what is drawing in presentation

Presentation Drawing

The importance of presentation drawing.

Presentation drawing, also known as a rendering, is a crucial aspect of the design process. It's a means of visually communicating ideas to clients, colleagues, and contractors. Presentation drawings can take many forms, from quick sketches to highly detailed, realistic illustrations. Regardless of the format, the goal of presentation drawing is to convey the essence of a design in a visually compelling way.

The Types of Presentation Drawing

There are several types of presentation drawing, each with its own unique strengths and weaknesses. Here are four of the most common types of presentation drawing:

Sketches are quick, informal drawings that are used to explore ideas and communicate concepts. They are typically done by hand using pencil or pen and paper. Sketches are valuable because they allow designers to express their ideas quickly and without the need for expensive tools or software. That said, sketches are generally less polished than other forms of presentation drawing, so they may not be suitable for more formal presentations.

Concept Drawings

Concept drawings are more detailed than sketches and are intended to convey a more developed idea. They are still relatively informal, but they often incorporate color and shading to give the drawing depth and texture. Concept drawings can be done by hand or using digital tools like Photoshop or SketchUp.

Renderings are highly detailed, realistic illustrations of a design. They are typically created using 3D modeling software and are intended to give clients and colleagues a sense of what a finished project will look like. Renderings are often used in marketing materials and presentations because they are visually impressive and highly detailed.

Construction Documents

Construction documents are highly technical drawings that are used to communicate specific details about a project to contractors and builders. They include things like floor plans, elevations, and sections, and they are typically created using a combination of hand drawing and computer software.

Tips for Effective Presentation Drawing

Regardless of the type of presentation drawing you are creating, there are a few tips that can help ensure that your drawing is effective and communicates your ideas clearly.

Focus on Legibility

One of the most important aspects of presentation drawing is legibility. Your drawing should be easy to read and understand, even when viewed from a distance. Make sure that you use a font size and style that is easy to read, and avoid cluttering your drawing with unnecessary details that can distract from the main ideas you are trying to convey.

Choose the Right Format

Different types of presentation drawing are better suited to different formats. Sketches, for example, are best presented on paper or on a whiteboard. Renderings, on the other hand, are best viewed on a large screen or printed out at a high resolution. Make sure that you choose the right format for your drawing to ensure that it is presented in the most effective way possible.

Use Color Wisely

Color can be a powerful tool in presentation drawing, but it must be used wisely. Too much color can be distracting, while too little color can make your drawing look flat and lifeless. Use color to highlight important details and to create depth and texture in your drawing, but be sure to use it sparingly.

Be Consistent

Consistency is key in presentation drawing. Make sure that your drawing is consistent in terms of scale, proportion, and style. This will ensure that it is easy to read and that your ideas are communicated clearly.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Finally, the best way to improve your presentation drawing skills is to practice. Take the time to practice drawing different types of illustrations, and experiment with different tools and techniques to find what works best for you. The more you practice, the better you will become at conveying your ideas visually.

The Bottom Line

Presentation drawing is an essential aspect of the design process. It allows designers to communicate their ideas in a clear and compelling way and is crucial for getting buy-in from clients, colleagues, and contractors. Whether you're creating quick sketches or detailed renderings, there are a few key principles to keep in mind that can help ensure that your presentation drawing is effective and communicates your ideas clearly.

How to Draw on Google Slides and Make a Great Impression?

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By Nikolay Kaloyanov

in How-To Tutorials

2 years ago

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Making a great impression during your presentation is a very tough task. And let’s be honest – who would say you did well if the tools you use cannot help your present better? Luckily, Google Slides have covered everything for you – from shapes to the good old manual drawing options.

In this article, we will show you how to use Scribble for creating manual shapes and pointing out important details of how to improve your presentation .

1. What is Scribble and why should you use it? 2. How to draw on Google Slides? 3. Is there an alternative?

1. What is Scribble and why should you use it?

In a nutshell, the Scribble tool on Google Slides is a freehand drawing pen. It is easy to use, too – just draw a shape you like with your mouse, let go of the mouse, and voila! Google Slides will automatically create an even better version of that shape for you. Scribble turns boring slides into dynamic, colorful ones!

While other tools are preferred in presentations during the preparation, Scribble offers something unique – the ability to pinpoint details. It can make a massive difference and turn a standard audience into an engaged one. This tool is the perfect option for both school/university presentations and business ones.

“ The brain doesn’t pay attention to boring things. “ -John Medina

2. How to draw on Google Slides?

We already know why a Scribble is a good option. But how to add a drawing to your Google Slides presentation and make it look beautiful?

Step 1. Open Google Slides

The first step is to open Google Slides . If you’ve already created a presentation and want to use it, then open the presentation in Google Slides. If you’d like to start with a brand new presentation, then just create a new one. Bear in mind you should already have a Google Account.

Step 2. Add Scribble

When you have opened Slides, you should click on Insert , then choose Line, and afterward tap on Scribble . Of course, you’re not limited to Scribble only – you can add connectors, normal straight lines, arrows, etc.

Step 3. Start adding custom shapes

Once you have clicked on Scribble, you can start drawing random shapes. Bear in mind that Google has ensured your shapes will be improved, once you finish the figures.

Step 4. Customize your drawings

You have completed drawing your shapes. Now, you can start adding extra details:

change the colors (you can also add custom colors).
set line weight.
create a line dash.
set a line start and line end.
format the drawing.
and even add links and comments for further utility.

3. Is there an alternative?

While some people are delighted with the Scribble tool, others seek better options that are found online. Annotate is one good example. It’s a Chrome extension and registration is free. There is also a free forever plan that is more than decent, albeit having some limitations.

Google Slides Tip:

Experts recommend up to six words per slide is enough to gain the attention and get the audience to listen to what you have to say.

How can I keep the Scribble tool selected?

Unfortunately, every single time, you will have to use Scribble, you may need to re-open it. This might be a bit annoying, especially if you want to draw some figure with multiple details (for example, a face).

Can I modify Scribble live?

You cannot modify Scribble live. You need to close the presenting mode and add it. However, it is not a big issue if you want to pinpoint a detail from your presentation. However, it is certainly a bad idea to add multiple drawings, as this will distract your audience.

Can I use Scribble for a professional presentation?

Many people state it’s not good to use something like Scribble, as it might add a “cheap” look. To be honest, if you know how to use Scribble correctly, you’d earn more points than lose any .

You can easily draw on Google Slides and improve your presentation’s quality. But with some high-quality cartoons, you can step up your game significantly and make sure you stand out from the crowd.

If you think this article has been valuable, you may also be interested in some other useful guides:

39 Free Google Slides Templates For Your Next Presentation
How to Start and End a Presentation: 10 Practical Tips to Grab Attention and Make an Impact
How to Calm Down Before a Presentation: 10 Practical Tips and Techniques
10 Principles of Design: The Pocket Guide (+ Examples)

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Nikolay Kaloyanov

Nikolay is a copywriter with vast experience in Technology, Marketing, and Design. When he isn't playing with words and crafting texts, he watches sports and asks questions. He is a funny person...until you put him on a diet.

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How to draw in Microsoft PowerPoint to create custom designs on slides through the desktop app and online

You may want to draw in PowerPoint to mark and edit slideshows, or create your own designs, especially if you're using a touchscreen.
It's easy to draw in Microsoft PowerPoint with the various shape and line tools like the pencil and highlighter available on the app and web versions.
You can access drawing tools in PowerPoint under the "Draw" menu in the "Insert" tab, or use the basic line functions available in the app's "Shapes" menu.
Visit Business Insider's Tech Reference library for more stories .

Learning how to draw in PowerPoint is easy with the program's library of art tools at your disposal.

The Microsoft app gives you access to pens, pencils, and highlighters in the "Draw" tab. You can also add new tools at any time, so your favorite colors are always available in your dock.

Drawing in PowerPoint is great for circling items or highlighting text. It's especially helpful for editing, so you can highlight important parts of a presentation you may have been sent. After marking the slideshow — like you would a physical document — you can then send it to recipients.

While possible in all versions, drawing intricate designs may be easiest if you're using PowerPoint on a touchscreen computer or tablet, such as an iPad or Surface Pro.

In addition to the drawing tab, you can also use the essential line functions in the "Shapes" menu, found in the "Insert" tab. Unfortunately, these options are not available in the web version.

If you're looking to draw in PowerPoint, here's how to do it.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Microsoft office (from $149.99 at microsoft), apple macbook pro (from $1,299.00 at apple), acer chromebook 15 (from $179.99 at walmart), how to draw in powerpoint.

1. Open PowerPoint and load a new presentation or a previously saved project.

2. Navigate to the "Draw" tab and click "Draw" on the far left.

3. You'll find several preloaded options, even if it's your first time using the drawing tools, including the pen, pencil, and highlighter options. Click on any tool to select it.

4. Click the small arrow that appears in the lower right of your tool image to open a dropdown menu with options. Use this to adjust the size, color, and effects, or choose to delete the drawing.

5. You can add another preset tool, so you'll always have it in the dock by clicking the "Add Pen" option to the right of the preset options bar.

6. To erase any drawings or edits, navigate to the left side of the drawing dock, and select the eraser.

7 . To add something like a curve or scribble, or to freestyle draw using tools from the "Lines" section, navigate to the "Insert" tab.

8. Click the "Shapes" button and select your tool.

9. Online, the drawing menus are more limited. For example, when using pens, you'll choose from the colors provided instead of a color wheel or special effects.

10. If you opt to use the shape functions instead, the scribble and freeform lines are unavailable in the web version.

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How to download and access microsoft powerpoint on your mac computer, how to convert google slides to a powerpoint presentation in 4 easy steps, how to change your language settings in microsoft powerpoint in 3 different ways, how to copy or duplicate a powerpoint slide and put it anywhere in your slideshow, how to change and format the background of your powerpoint slides to custom designs.

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Watch: A shop in Canada makes custom designs for meringues

Main content

Draw on slides during a presentation

When you're showing a presentation, you can draw onscreen with a digital pen to emphasize a point or show connections.

