Microsoft Publisher

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Tutorial: Creating a simple publication

Starting with a blank document, it is easy to create a simple flyer.  You may already have a layout in mind for your document, or you may prefer to place all of your content first, then worry about placement.  Publisher accommodates both styles.  This tutorial will take you through creating and designing several objects, placing them in relation to one another, and finishing a design scheme for the project.

Text boxes and overflow

• Begin by placing a text box.  Type in your text, or copy and paste it from another source. 

• If the text overfills the existing box, an overflow sign will appear.  You may either resize the box, or “overflow” into another text box.  Publisher will automatically flow text between boxes. 

• Create a second text box, then re-select the first box.  Click the Create Text Box Link button in the top toolbar, then click the empty text box.  Now extra text from the first box will flow into the second. 

Pictures

Now add a picture. 

• Click the Picture Frame button.  If you already have a picture, select Picture from File, then browse for your picture.  To add clip-art, sele 26-Jul-2005 in your document. 

• Move, rotate and resize it just as you would any other object.  The picture toolbar will also appear, which you can use to adjust the color, contrast, and brightness, add borders, etc.  Clicking elsewhere on the screen will close the picture toolbar.

Effects

Use the formatting toolbar to add effects to your objects, like borders and shadows. 

• Click the picture you just added, then click the Shadow button on the formatting toolbar.  Select the style of shadow you want.
• Similarly, if you want to add a border, select an object, then click the Line/Border Style button and select the border you want.

Tables

Add a data table. 

• Click the Insert Table button.  Then click your document.  The Create Table window will pop up.  Enter the number of rows and columns you need, and select a table format from the list if you like.  Enter your data, and move and resize the object as usual. 
• Add a border using the Line/Border Style button on the formatting toolbar.

WordArt

Add a fancy title to your publication using WordArt. 

• Click the Insert WordArt button, then select the style of WordArt you want to use when the WordArt Gallery window pops up.  Type your title. 
• Then move and resize the object as usual.

Shapes: Text wrapping, object order, and color fills

• Add a shape to your publication by clicking one of the shape buttons, then clicking on your document. 
• Try adding the shape on top of one of the text boxes.  Publisher will automatically try to wrap the text around the object.  You can change the text wrapping options by clicking Arrange > Text Wrapping.

• To change the order of your objects in the vertical plane—changing which object “covers” another—either right-click on the object and select Order from the menu, or select it and click Arrange > Order.  Send to Back will cause the shape to move “behind” the text box, meaning that the text will cover the shape instead of wrapping around it.

• You can color a shape by selecting it and clicking the Fill Color button on the formatting toolbar.  To get more fill options, click the small arrow next to the Fill button.

More on Colors

You may have noticed that Publisher automatically offers a small selection of colors when you choose a fill or text color.  This is the color scheme of your publication, and you can change it at any time.  Changing the color scheme will automatically change the color of any object whose color you selected from that list, making it easy to keep the appearance of your publication consistent while also allowing you to alter the entire document quickly.

• Change the color scheme by clicking Format > Color Schemes…  The Color Schemes window will appear in the left pane.  Select a pre-made color scheme from the list, or click Custom Color Scheme to create your own.