Adding cartoon characters to your PowerPoint presentations can be an effective way to engage your audience and communicate ideas more clearly. Cartoon characters tend to grab people’s attention while also helping to simplify complex topics through visual storytelling.
In this blog post, we provide a step-by-step guide on how to insert cartoon people into PowerPoint, along with tips for using them effectively.
Why Use Cartoons in Presentations
Before jumping into the how-to, let’s first go over some of the key benefits of using cartoons in PowerPoint and other presentations:
- Attention-grabbing: Cartoons stand out and capture interest more effectively than text-heavy slides. The visual appeal makes audiences more likely to pay attention and retain information.
- Clarify complex ideas: Cartoons can act as visual metaphors to illustrate intricate concepts in a more digestible way. They help simplify what might otherwise be difficult to understand.
- Storytelling: Cartoons allow you to incorporate narrative elements and characters. This helps turn your presentation into a memorable story rather than a dry informational download.
- Relatability: Audiences connect better with cartoons on an emotional level. The characters feel more human, despite being drawings. This rapport makes your message more impactful.
- Versatility: Cartoons work for both serious, professional presentations as well as lighthearted, casual ones. When used thoughtfully, they can match any tone and setting.
Step 1: Enable the Premium Content Library
To access PowerPoint’s library of cartoon people, you first need to enable the premium content:
- Open your PowerPoint presentation
- Select the Insert tab
- Click on Icons to open the content library
- Make sure the Premium content is enabled (a toggle switch in the upper right)
The premium library contains thousands of icons, images, and illustrations, including diverse cartoon people you can add to slides.
Step 2: Browse the Cartoon People Selection
Once unlocked, browse through the available cartoon people graphics:
- Scroll down through the content library categories
- Click on the Cartoon People tab
- Preview the different body parts, heads, facial expressions, clothing, and accessories
Mix and match elements to create unique cartoon people tailored to your needs. The library is updated regularly with new graphics too.
Step 3: Insert and Customize Cartoon Characters
When you find components you like, insert your customized cartoon person onto a slide:
- Select the desired head, body, clothing, etc.
- Click the Insert button in the ribbon to add it to your slide
- Resize, layer, color, and arrange pieces as needed
- Right-click and Ungroup elements to customize further
Play around mixing and matching character elements to construct the perfect cartoon person for communicating your presentation’s message.
Tips for Using Cartoons Effectively
When adding cartoons to PowerPoint slides, keep the following tips in mind:
- Relevance – The cartoon imagery should directly relate to your content and topic. Don’t use cartoons just for decoration.
- Simplicity – Less is often more with cartoons. Avoid overly complex scenes that distract from key information.
- Consistency – Use the same cartoon style and aesthetic throughout your presentation for cohesion.
- Thoughtfulness – Carefully consider if the cartoons match the tone of your presentation and audience. Avoid anything potentially offensive or controversial.
- Purpose – Know exactly why each cartoon is included and what you want it to communicate before inserting it. Every element should have intent and purpose behind it.
Animating Cartoon Characters (Advanced)
For more advanced presentations, PowerPoint enables you to animate inserted cartoons to make them move and transition:
- Select the cartoon person graphic
- Go to Animations tab
- Pick an animation like Fade, Wipe, or Fly In
- Customize motion path, speed, start/end triggers
- Animate other slide elements to interact
Animations bring your custom cartoon people to life, making your presentation more dynamic and memorable. Just be careful not to go overboard. Subtle, clean animations aligned to key messaging work best.
Showcase Your Creativity with Cartoons
Adding vibrant, animated cartoon people provides immense opportunities to showcase creativity and improve audience engagement. With PowerPoint making cartoons readily available and customizable, any presentation can benefit from well-executed visual storytelling.
Follow the best practices outlined here for inserting and applying cartoons thoughtfully and effectively. If done right, cartoons can take your ordinary presentations into extraordinary new territory.