(For details about drawing with ink when creating a presentation, switch to the article Draw and write with ink .)

Turn on the pen and draw in Slide Show

On the Slide Show tab, ensure that Use Presenter View is turned on.

On the Slide Show tab, click either From Beginning or From Current Slide to start your slide show.

Click that Pen button, and then choose Pen from the pop-up menu:

Click the Pen button, and then choose Pen from the pop-up menu.

Click and drag the mouse to draw on the slide.

(Optional) To turn off the pen, right-click the slide, point to Pointer Options , and then click Arrow Options and choose the option you prefer.

Change the color of the pen

By default, the color of the pen is red, but several colors available. To change the color of the pen:

In Presenter View, click the Pen icon at the lower left portion of the slide:

The Pen button is the left-most button in the set of helper buttons below slides in Presenter View.

On the pop-up menu, point to Ink Color , and then select the color you want.

Keep or discard ink annotations

At the end of your slide show, when you're about to return to Normal (editing) view, PowerPoint gives you the opportunity to save your ink annotations. Choose Discard to get rid of the annotations. Choose Keep to save the ink-pen annotations on the slides.

Erase ink that you've draw on slides

To remove some or all of what you’ve written or drawn, right-click the slide, point to Pointer Options , and then do one of the following:

Click Eraser , and then hold down the left mouse button and drag the eraser over what you want to erase.

Click Erase All Ink on Slide to erase everything you’ve written or drawn on the slide.

On the Slide Show tab, click either Play from Start or Play from Current Slide to start your slide show.

Play your slide show from the start or from the current slide.

In Slide Show view, four helper buttons appear at the lower left corner of your slide. The second one determines how the mouse pointer appears to viewers:

The button that looks like a pen determines how the mouse pointer appears to viewers

In PowerPoint for Microsoft 365 for Mac , your pointer continues to be a pen until you turn the feature off, even as you move from one slide to the next. (This feature requires version 16.27.19071500.)

In earlier versions of PowerPoint for macOS , your pointer ceases to be a pen when you navigate to a different slide. You must repeat step 2 above to turn the pen on again.

In Slide Show mode, click the Pen icon at the lower left portion of the slide:

On the pop-up menu, point to Pen Color , and then select the color you want.

You can choose from several options for the color of the pen pointer.

(If you've turned off the Simplified Ribbon, you don't have a Slide Show tab; instead use the View tab to start the slide show.)

When you reach the slide where you want to draw something, simply put your digital pen to the screen, and then draw. If you don't have a digital pen you can use your mouse by moving your cursor to the lower left corner of the window, selecting the ink button, and choosing the pen or highlighter.

PowerPoint for the web doesn't have the ability to save the onscreen annotations you draw.

Change the pen, or erase your ink

To change the color of your ink, or switch from pen to highlighter or eraser, move your cursor to the lower left corner of the window to expose the presentation toolbar. Then click the Ink button to pop up the ink menu.

The slide show toolbar, with the ink menu expanded

This feature is supported on the latest version of these web browsers:

Microsoft Edge

This feature isn't supported on Internet Explorer.

Tip: If you prefer to use keyboard shortcuts rather than your mouse when delivering your presentation, see Use keyboard shortcuts to deliver your presentation .

Highlight text while creating slides

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How to add a drawing to a PowerPoint presentation

Let your creativity shine in your presentations

Who said that school and business meetings have to be boring? Drawings are quick and easy ways to display information without the buttoned-up feel of graphs and tables. Here, we’ll learn how to add and use Microsoft PowerPoint ’s dedicated Draw tab. You will also learn how to add your own drawings.

Studies over the years have proven that visual data aids in retention when delivering a message. For this reason, everyone from teachers to professional speakers tend to make use of images, drawings, or short videos to drive points home when giving a presentation. A drawing in PowerPoint is a great way to grab attention.

Using the Draw feature allows you to add these visual elements once you know how to find the correct tab in PowerPoint. While it’s not immediately obvious how to use the feature, you’re only a few clicks away from first adding the tab, and then drawing in PowerPoint.

How to add the draw tab to PowerPoint

1. To activate the Draw Tab, right-click anywhere on your PowerPoint ribbon. Then, select Customize the Ribbon from the context menu that appears. This step will open the PowerPoint options window in the Customize Ribbon tab.

2. Next, tick the checkbox beside Draw under the Customize Ribbon section. Finally, click OK . You should notice that a new tab with the name Draw has been added to your PowerPoint Ribbon.

How to draw in PowerPoint

1. To start drawing on PowerPoint, go to the Draw tab at the top of the application.

2. Select your preferred drawing medium under the Drawing Tools section. By default, you can choose between a black pen, a red pen, and a yellow highlighter.

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3. To modify your drawing tools, right-click any of them and select either Modify Tool or Add Another Tool.

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Nov 10 2010

Drawing in PowerPoint 101

Sometimes you need to draw in PowerPoint. (c) Thinkstock

In PowerPoint, you may have discovered that you have the ability to draw objects. Although not as powerful as Adobe’s Illustrator software, PowerPoint 2007 does give you a basic set of drawing options for adding custom objects to your PowerPoint slides. I view drawing in PowerPoint as a last resort when you can’t find an appropriate photo or clip art graphic. If I can customize an existing clip art image, I’m going to go that route before I embark down the path of drawing something in PowerPoint for a couple of reasons.

First, most people don’t have the artistic skills to create a professional-looking image from scratch. As you will see, drawing in PowerPoint isn’t that difficult, but the software isn’t going to magically transform you into an artist. Even PowerPoint requires a basic level of creative ability when it comes to drawing. Editing existing clip art doesn’t require as much creative skill, and you’re building upon an object that should already look professional.

Second, it can be more time consuming to draw an object from scratch than editing an existing clip art graphic . Frequently, when it comes to building presentations, time isn’t a luxury so spending an inordinate amount of time on drawing in PowerPoint may not be the best use of your time. There really has to be a compelling reason for drawing an object over just editing an available clip art image.

I found a good photo of a revolving door to help draw this icon.

In terms of my business presentations, I primarily draw objects when I need a specific icon or a unique object for a diagram. At times, I suffer from the perfectionist curse, and I feel compelled to draw the specific graphic I really want. For example, in one presentation I needed to draw a revolving door graphic for a process diagram. I couldn’t find any revolving door clip art so I chose to draw the object rather than change my entire diagram/analogy to accommodate a different idea. Drawing in PowerPoint is not for the artistically faint-hearted, but it can be a great solution when there aren’t any graphical alternatives or graphic design help available.

Drawing Techniques in PowerPoint

First, I want to start with a technique or tool you don’t want to use. At first glance, you may think the logical tool for drawing in PowerPoint is the Scribble tool. However, you’ve probably discovered the Scribble tool is pretty much useless . Unless you have an incredibly steady hand with a mouse or you’re trying to create a rough-looking graphic, it is not a good idea to use the Scribble tool. I wouldn’t recommend using the Scribble tool as it is difficult to create a symmetrical, smooth, and professional-looking object in PowerPoint.

With the Scribble tool, it's hard to keep the shape from looking rough. You also add a lot of unnecessary points, which makes editing more work.

When drawing in PowerPoint, my favorite two approaches are to either draw an object using the Freeform tool or convert a default shape to a freeform shape (why draw a shape from scratch if there’s a default shape close to what I want that I can just convert and edit?). The reason I like these two approaches is that I have more control over the line segments, corners, etc. of the object.

Step 1 – Draw a rough outline of the desired shape

The first step is to draw the outline of the desired shape using the Freeform shape tool. In PowerPoint 2007, you’ll find the Freeform shape on the Ribbon under the Insert tab > Shapes button . Drawing is as simple as left clicking to start drawing, clicking or adding a point whenever you want to change direction, and then closing the object by making your last click on the beginning point.

Using the Freeform tool, you first draw the rough structure of the shape you want -- not worrying about curves yet.

Tip: I recommend making the shape larger than the actual size you need. You can always zoom closer on a larger object to edit a particular area, but if the shape is really small then you’ll have limited zoom-in options.

When you draw, you need to approach it as a rough framework or structure for the object and not the exact shape of the object. As you draw, the goal is to identify all of the key points where the shape of the object changes direction dramatically such as at a corner. The object won’t look like the final shape until you eventually edit it. You don’t have to be super precise with every point because you can always reposition, remove, or add points once the rough shape of the object is in place. However, it can be painful if you find yourself having to reposition every point.

Tip: In elementary school, tracing was always looked down on as cheating. Tracing in PowerPoint can be a real timesaver. Sometimes you may have the right image, but it’s too low res or you need a graphic instead of a photo. Just be careful not to break any image copyrights.

Step 2 – Ensure proper grid settings

Make sure the "snap to" options are disabled.

Before you start editing the object, you’ll want to ensure that your Grid Settings are properly configured. In order to check your Grid Settings, go to the Home tab > Arrange button on the Ribbon. Under the Align options on the dropdown menu, you’ll click on the Grid Settings button . In the Grid Settings pop-up, make sure that both “Snap objects to grid” and “Snap objects to other objects” are unchecked . These two settings will interfere with editing and repositioning points so you want to make sure they are disabled.

Step 3 – Edit and refine the shape

As you're editing points, watch the form of the mouse pointer. You can accidentally add points when you just want to edit them.

Now that you have the rough shape for your object, you can edit and refine its shape. In order to edit the object, right-click on the shape and select “Edit Points” from the pop-up menu. When you do this, small black squares (points) will appear which are connected by a thin red line. When you hover over the line or one of the points, the mouse pointer transforms different forms. Depending on what you’re trying to do, the mouse pointer’s form is important (edit a point vs. add a point). I find it’s helpful to zoom in close to the object so that you can manipulate the points and line segments accurately.

Tip: With the shape selected (won’t work if an object is not selected), hold down the Ctrl + Mouse Wheel to zoom in and out quickly.

When you click on a specific point, two handles will appear which control the curves of the lines intersecting at the point. Three factors influence a line segment: the length of the “A” handle , the angle of the “A” handle , and the same two aspects for the “B” handle . In the examples below, you can see how the positions of the A and B handles create different line effects.

