all the dialog boxes.

If you are using Excel 2007 you should follow these steps, instead:

1. Create your Shape as you normally would.
2. Right-click the Shape. Excel displays a Context menu for the Shape.
3. Choose Format Shape from the Context menu. Excel displays the Format Shape dialog box. (If Format Shape was not one of the options from the Context menu, then you didn't right-click the Shape itself in step 2. Make sure that you right-click one of the lines that make up the Shape.)
4. Make sure Fill is selected at the left of the dialog box.
5. Click the Picture or Texture Fill radio button. The options in the dialog box change to reflect your choice, and the name of the dialog box changes from Format Shape to Format Picture. (Click here to see a related figure.)
6. Use the controls in the dialog box to select a picture you want in the Shape.
7. Click Close.

The picture you selected in steps 8 or 6 should now appear in the background of the AutoShape. In most cases the AutoShape looks like a "mask" over the picture, which is a nice effect. You should also use this technique sparingly, as each picture you place in an AutoShape can greatly increase the size of your workbook.