You can see how the angle and length of the A and B handles affect the line segment's curve.

Make the necessary adjustments to the points’ handles to create the desired shape for your object. I recommend removing unnecessary points. For example, if you can achieve the same curve with two points instead of three or four, you’re going to have smoother line segments with fewer points.

As you work with the points, you might find that you need to alter the point type (corner, straight, or smooth). You right-click on a point and select the point type you want. Ellen Finkelstein defined each point type as follows: a corner point allows for a sharp corner, a smooth point allows for a non-sharp corner, and a straight point doesn’t allow for corners. Resetting the point type can fix a problematic point in your shape as you’re editing.

Take the basic structure of the object and edit each point to create the desired shape. I had to reposition some of the points once I got into editing mode.

Step 4 – Add detail layers

Now that you have the main shape in place, you can add more details to your object by layering additional shapes on top of the main image.

I needed to ninja-fy this teddy bear.

Once you’ve finished adding the final touches to your image, I recommend grouping your object so that it stays intact when you reposition or resize it in your slides. If you add an outline to your object, you need to be careful if the object is resized that you adjust the outline’s weight because the line weight will not adjust as you resize the object. You can avoid this issue if you create the outline by drawing instead of just adjusting the shape’s outline thickness or line weight.

Final Words

As I mentioned at the beginning, it can be time-intensive to draw in PowerPoint. You need to have a compelling reason to draw an object because it will take an investment of your time.

Could I have just used this clip art instead? Maybe. Determine upfront whether or not to proceed down the path of drawing.

You don’t need to draw a shape from scratch. One time-saving trick is to convert a shape into a freeform object , and then edit it as I’ve shown in this article. Another tip is to simply edit an existing clip art image so that it better meets your needs. You might even be able to ungroup a clip art image and steal a component of it that you need. PowerPoint ninjas strive to use their time efficiently because it is a precious resource that can’t be squandered or it can lead to problems. Good luck!

Redmond, We Have a Problem: Freeform Drawing in PowerPoint 2007
Editing Drawing Shapes in PowerPoint 2007
How to Create a Sexy Curved Arrow in PowerPoint
PowerPoint Color Transparency Tip
PowerPoint Ninja Toolbox: Drawing Guides

Tags: clip art , Drawing , Freeform , Freeform drawing , Graphics , Illustrator , Scribble

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Architecture

What Are Presentation Drawings In Architecture

Making a building look amazing is not something that should be taken lightly. And for that reason, architects have to make use of something called presentation drawings. This form of drawing has been used for centuries, and it still holds a very important place in the profession today. But what exactly are presentation drawings, and why are they so important?

Presentation drawings are the drawings that architects make to show the client their ideas for a building. Usually this includes the exterior design of the building, as well as details such as the materials used, the layout of the interior space, and sometimes even the furniture that will be used inside. Presentation drawings are usually produced in a very high level of detail, with fine lines and textures that capture the architect’s vision of the final product.

These drawings are important because they serve as a way for the architect to demonstrate to the client what they have in mind. They allow the client to get a feel for the building and to get a better understanding of the design process. For architects, presentation drawings are also an opportunity to showcase their creative abilities and to show off their skills. The more effective the drawings are, the more likely it is that the client will be impressed.

When making presentation drawings, it is essential that the architect pays close attention to detail. Every little nuance must be captured accurately, from the way the light hits the building to the way the windows are situated. It is also important that the drawings are easy to understand and non-technical, as they will be presented to a client who may not have a lot of knowledge in the field.

At the same time, presentation drawings should also be aesthetically pleasing. By using colors and styles that are pleasing to the eye, the architect can help boost the credibility of their project and make it more attractive to potential customers. It is also important to make sure that the drawings accurately reflect the architect’s vision for the project, as it will give potential customers a better understanding of what the project is all about.

Documentation

Presentation drawings are also important for documentation purposes. Architects must keep records of their projects so that they can refer back to them if needed. The drawings serve as a record of what was done and make it easier to review the project in the future. In addition, the drawings can also be used to prove that certain regulations were followed and to determine if certain elements of the design were successful.

Presentation drawings also provide evidence that the architect has done their job properly. They demonstrate the level of detail and care that went into the project and show that the architect took all the necessary steps to ensure that the project was done right. In addition, they can be used in court to prove that the architect was responsible for any mistakes or issues that may have occurred during the construction process.

Lastly, presentation drawings can be great for marketing the project. By displaying the drawings to potential customers, the architect can show potential customers what the building will look like, and this can be a great way to attract interest in the project. Having high-quality presentation drawings can be a great way to drum up business for an architect, as potential customers are more likely to be interested in projects with exceptional visuals.

Time and Money Saving

Presentation drawings can be a great way to save time and money on projects. By providing clients with detailed and accurate drawings, architects can avoid costly mistakes in the construction process and ensure that the project is completed on time and on budget. By providing clients with a realistic representation of what their project will ultimately look like, architects can help to ensure that the project goes as smoothly as possible.

Presentation drawings can also help architects to identify potential problems with the project before they occur. By analyzing the presentation drawings, architects can spot potential problems with the project and address them before they become costly issues. This can help to save time and money during the construction process, as any issues can be dealt with more quickly and efficiently.

Technological Advancement

In recent years, the technology available for making presentation drawings has advanced considerably. With the advent of computer-aided design software, architects can now produce highly detailed and sophisticated presentation drawings in a fraction of the time. This makes it much easier for architects to create complex and visually appealing drawings without having to spend hours manually drawing them.

In addition, the use of 3D printing has revolutionized the presentation drawing process. By using 3D printers, architects can quickly and accurately produce presentations that are as close to the actual project as possible. This can be especially helpful when creating drawings of complex structures that would otherwise be difficult to accurately depict.

Presentation Drawing Generators

In addition to the advances in technology, there are also many tools available to help architects create presentation drawings. In particular, presentation drawing generators are a great way to quickly and easily create drawings that are higher in quality than traditional drawing methods. These generators can help cut out a lot of the time and effort associated with producing high-quality presentation drawings.

These generators also make it easier for an architect to make modifications to the presentation, which can be very useful if the client has special requests or changes that need to be made to the project. In addition, some generators can even help to create an entire presentation from scratch, which can make the process much faster and easier for the architect.

Impact on the Overall Project

Presentation drawings are one of the most important tools available to an architect, and they can have a huge impact on the success of a project. From allowing the client to get a better understanding of the project to helping to identify potential problems in the construction process, presentation drawings can make a huge difference in the overall outcome of the project.

For this reason, it is important for architects to take their time and effort in creating presentation drawings that accurately reflect their vision. Not only will this ensure that the drawings are effective and appealing, but it will also help the project be completed to the highest standard possible.

Anita Johnson

Anita Johnson is an award-winning author and editor with over 15 years of experience in the fields of architecture, design, and urbanism. She has contributed articles and reviews to a variety of print and online publications on topics related to culture, art, architecture, and design from the late 19th century to the present day. Johnson's deep interest in these topics has informed both her writing and curatorial practice as she seeks to connect readers to the built environment around them.

How to Draw Using PowerPoint

Last Updated: September 20, 2021 Tested

This article was co-authored by wikiHow Staff . Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. The wikiHow Tech Team also followed the article's instructions and verified that they work. This article has been viewed 372,596 times. Learn more...

This wikiHow teaches you how to use your touchscreen, mouse, trackpad, or digital tablet to draw on PowerPoint slides. If you're using PowerPoint 2019 or later, you have a variety of drawing tools you can use while creating the slides, as well as during your presentation.

Drawing While Presenting (PowerPoint 2019 and Later)

Step 1 Open your presentation in PowerPoint.

If you're using Windows, make sure the box next to "Use Presenter View" in the toolbar is checked. [1] X Trustworthy Source Microsoft Support Technical support and product information from Microsoft. Go to source

If you'd rather use a translucent drawing tool, go for Highlighter instead.

You'll be asked if you want to save your markings after the slide show is finished.

Drawing While Creating (PowerPoint 2019 and Later)

Click the File menu at the top-left and choose Options .
Click Customize Ribbon .
Click Draw .

If you're using a trackpad on a Mac, you may find it helpful to turn on the "Draw with Trackpad" feature, which allows you to draw without having to hold down the mouse button at the same time. Click its switch on the Draw tab to toggle the feature on or off.
You can switch between tools, colors, and sizes as you continue working on your illustration.
If something didn't come out as you intended, click the down-arrow next to the eraser on the toolbar to find a variety of eraser tools.
You can also use the Undo keyboard shortcut to undo your last stroke—just press Cmd + Z (Mac) or Ctrl + Z (Windows) to do so.

Drawing While Creating (PowerPoint 2016 and 2013)

If your PC doesn't have a touchscreen or a compatible drawing tablet connected to the system, these tools will not work.

If the optioned is grayed-out, this won't work on your computer.

You can use your touchscreen, touchpad, digital tablet, or mouse to draw with any of these tools.

Step 5 Use the “Highlighter” to draw transparent lines.

Click the down arrow on the “Eraser” icon in the toolbar to select an eraser thickness.

You can also select color/thickness presets from the menu to the left of the “Color” and “Thickness” dropdowns.

Step 9 Click Convert to Shapes (optional).

The feature will also approximate a shape based on the number of lines drawn (square, hexagon, etc.). [4] X Research source

Step 10 Click the Lasso Select tool to select and move drawn items.

Community Q&A

Move the Task Bar to the Top of the Screen in Windows

↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/draw-on-slides-during-a-presentation-80a78a11-cb5d-4dfc-a1ad-a26e877da770#OfficeVersion=Windows
↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/draw-and-write-with-ink-in-office-6d76c674-7f4b-414d-b67f-b3ffef6ccf53#OfficeVersion=Windows
↑ https://support.office.com/en-us/article/Use-a-pen-to-draw-write-or-highlight-text-on-a-Windows-tablet-6d76c674-7f4b-414d-b67f-b3ffef6ccf53

About This Article

PowerPoint's freehand drawing tools allow you to draw shapes on a slide as though you were using a pen or pencil. First, open your presentation in PowerPoint and select the slide you want to draw on. Click the "Insert" tab and select "Shapes" on the toolbar. To start drawing, you'll want to select the Freehand Scribble tool, which is the squiggly line in the "Lines" section of the menu. This expands the Format toolbar, which is where you'll find your drawing tools. To change the color and size of your drawing tool, scroll through the Shape Styles menu and select an option. Now you're ready to draw. Click and drag the mouse to draw the image. When you lift your finger from the mouse button, the object will be selected—you can adjust the size of the drawing by dragging any of the edges inward or outward. To fill in the drawn area, click the "Shape Fill" menu in the toolbar—you can fill it with a solid color, picture, gradient, or texture. You can also adjust the outline of your drawing using the "Shape Outline" menu—this lets you choose a custom color and line thickness, as well as change your line to one that's dotted, dashed, or arrowed. The Shape Effects menu contains 3D and other effects to add depth to your illustration—these effects look especially good when you're drawing solid, filled-in shapes. To draw another shape, click back to the "Insert" tab, return to the Shapes menu, and select the Freehand Scribble tool once more. Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Create a Successful Architecture Presentation Board

Updated: December 31, 2023

Architecture is as much about effective communication as it is about innovative design. At the heart of this communicative process lies the architecture presentation board, a tool quintessential for architects to convey their vision, ideas, and concepts.

These boards are more than mere visual aids; they are the narrative bridge between an architect’s imaginative conception and the practical world where these ideas may take shape. They are not just a requirement for academic submissions or professional proposals but are a fundamental aspect of the architectural design process.

They serve as a canvas where ideas are visualized, concepts are explained, and designs are brought to life for various audiences, be it clients, peers, competition judges, or the general public.

Understanding how to effectively create and present these boards is crucial, as a well-crafted presentation not only showcases a finished scheme but also reflects the thought process, attention to detail, and the authors ability to communicate complex ideas succinctly and visually.

What are architecture presentation boards used for?

Architecture presentation boards serve several different purposes:

Students use them to present work to their professors and peers.
Professionals use them to present designs to clients, committees, shareholders, and exhibitions.
They may be a means to win a commission, or they may help to take a project into the next stage.

What is the purpose of an architecture presentation board?

Architecture presentation boards are a tool to showcase your work. They are a way to draw your viewers into your design process and methods, providing an overall summary and vision for the project. You are communicating your design and showcasing your artistic skills, and your sense as a designer.

Every successful project has a central concept, a “big picture” theme that gives it purpose. When you look at your project, what is that big idea?

As it is central to your whole project, this will guide you as you prioritize your work and determine the flow of your ideas. The primary purpose of your project is to communicate this central concept in the best way possible.

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How do you layout an architecture presentation board, 01 – structure/order.

Before you begin laying out your presentation board, think about the main points you want to convey. From there, determine what images and graphics will best represent those ideas. Gather all of the information you will need, making a note of what graphics and text you will need to communicate your ideas.

Remember, you are essentially telling a story, so pay close attention to the flow of the narrative as you arrange your elements. Consider the beginning, middle, and end of the story you want to tell.

Depending on the guidelines you are given, you may present your boards side-by-side, as separate boards presented in a sequence, or as one big poster. If no strict parameters are in place, figure out what structure and layout will tell your story the best. While a series of boards will logically convey your story, one big board is often the easiest option.

02 – Orientation

Will your presentation board be oriented in portrait or landscape? Sometimes you will get to make that call, but many times it will be determined for you by your director, client, or professor. Make sure you know beforehand what the parameters are.

If you get to choose, give it some careful thought. Which orientation will give your graphics the room they need to be the most impactful? Which orientation gives your whole project a natural flow for your narrative?

03 – Size

Much like orientation, you may or may not get to decide what size your presentation boards will be. You will often have restrictions that limit you to a specific board size and a certain number of boards.

Make sure you know your limitations before you start working on your layout. Your boards should all be the same size to achieve continuity.

You can use a combination of different sizes to produce a board of equivalent size. For example, a combination of two A1 boards will add up to an A0 board.

04 – Layout

The most common way to organize your layout is by using a grid. Using a grid will help keep the boards in your project consistent.

If you are using InDesign , you can achieve this uniformity by creating a master page that acts as a template for your whole project.

Templates are useful because they can save you a great deal of time, and they ensure uniformity throughout your project. Your grid should include spaces for titles, numbering, your name, and any other information that will repeat on each board.

Before you start laying out your actual boards, sketch out various configurations so you can determine what will work best. You can do a small-scale sketch to get the basic idea of the flow of each board. This allows you to change the arrangement of the elements before you commit to anything on your boards.

You can do this initial phase using software or sketching it out on paper.

After you have determined what type of layout you want to use, estimate how much space you will need for each element on the page. Each graphic needs to be large enough to have an impact. Determine how much space you would like to leave in between each graphic.

Use equal spacing throughout your project to create continuity. Here is an excellent tutorial on planning your layout using Indesign:

The layout of each board should show the relationship between all of the elements. It should be clear to read and follow a logical left-to-right and top-to-bottom progression.

Imagine a viewer looking at your presentation. What do you want them to see first? What is the best way to make them understand your project? Does your layout achieve this?

You should also pay attention to the relationship between each board. Is there a logical progression from one board to the next? Does the sequence make sense? If you will not display the boards in a configuration that makes them all visible at once, make sure you number them, so your viewers follow the correct sequence.

Don’t feel the need to fill every square inch of your presentation board. Leave enough space so that it doesn’t look too busy or cluttered. On the other hand, don’t leave too much space either, or it will look like you didn’t finish the board, didn’t have enough material for the board, or that you didn’t work very hard.

05 – Visual Hierarchy

Some of your images need to garner more attention than others. Consider all of the graphics and text you will be using. Which images are central to your main idea?

The images that are essential for communicating your vision should take up more space in the grid. You should have an image that people can see from a distance and other images that they can see from up close. This creates a visual hierarchy.

What is the most important aspect of your project? Make that the element people can see from a distance. There are ways to accomplish this in addition to making it the largest element on the board. For example, you can use color to draw the viewer’s eye to a particular graphic, especially if the rest of the board is monochromatic.

06 – Background

The background of your presentation board should be simple. This allows the viewer to see all of the elements without the distraction of a busy background. You don’t want anything to detract from the critical details of the board. Your graphics and text should be the primary focus; don’t use bold colors or textures that will detract from that.

A white, or even light gray, background will make your graphics and text stand out. It will give your presentation a professional look that isn’t too busy. You can use other colors if they help convey your central concept; just make sure the background is plain enough that the viewer focuses on the design, not the background.

Be very selective when using a black background, as it may make the text harder to read, and your graphics may not stand out as much as you would like them to.

Whatever color you choose for your background, use it to your advantage. Effective use of negative space can make your design look clean and professional.

07 – Color Scheme

Many professionals and students stick with black, white, and gray for presentation boards. While this can give your boards a professional look, don’t be afraid to add a pop of color. While sticking with greyscale may seem like a safe choice, there is a risk of blacks and greys making your design seem cold and lifeless.

Think about ways you can use color to bring life to your design. You may opt to add just one color, such as green for landscaping, to provide contrast to an otherwise monochromatic presentation. You could also bring in an additional color to represent a particular building material (brick, glass, wood, etc.).

You can also choose a brighter, more eye-catching color, such as yellow or orange, as a feature in your diagrams . Whatever you choose, use the same color across all of your boards to maintain a consistent flow.

If color is one of the main focuses of your project, or if there are details that you cannot adequately represent in greyscale, then you should feel free to delve deeper into the world of color. Don’t limit yourself to merely an accent color in this case, but don’t take it too far and make the mistake of overusing color to the point where it is a distraction.

08 – Font

All of the text throughout your project should be in one font. Don’t use font style as an avenue for creativity; it is more important to make sure the font style and size produce a readable, consistent product.

Sans serif fonts, such as Helvetica or Futura, will give your presentation a clean, minimalist look.

Avoid script or handwriting fonts, as they will not give your boards a clean, professional look. Keep the color of your font dark (black or dark grey work well) to provide contrast to a light background.

Whichever font you select, make sure the style and size are readable for your viewers before you finalize your boards. The best way to do this is to print out your text on an A3 paper, pin it up somewhere, and stand back to see how it will look when it is displayed.

A full breakdown, list, and description of the most popular fonts for architecture can be found here .

09 – Title

The most common placement for a title bar is the top left since your board will most likely follow a left-to-right and top-to-bottom progression. Many successful and professional-looking boards have titles at the top right, at the bottom, or somewhere in the middle.

Choose the position that makes the most sense for your project. As with other design decisions, make sure it does not distract the viewer from seeing the big picture.

Make sure the title placement is consistent from board to board. This consistency will be both visually appealing and professional.

10 – Text

Keep your explanations concise. People are not going to spend much time reading lengthy descriptions, so only include relevant information and keep it short. Remember that your text boxes are part of your visual hierarchy, so utilize the size and alignment to complement your graphics. Consider the various ways you can align the text within the text box. What flows best? What is pleasing to the eye?

Aside from your title, do not use all capitals in your text. Your work will look more professional and be easier to read if you stick with the standard rules of capitalization.

Whenever possible, use a graphic or a sketch, rather than an explanation, to portray an idea. Since this is a graphic presentation, you want your graphics to tell the story, not your text. Include a concise statement that highlights the features of your design. This is basically your sales pitch; lengthy explanations will make you lose your audience.

11 – Image Selection

The selection of images is a critical part of putting your presentation board together. The graphics you choose can make or break your entire design presentation.

You want to select the images that best convey the important details of your project. If you use too many images, your presentation may appear cluttered and confusing. If you use too few images, it may look like you did not put much effort into your presentation.

Over the course of your project, you have generated countless sketches, renderings, models, and drawings. Resist the temptation to include everything just to show how hard you worked. Keep your big picture in mind and determine which images will directly show or best support that idea.

12 – Models

On occasion, a physical model, or even several models showing different aspects of your design, may be required for your presentation board. This is an additional means of communicating your vision to your viewers.

There are several materials you can choose for your model. Card and cardboard are inexpensive and come in various weights, finishes, and colors.

Foam board is also available in various widths and thicknesses. It is generally white, but it also comes in other colors. It is very lightweight and sturdy, making it an ideal material for your presentation board.

Balsawood is another good option. It is easy to work with and comes in varying weights. The material you choose will depend on the look you are trying to achieve as well as how much weight you can adhere to your presentation board.

Your model pieces can be cut by hand with tools such as an X-Acto knife or a scalpel. If you have access to a laser cutter, it will save you some time and give you more precision.

13 – Time Constraints

Give yourself enough time to produce a well-thought-out, effective, visually appealing presentation. You spent a considerable amount of time on your design; it would be a shame to rush through your presentation boards. Give each part of the process enough attention so that your final product really showcases and highlights your talent and hard work.

Time management is critical when working on a big project like this. It can seem overwhelming at first, so split the project into smaller sub-tasks to make it more manageable. Give yourself a deadline for each of those smaller tasks. Make a schedule that shows which tasks you will accomplish each day. Make sure you leave yourself a little wiggle room in case anything unexpected comes up.

What should be included in an architecture presentation board?

Unless you receive explicit instructions regarding what to include in your presentation boards, it is up to you which elements make the cut. When you are deciding what elements to incorporate into your project, reflect on what will best explain your design.

When someone completely unfamiliar with your project is looking at your boards, what do you want them to see?

When deciding what text to include in your project, make sure you include an introduction, your design brief, and any applicable precedents. In addition, you will want to include concise textual explanations as needed throughout your presentation.

For your graphic representations, you want to include the basics: elevations, floor plans, and sections. You can represent these with 3d drawings, perspectives, or renders. You may also include some key features of your design that make it unique, and in addition to highlighting the finished product, select elements that show your concept and design development.

Some additional tips:

When choosing a perspective view, select one that highlights the best aspects of your design. This graphic is usually the most prominent picture on the presentation board. The hero image!
You will want to include at least two different elevation views so your viewers can get a sense of the bigger picture.
Don’t be afraid to include sketches. If you include some sketches that show the progression from a simple idea to the final product, you can communicate your vision as well as your process.

When you are adding all of these elements to your presentation board, make sure each graphic representation of the plan has the same orientation. If one picture has north pointed in one direction and another picture has north pointed in a different direction, it can be disorienting for the viewer.

Likewise, each graphic should use the same scale unless there is one picture that is bigger than the others for the purpose of visual hierarchy.

There is one obvious detail that you may inadvertently overlook. Make sure your name is on your presentation board. If you have more than one board, put your name on each one. The name is in the bottom right-hand corner, but it can also appear in the title bar.

Types of Architectural Presentation Boards

Organizing your architectural presentation sheets into specific categories can be a very effective way to present your projects. There are several types of architectural presentation boards, and the following tips can help you present your project at different stages:

C onceptual board

Concept sheets are a type of presentation board that showcase your initial ideas and approach to a project. They typically include information about the concept behind the project and how design decisions were made. It is important to submit concept sheets before presenting your architectural drawings and renderings.

When creating concept sheets, you may want to include conceptual collages and diagrams to help explain your ideas to the audience. These can be created using 3D modeling software or programs like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator. The goal of concept sheets is to clearly and simply present the various stages of your project to the review panel.

Site a nalysis board

Before beginning a project, architects perform thorough analyses to determine the needs, conditions, and limitations of the site. This analysis serves as the foundation for the concept development. Site analysis boards may include site analysis, urban scale analysis, sociocultural analysis, analysis of physical conditions, and environmental analysis.

It is important to conduct extensive research and present your findings in a clear and organized way, as analysis boards can help reinforce the concepts presented in your architectural drawings.

It is also important to keep in mind that the jury members may have difficulty understanding analysis presented alongside the architectural drawings.

Technical / Detail Board

Technical drawings are a crucial aspect of architectural projects, as they help to depict the structural elements of a design and guide the construction process. It is important to present technical drawings in a clear and organized manner, particularly in application projects and student projects.

Technical drawing boards should typically include a master plan at a scale of 1/5000 or 1/1000, as well as site plans and floor plans at a scale of 1/500, and sections and elevations at a scale of 1/200. Detail drawings, including system sections and details at scales of 1/20, 1/10, and 1/5, should also be included on the technical drawing boards.

These drawings will help to provide a more complete understanding of the project to the review panel.

Professional Boards

While student projects and competition entries are evaluated by a panel of judges, in professional practice, the client serves as the “jury” for your work. Instead of preparing presentation boards in the same way you would for school or competition projects, it is important to create presentations that will appeal to clients.

The most important factor for most clients is the design of the living space, so it can be helpful to focus on renderings and plain plans rather than technical drawings. The visual appeal of your presentation boards, including the color scheme and atmosphere in the renderings, as well as your ability to effectively present and explain your ideas to the client, will also be important factors in their evaluation of your work.

Programs, Software, and Tools

There are several software applications you can use to build your presentation board. Choose one that you are already familiar with, so you aren’t trying to learn new software while you are doing your layout. That is an added stressor that you just don’t need!

InDesign, Illustrator, and Photoshop are excellent programs, but if you need something a bit more simple, Microsoft Word, Pages, Powerpoint, or Keynote will also work.

InDesign was designed for making presentations. AutoCAD was designed for constructing plans. Photoshop was designed for editing raster images. Illustrator was designed for creating vector art. While some people are able to make their whole presentation using Illustrator, Photoshop, or even PowerPoint, it makes more sense to use each piece of software in a way that takes advantage of its strengths.

You can import files from AutoCAD, Photoshop, and Illustrator into InDesign and take advantage of the strengths of each application.

Before you delve into your own presentation board, do some research. Look online for examples and make a note of the elements you like. Combine that inspiration with your creativity to produce a stunning presentation.

Here are some websites you can use for inspiration:

The President’s Medals Winners

Pinterest – Architectural Presentation Boards

World Architecture Students Community – Presentation Boards

FAQ’s about architecture presentation boards

How do you present an architecture presentation.

Here are some general guidelines for presenting an architecture presentation:

Define your objective : Clearly define the purpose of your presentation and the main ideas or arguments you want to convey.
Organize your material : Gather and organize your material in a logical and coherent manner that supports your objectives. This may include drawings, images, models, diagrams, and text.
Create a clear and visually appealing layout : Use a layout that is easy to follow and that effectively presents your material. Consider using contrast, hierarchy, and balance to guide the viewer’s eye.
Practice your presentation : Practice your presentation to ensure that you are comfortable with your material and can deliver it in a clear and confident manner.
Use visual aids effectively : Use visual aids such as slides, drawings, and models to supplement your presentation and help illustrate your points. Avoid overloading the viewer with too much information and focus on presenting the most important ideas.
Engage your audience : Engage your audience by using a variety of presentation techniques, such as asking questions, using storytelling, and using interactive elements.
Conclude with a summary : Recap the main points of your presentation and conclude with a clear and concise summary.

Why do architects use presentation boards?

As explained above, architecture presentation boards are commonly used by architects and designers to visually communicate their ideas and designs.

Presentation boards typically consist of a series of large format panels that can be mounted on a wall or a stand. These panels can be used to display a variety of materials, such as drawings, images, models, diagrams, and text.

Presentation boards are an effective way to present a comprehensive overview of a project or design concept, and they can be used to showcase the key features and characteristics of a project.

They are often used in design reviews, presentations, exhibitions, and competitions , and can be a useful tool for architects and designers to communicate their ideas to a variety of audiences, including clients, stakeholders, and reviewers.

Presentation boards can be customized to suit the specific needs of the project and can be designed to effectively convey the key ideas and concepts of the design, enabling architects and designers to effectively present and showcase their work in a clear and visually appealing manner.

To Sum Up…

Even the most exceptional design concept can appear uninspired if you do not present it well.

You have spent weeks, maybe even months, on your design. Don’t sell yourself short by not communicating your vision well. The professional, creative, and aesthetic quality of your presentation will affect how your work is received.

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10 Tips for Creating Stunning Architecture Project Presentation

Architectural design projects are the life and soul of architecture school . As a student, you are always working on one, and somehow it becomes what your life is revolving around.

You would give it every possible effort and believe you have done your best, but on jury day, when you see everyone else’s project you could lose a bit of your confidence, not because your project is any less, but because your presentation is lacking.

The architecture project presentation might not be the core of the project, but it surely influences the viewer. It can also be considered an indicator of your artistic skills and sense as a designer.

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While you shouldn’t be completely dependable on positive results from a merely eye-catching architecture project presentation, you still need to give an adequate amount of time to properly plan it in a way that communicates your idea best. Your architecture professor might credit you for a creative design regardless of the presentation, but your future client might only see the presentation, so make it a habit, to involve your design skills in all aspects of your project, starting now.

Besides the essential tips and tutorials for photoshop architectural rendering that will definitely improve your board, here, we will give you some basic tips on how to create a Stunning Architecture Project Presentation . So, let’s get started.

Architecture Project Presentation Board Tips

1) size and orientation.

Most of the time your professors restrict you to specific board sizes and the number of boards. If that is the case then you need to confirm if your boards should be presented in Landscape or Portrait orientation. You, also, need to decide if you will be presenting your board side by side as one big board, one poster of equivalent size, or as separate boards that come in sequence.

Now, that you have a base to work on you need to start planning the layout of your boards or poster:

If you are presenting hand drawings then you can do prior planning on one or more A4 paper sheets for example. Try to make an accurate estimation of the space needed per each drawing and the buffering space you would like to leave around each.

If you will be presenting CAD drawings, then this might be easier. You can experiment with the actual drawings on CAD Layout or Photoshop if you will be rendering your project digitally.
You can use a grid system to organize your drawings. Decide on a unit width, for example, 6cm, then use its multiples to create unit areas to contain your drawings, like for instance, 12cm for outer frame buffering, 36cm for main drawings and so.

Do This Or that! Here is an example!

3) placement and zoning.

Think of the way you would like the viewers to circulate through your presentation, what you would like them to see first, how they would best understand your project. For example, you may start by brief site analysis, then move to the concept statement and its illustrative sketches if needed.

If your concept is form-based you may need to show the form first, before the plan, then move to the plan to reveal how the form has functionally worked out.
If your concept is in the plan itself, then you may move directly to the plan and conclude with the rendered exterior form as usual.

Drawing and Rendering Tips

4) background.

Dark Background

It is called “background” for a reason. It should be a platform to feature your drawings as the main focus, clear of any distractions. Some students use faded renderings of their own projects as background, but this can be seriously diverting. White backgrounds are best, as they show the true colors of your project.

Some opt to use a black background to stand out, however, that doesn’t usually turn out so well. It may cause halation and strain for sensitive eyes.

Black and white presentation

There are many ways you can render your projects, choose the one you excel at and shows your project best.

There is the Black & White or Greyscale presentation where you only show lines with various thicknesses, in addition to shade and shadow.
There is the greyscale presentation with an element of color where you would choose one bright color, for example, green for landscape and greenery, to contrast with the, generally, achromatic drawings.
One color might become two colors revealing different materials like wood or bricks and glass for example.

Presentation with a Color Scheme on Greyscale

All, these previous techniques would work out fine if colors are not the main focus in your project, however, if there is an idea behind your color scheme or the used materials, or there are many details that will go lost in greyscale, then there is no way out.

You need to fully color or at least broaden the color palette for your presentation.

Colored Presentation

The manual achromatic presentation can be via graphic pencils and ink, and the colored elements can be executed using watercolor, markers, brush pens, or pastels. For digital presentations, you can use Adobe Photoshop as the most commonly used tool. You can even mimic the aesthetic of the manual presentation in Photoshop using downloadable brushes and a mix of effects.

6) Visual Hierarchy

Black and White Contrast Color

What is your strongest point, the highlight of your project? Grab the attention from far away with that. There are many ways to grab the attention of a specific drawing, using color or size. For example, if the main idea is in your cross-section, you can present it on large scale with full-hue colors, against black and white plan drawings. That is mixing between two of the color presentation techniques mentioned in the previous point to get emphasis by contrast.

General Tips

7) Minimize text on your presentation board. Write a short and concise concept statement and add a very brief explanation, if needed. Don’t waste your time composing elongated descriptive text because no one will read it.

8) Replace words, whenever possible, with simple illustrative sketches and figures. After all, a picture is worth a thousand words. You may use colors and keys to further clarify your illustrations.

9) Use a suitable font for your title and text and, preferably, don’t use more than one font type per project. You can vary between the title, the concept statement, and the labeling by size. Sans Serif fonts like Century Gothic and Helvetica may be good for headlines; their slick minimalism befits modern high-tech designs.

10) Finally, don’t overdo it.

Don’t pack your boards with drawings and text at every corner. Leave some breathing space but not too much, that it would look like a) you couldn’t finish your work, b) you didn’t well plan your boards or c) you haven’t worked hard enough.
Don’t overuse colors to the extent that they would become a distraction but also don’t make your presentation too light and faded, or it might exhaust the eyes of the viewer and give an impression of weak effort.

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How to Draw Freehand in PowerPoint

Adjust a slideshow for added effect using the drawing and inking tools

The University of Phoenix

Western Governors University

PowerPoint has been used as the ultimate slideshow creator for many years. It's easy to use and includes many unique tools for customizing your slideshows, including the various drawing tools. Once you know how to draw in PowerPoint using those tools, it's easy to add emphasis to an image, much-needed flair to your presentations.

The instructions in this article apply to PowerPoint 2019 and 2016, as well as PowerPoint for Microsoft 365.

PowerPoint Drawing Tools & Inking Tools

Inside PowerPoint, you'll find several different tools, including the classic drawing tools and improved inking tools. Some of the most commonly used include:

Shapes : Located in the toolbar, this is the traditional tool that allows you to choose from different shapes or draw your own using lines.
Pen tools : Use many different pen types to create your own custom, freehand shapes.
Ink to text : Use Ink to Text to turn your written word into text within your PowerPoint presentation.
Ink to shape : Draw shapes, then turn them into text shapes using this tool.

Each of these tools come in handy for different purposes as you create your slideshow.

To use the Pen tool and Inking tools, you'll need to have a touch-enabled device like a tablet or smartphone. You can use either a smart pen or your finger on these devices.

How to Draw a Traditional Shape in PowerPoint

Drawing a shape or line in PowerPoint is simple in this traditional method. To get started, open your PowerPoint presentation .

Drawing a Shape Using the Freeform Tool

Select Insert > Shapes .

To draw a freeform shape, select the Freeform icon.

Draw a shape by moving your cursor around the screen, selecting where you want your points. You can also hold your mouse or finger down to scribble.

Once you're ready, complete your shape by connecting the last point to the beginning point. PowerPoint will automatically fill the shape and bring up the Format section in the ribbon.

Draw a Shape Using the Scribble Tool

To draw a scribbled shape, select the Scribble icon.

Hold down your mouse or trackpad to draw a scribble in your PowerPoint slide. The ends don't have to connect. Once completed, the Format section will appear. Use this section to change the design of your shape.

Draw Freehand Shapes Using PowerPoint 2019 and 365's Pen Tool

PowerPoint now allows users with touch-enabled devices to use tools such as the Pen tool to create custom shapes, text and more. To get started, open a new or existing presentation.

Select Draw from the ribbon. Here, you'll see a wide range of pen options, including pencil, highlighter, and marker.

Select a pen from the available tools. You can also select the pen again to see available formatting options such as color, style, and line thickness.

Start drawing inside your presentation using your finger or smart pen .

Don't like what you drew? Select the Eraser tool to erase all or part of your drawing. Just like the other pens, the eraser offers a few different options such as stroke, small, medium, and segment patterns.

Draw Freehand Shapes Using PowerPoint 2016's Pens Tool

Simply open a presentation, select Review > Start Inking , then select your pen tool of choice and draw your freehand shape or text.

The pen tool is great for circling important parts of your presentation, drawing arrows for emphasis, underlining important points or just adding custom design to your slides.

How to Turn Ink to Text Using PowerPoint 365's Draw Tool

Using PowerPoint's Ink to Text tool, you can turn handwritten notes into text quickly. Simply open a presentation to get started.

Using the Draw tool, write your text using the ink tool of your choice.

Select Ink to Text from the toolbar.

Draw a lasso around the words you wish to turn to text. PowerPoint will automatically turn the words into text, giving you spelling options just in case they missed.

Turn Ink into Shapes Using PowerPoint 365's Draw Tool

You can draw quick shapes in the same way you create text using the Ink to Shape tool. Open a presentation and begin in the same way you did for the Ink to Text tool.

Create your shape using your pen tool of choice.

Select Ink to Shape from the toolbar.

Draw a lasso around the shape you wish to change and watch as PowerPoint does the hard work for you. It even suggests shapes just in case they created the wrong one.

Draw Custom Lines & Shapes Using the Ruler Tool

For drawing your own lines and shapes without the help of the Ink to Text or Ink to Shape tools, you can use the Ruler tool as the perfect, built-in straightedge.

In the Draw tool, select Ruler from the toolbar.

Drag the ruler around until you're happy with the placement.

Once your ruler is placed, select the pen tool of your choice and create your line by tracing the ruler's edge.

When you're done, simply select Ruler again to remove it from your screen.

To add a table in PowerPoint, go to the Insert tab > Table . You can also add Excel charts to PowerPoint presentations .

Yes. Select the item you want to animate in PowerPoint , then go to the Animations tab > Animations group > More and choose an animation. Use Effect Options if you want the animation on multiple items. Use the Animation Pane to change the order and timing. Use Play All to preview your animations.

To add a timeline in PowerPoint , select Insert > SmartArt , choose a layout, and use text panes to create the timeline. Change colors or styles or reorder elements. Alternatively, export a timeline from another program into a graphical format (JPG, GIF, or PNG) and insert it into your presentation.

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Four Choices in Architectural Presentation Drawings

Winning a project bid requires architectural presentation drawings that demonstrate to the potential client the merits of the structure’s design concept and is a direct indication of an architectural firm’s skill in creativity and technical ability. Poorly drafted presentation drawings can result in losing great projects to other firms. We offer four different avenues to presenting your architectural concept which are highly illustrative and demonstrate professionalism to your clients:

2D Elevations and Sections Simple projects such as warehouses and small office complexes may only require 2D elevations of the building facade and cross-sections that illustrate interior area functions. Overall dimensions and floor heights of the building are detailed along with the proper tones and hatching applied to the exterior surfaces to emphasize different materials can supply ample information and clearly illustrate simpler structures. These drawings are best printed in high resolution color on heavy board surfaces to enhance the presentation.

Isometric and Perspectives Drawings A better visual solution for non-technical clients is given with an isometric or perspective view of the structure which emulates a three-dimensional view and shows the relationship between multiple sides of the building. Color and texture rendering of these drawings along with landscaping features will offer clients a greater representation of the proposed structure. The ability to alter view orientation in real-time can help create an exciting presentation as the building is tilted and rotated to different angles.

3D Wire Frame Models As the pre-cursor to rendered models, wire frame 3D models are often employed to allow simultaneous viewing of underlying facets of the structure, such as beams, floors and walls. When the structural solution to a project outweighs the building appearance, wire frame models are the perfect solution. With the application of automatic hidden line removal, the model easily converts to a vector line exterior view of the structure.

3D Rendered Models Fully rendered 3D models of the proposed structure is an optimum solution and well worth the investment for projects that are high-end or have great public interest. Surface textures can nearly replicate real world materials and give your clients a glimpse of what the new building will look like in the real world. The ability to simulate an actual building walk-through is an added benefit to solids models.

Related links: Creative 3D Interior Modeling Design, Plan and Construct Using Building Information Modeling Give Clients a Virtual Tour Using Architectural Walkthroughs Curtain Wall Shop Drawings – Add Creativity, Beauty, and Function to Any Building Design Improve Your Presentations with Photorealistic Architectural Rendering BIM Advantages for HVAC Drafting Businesses Advanced Technology for 3D Architectural Design Three Business Development Strategies with Architectural CAD Drafting Services Choosing the Right Architectural Rendering Firm Can Make All the Difference BIM for mechanical, electrical, and plumbing services

The benefits of 3d architectural models in the digital age, the three key takeaways of 3d architectural rendering, 3 benefits of 3d product modeling.

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How to Make a “Good” Presentation “Great”

Guy Kawasaki

Remember: Less is more.

A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others. Here are some unique elements that make a presentation stand out.

Fonts: Sans Serif fonts such as Helvetica or Arial are preferred for their clean lines, which make them easy to digest at various sizes and distances. Limit the number of font styles to two: one for headings and another for body text, to avoid visual confusion or distractions.
Colors: Colors can evoke emotions and highlight critical points, but their overuse can lead to a cluttered and confusing presentation. A limited palette of two to three main colors, complemented by a simple background, can help you draw attention to key elements without overwhelming the audience.
Pictures: Pictures can communicate complex ideas quickly and memorably but choosing the right images is key. Images or pictures should be big (perhaps 20-25% of the page), bold, and have a clear purpose that complements the slide’s text.
Layout: Don’t overcrowd your slides with too much information. When in doubt, adhere to the principle of simplicity, and aim for a clean and uncluttered layout with plenty of white space around text and images. Think phrases and bullets, not sentences.

As an intern or early career professional, chances are that you’ll be tasked with making or giving a presentation in the near future. Whether you’re pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something else, a great presentation can give you a competitive advantage, and be a powerful tool when aiming to persuade, educate, or inspire others.

Guy Kawasaki is the chief evangelist at Canva and was the former chief evangelist at Apple. Guy is the author of 16 books including Think Remarkable : 9 Paths to Transform Your Life and Make a Difference.

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10 Benefits Of Live Drawing For Presentations- No Artistic Skills Required

Hrideep barot.

Presentation

Drawing for presentations is more than just doodles on a page—it’s the art of transforming ideas into visuals that captivate and communicate. As Picasso once said, “Every child is an artist; the problem is staying an artist when you grow up.” So, let’s unleash our inner Picasso and master the art of presentation drawing!

What Is Live Drawing for Presentations?

Live drawing in presentations, also known as real-time or interactive drawing, is a dynamic and engaging technique where an artist or presenter creates visuals on a digital or physical canvas during a live event.

This approach adds an element of excitement and interactivity to presentations, making them more memorable and impactful. It can involve sketching, diagramming, or illustrating ideas on the spot, helping to clarify complex concepts and capture the audience’s attention in real-time.

Live drawing can be a powerful tool for educators, speakers, and businesses looking to enhance their communication and storytelling abilities.

What Is The Art Of Presentation Skills?

The art of presentation skills is a multifaceted craft that involves the ability to communicate, captivate, and persuade an audience effectively. It’s not just about conveying information; it’s about creating an experience that leaves a lasting impact. Effective presenters master the art of connecting with their audience, conveying their message clearly, and engaging their listeners on both intellectual and emotional levels.

Presentations, whether they’re in a business, educational, or public speaking context, require a delicate balance of several key elements. These elements include content organization, body language, vocal tone, and the use of visual aids. Presentation skills encompass the art of storytelling, the power of persuasion, and the ability to adapt to the needs and preferences of your audience.

Now, let’s introduce Drawing as one of the essential skills within the Art of Presentation:

Drawing, as an integral part of presentation skills , brings a unique dimension to the craft. It allows presenters to visually illustrate their ideas, clarify complex concepts, and create a stronger connection with the audience. Whether it’s through live drawing during the presentation or integrating pre-made visuals, drawing adds a creative and engaging element that can leave a lasting impression.

Drawing can be used to create diagrams, charts, and illustrations that simplify complex data, making it more accessible and relatable to the audience. Visual metaphors, sketches, and illustrations can be powerful tools to reinforce your message, evoke emotions, and enhance the overall storytelling experience.

Moreover, drawing doesn’t require advanced artistic skills. Even simple sketches can effectively convey ideas and make your presentation more engaging. Whether you’re presenting in a boardroom, classroom, or on a stage, the ability to incorporate drawing into your presentation skills toolkit can set you apart as a more dynamic and compelling communicator.

In the art of presentation skills, drawing is a creative tool that transforms presentations into Visual stories , making them more memorable and impactful. It’s a skill that, when mastered, can take your presentations to a whole new level, making your messages not only heard but also seen and felt by your audience.

10 Benefits Of Live Drawing For Presentations

Live drawing in presentations is not just about putting pen to paper; it’s a dynamic and captivating technique that can transform your communication. Let us explore ten compelling benefits of incorporating live drawing into your presentations:

1. Drawing Improves Memory and Recall

Drawing engages both the visual and motor cortex of the brain, which enhances memory retention. When you draw during a presentation, you create a visual memory for yourself and your audience, making the information more memorable.

A study published in the “Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology” found that drawing information led to significantly better recall compared to writing or visualizing alone.

2. Greater Understanding and Clarity:

Live drawing helps in breaking down complex concepts into simple, visually digestible elements. Visual representations can make abstract or intricate ideas more accessible, reducing cognitive load for the audience and increasing comprehension and clarity. This simplification aids in greater understanding and clarity, making it easier for the audience to grasp the content.

“When information is presented pictorially, it is often easier to understand and recall than when it is presented verbally.” – Barbara Tversky, Professor of Psychology at Stanford University.

3. Picturization of Content:

By translating information into visual form, live drawing allows you to represent data and ideas as images, making them more relatable. It allows you to transform abstract ideas and data into tangible images. This approach aligns with the brain’s preference for processing information visually, with up to 90% of the information transmitted to the brain being visual. This makes the content more relatable and accessible for the audience, as they can connect with the visuals on a deeper level.

The brain processes visual information 60,000 times faster than text, and 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual.

4. Enhanced Engagement and Interactivity:

Live drawing is inherently engaging as the audience witnesses the creation of visuals in real-time. It adds an element of interactivity, as viewers can ask questions or provide input, fostering a more dynamic and participative environment.

A study in “The Journal of Educational Psychology” showed that interactive learning methods, like live drawing, can lead to significantly improved learning outcomes and engagement.

5. Storytelling Amplification:

Visuals created through live drawing enhance storytelling by adding depth and emotional resonance to the narrative. Visual metaphors and illustrations can convey complex emotions and ideas more effectively. This is supported by research indicating that stories are far more memorable than facts alone, and visuals enhance the emotional impact of a narrative.

“Stories are remembered up to 22 times more than facts alone.” – Jennifer Aaker, Professor of Marketing at Stanford Graduate School of Business.

6. Customization for Specific Audiences:

Live drawing enables presenters to adapt their visuals in real-time, catering to the specific needs and preferences of the audience. This customization fosters a more personalized and impactful presentation.

“Audience engagement increases by 18% when content is personalized.” – Demand Metric Research Corporation.

7. Improved Information Processing:

The combination of spoken words and live visuals creates dual coding, reinforcing the message in the audience’s memory. This leads to higher information processing rates.

The Cognitive Load Theory suggests that the use of visual aids, such as live drawing, can significantly reduce cognitive load, making it easier for the brain to process and retain information.

8. Overcoming Language Barriers:

Live drawing transcends language barriers, making it an effective tool for international or diverse audiences. Visuals can convey universal concepts, ensuring a broader reach and understanding.

“Visual language is a global medium for communication.” – Keith Williams, Professor of Visual Communication at Yale University.

9. Demonstration of Creative Thinking:

Live drawing showcases creativity and problem-solving skills, which can enhance the presenter’s credibility and engage the audience on a deeper level.

Studies have shown that creative demonstrations can lead to increased trust and positive perception of the presenter.

10. Enhanced Emotional Connection:

Visuals created through live drawing have the power to evoke emotions and create a stronger connection between the audience and the content, leaving a lasting impact.

“The more emotional the content, the more likely it is to be shared and remembered.” – Jonah Berger, Professor at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.

Incorporating live drawing into presentations can yield numerous cognitive, emotional, and practical benefits, enhancing the overall impact and effectiveness of your communication.

How Drawing Helps You To Think Better?

Drawing is a powerful tool that can enhance your thinking processes, fostering creativity, problem-solving, and communication. This TEDxTalk offers valuable insights into how drawing can contribute to improved thinking. Let’s explore each of the five points that are mentioned:

1. Intuition

Drawing can help tap into your intuition by allowing you to express ideas, feelings, and concepts that might be difficult to articulate with words alone. Through the act of drawing, you can access your inner thoughts and emotions, enabling a more intuitive understanding of complex issues.

In the video, the speaker discusses how drawing can help individuals connect with their inner selves and harness their intuition as a valuable source of insight.

Drawing, whether it’s creating art or diagrams, can elevate the aesthetics of your thoughts and ideas. Visualizing concepts in a visually appealing way can make them more attractive and engaging, enhancing the overall quality of your thinking.

The video emphasizes the importance of incorporating aesthetics into your work and how visual beauty can be a driving force in creative thinking.

3. Reflection:

Drawing provides an opportunity for reflection. When you put your thoughts on paper or canvas, it becomes easier to evaluate, analyze, and refine your ideas. You can step back and critically assess your work, facilitating deeper thinking and self-reflection.

The video highlights the role of drawing as a tool for self-reflection, helping individuals gain clarity and insight into their thoughts and emotions.

4. Imagination:

Drawing is a medium that encourages imagination and creativity. It allows you to explore possibilities, experiment with ideas, and push the boundaries of your thinking. By sketching and visualizing your imagination, you can discover new perspectives and solutions.

The video underscores the role of drawing in unlocking one’s imagination, enabling a free flow of creative ideas and solutions to problems.

5. Communication:

Drawing is a universal language that transcends barriers. It enables effective communication by simplifying complex concepts and making them accessible to a wide audience. Whether you’re explaining a complex scientific theory or a new product design, visuals created through drawing can convey your message with clarity.

The video emphasizes the role of drawing as a means of communication, highlighting its power in connecting with and compellingly engaging others.

In summary, drawing can be a transformative tool for thinking. It engages intuition, enhances beauty, promotes reflection, fuels imagination, and facilitates effective communication. The video offers further insights and inspiration on how drawing can be harnessed to improve your thinking processes.

What Are The Requirements Of Presentation Drawing?

Creating effective presentation drawings requires a combination of skills, tools, and considerations to ensure that your visuals are engaging and communicate your message effectively. Here are the 7 key requirements for presentation drawing:

1. Clear Message and Objective:

The foundation of a successful presentation drawing is a well-defined message and objective. Your drawing should align with the core message you want to convey. Before you begin drawing, clarify what you want your audience to take away from your visual.

2. Understanding Your Audience:

Understanding your audience is crucial to creating effective presentation drawings. Consider their knowledge level, interests, and preferences. Tailor your visuals to resonate with your specific audience, making the content more relatable and engaging for them.

3. Storyboard or Plan:

Planning your drawing in advance is essential. Create a rough outline or storyboard to map out the structure and sequence of your drawing. This helps ensure a logical flow and consistency in your visuals, allowing for a smooth and coherent narrative.

4. Basic Drawing Skills:

While you don’t need to be an expert artist, having basic drawing skills is important. This includes the ability to create simple shapes, lines, and symbols that effectively convey your ideas. Practice and hone your skills to become more confident in your drawing abilities.

5. Visual Hierarchy and Consistency:

Establish a visual hierarchy to emphasize key points in your drawing. This can be achieved through the size, color, or positioning of elements. Consistency in style and formatting across all your drawings within a presentation is crucial for creating a cohesive look and maintaining audience engagement.

6. Simplicity and Relevance:

Keep your drawings simple and relevant. Avoid clutter and unnecessary details that could distract from your message. Each element in your drawing should directly relate to the content you’re presenting. Simplicity enhances clarity and helps the audience focus on what’s important.

7. Choice of Medium:

Your choice of drawing medium, whether traditional or digital, depends on your comfort and available resources. Traditional tools, like markers and paper, offer a tactile experience, while digital tools provide flexibility and ease of editing. Choose the medium that suits your style and resources.

A. Drawing In PowerPoint Presentation

PowerPoint allows for in-slide drawing, which is particularly useful for digital presentations. It offers basic drawing tools, shapes, and the ability to annotate slides directly. It’s an excellent option for enhancing visuals during virtual or in-person presentations.

Drawing in PowerPoint is effective for real-time, digital presentations. You can highlight key points, underline text, add arrows, or create simple illustrations on your slides. It’s a versatile tool that integrates seamlessly with your presentation, making it interactive and engaging.

Basic Guide:

– Open your PowerPoint presentation.

– Select the slide where you want to add a drawing.

– Go to the “Insert” tab and choose “Shapes” or “Scribble” from the “Illustrations” group.

– Use the drawing tools to create your visual elements.

– Customize colors, line thickness, and style.

– Annotate your slides as needed.

B. Drawing In Canva

Canva is a graphic design tool known for its user-friendly interface and extensive library of templates and elements. It offers a wide range of drawing and illustration options, making it ideal for creating visually stunning graphics, infographics, and presentations.

Canva’s design features are highly effective for creating professional and aesthetically pleasing visuals. You can choose from a wide variety of templates, graphics, and drawing tools to make your presentations visually compelling. Canva’s collaborative features also make it a great choice for team projects.

Basic Guide:

– Sign in to your Canva account or create one.

– Start a new presentation project or select an existing one.

– Use the “Elements” tab to access various drawing tools and shapes.

– Drag and drop elements onto your canvas.

– Customize colors, size, and position.

– Save your work and download it for use in your presentation.

C. Live Drawing On Board

Live drawing on a board, whether physical or digital, provides a dynamic and engaging experience during presentations. It allows presenters to illustrate concepts in real time, fostering a direct connection with the audience.

Live drawing on a board is highly effective for face-to-face presentations or virtual events with a shared whiteboard. It enables real-time interaction, allowing presenters to respond to audience questions and ideas immediately. This technique adds a personal touch and can make complex concepts more accessible.

D. White Chart Paper

Using white chart paper is a traditional, low-tech method for drawing and presenting. It’s often used in classrooms and brainstorming sessions. It’s unique for its simplicity and accessibility.

White chart paper is effective for interactive group discussions and brainstorming sessions. It allows participants to collaborate and visualize their ideas collectively. It’s particularly useful in settings where technology is limited or when a tactile, hands-on approach is desired.

In summary, the choice of drawing tools and methods depends on the context and your specific presentation needs. PowerPoint and Canva offer digital options with various features and templates, while live drawing on a board and using white chart paper provide a more hands-on, interactive approach. Choose the method that best suits your presentation style and objectives.

Do I Need To Be Good At Drawing To Add It To My Presentations?

No, you don’t need to be exceptionally skilled at drawing to incorporate it into your presentations effectively. While having advanced drawing skills can be an asset, there are various ways to add drawing elements to your presentations, even if you consider yourself a novice artist.

Let me give you an example, I very well remember some memories of my dad drawing funny figures on paper as he narrated captivating tales. It was all about the sheer joy of the moment, not the perfection of the artwork. I mean, the dog hardly ever resembled a real dog, and the human figure was nothing more than a basic stick figure, but those drawings added a touch of whimsy that made the stories unforgettable and incredibly engaging.

Drawing in presentations can be a lot like that. You don’t need to be a professional artist. Here’s why:

1. Expression over Perfection:

Presentations are about conveying ideas and engaging your audience, not showcasing your artistic skills. Simple drawings or sketches can effectively express your message, and sometimes, the authenticity of a less-than-perfect drawing can be endearing and relatable.

2. Digital Tools:

With modern presentation software and graphic design tools, you can leverage pre-made shapes, icons, and templates. These tools make it easy to create professional-looking visuals without needing advanced drawing skills.

3. Concept Clarity:

The primary goal of adding drawings to your presentation is to enhance conceptual clarity. Even basic illustrations can serve this purpose by simplifying complex ideas, making them more understandable to your audience.

4. Audience Engagement:

Drawing can enhance audience engagement. It adds a personal touch to your presentation and can spark curiosity. When your audience sees that you’ve put effort into creating visuals, it can leave a positive impression.

5. Practice and Improvement:

If you’re interested in enhancing your drawing skills, presentations are a perfect platform to practice. As you use drawing more frequently, you’ll likely see improvement over time.

6. Uniqueness:

Hand-drawn visuals can set your presentations apart. They give your content a distinct, human touch that can make it more memorable and relatable.

In a nutshell, the key is not your artistic prowess but the effectiveness of your visuals in conveying your message. Simple drawings and graphics can work wonders in making your presentations engaging and memorable. So, go ahead and have some fun with your drawings in your presentations. Who knows, just like those funny stories stuck in my head that my dad used to tell, your presentation drawings might become unforgettable for your audience!

In conclusion, drawing for presentations is a versatile and powerful tool that doesn’t require advanced artistic skills. Whether you’re using basic shapes, templates, or digital tools, the goal is to enhance the clarity and impact of your message. The authenticity and simplicity of drawings often resonate with audiences, making your content more engaging and memorable.

With a bit of practice and the right tools, you can unleash the creative potential of drawing and take your presentations to a whole new level. So, don’t hesitate to add a personal touch to your presentations through the art of drawing!

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How-To Geek

How to animate a drawing in microsoft powerpoint.

Show a process or how to create something with a simple animation.

Quick Links

Create your drawing in powerpoint, animate the drawing in powerpoint.

If you want to take advantage of Microsoft Office's draw tools in PowerPoint, you might add an animation to your drawing to make it a useful demonstration.

This lets you create anything from a basic letter to teach a student to write to a fully detailed mockup to show your team a process.

When you visit the Draw tab in PowerPoint, you'll see all of your ink tools at the top. You can pick a pen, pencil, or highlighter, choose the line thickness, and pick a color or pattern.

Each continuous line you use becomes an element on the slide. You can select and move these elements using the arrow on the left side of the ribbon.

To animate one of these elements, select it and head to the Animations tab.

Related: How to Make a Typewriter or Command Line Animation in PowerPoint

With the drawing or part of the drawing selected, pick either "Replay" or "Rewind" in the Animation box on the ribbon. Replay shows your drawing from start to finish while Rewind shows it from finish to start.

You'll only see these animation options for drawings you create with the ink tools.

Click "Preview" on the left side of the ribbon to see the animation in action. You should see your drawing as if you were creating it for the first time.

If you want to animate an entire drawing that contains more than one piece, simply select each additional piece in the order you want to display them and apply the Replay or Rewind effect.

You can then use the tools in the Timing section of the ribbon to pick how to Start the animation on the slide, the Duration for how quickly the animation moves, and the Delay to hold off on the animation for a few seconds.

Along with the Replay and Rewind animations specific to the ink and drawing tools, you can apply other effects to your drawing if you like. Select the drawing or part of it, click "Add Animation" in the Advanced Animation section of the ribbon, and choose the additional effect.

Keep in mind that animations display in the order you apply them. To adjust this order, select the animation number and use the Move Earlier or Move Later button on the right side of the ribbon. You can also open the Animation Pane and drag the effects to rearrange them .

Related: How to Reorder Animations in Microsoft PowerPoint

Animations have their place in PowerPoint and displaying a drawing as you created it is a great use. For more, look at how to animate part of a chart to make it stand out or reveal one line at a time in a bullet list.

Blog – Creative Presentations Ideas

infoDiagram visual slide examples, PowerPoint diagrams & icons , PPT tricks & guides

how to use hand drawn graphics in PowerPoint presentation

Using Hand Drawn Graphics in Your presentation: Why and How

Last Updated on October 5, 2023 by Justyna

Kids love drawing at an early age. From doodling with crayons to later learning and utilizing other utensils, we’re innately drawn to art and want to create it.

Unfortunately, as in the case of young children, adults are not all equal in the artistic ability department. That is one of the reasons why our master designer Izabela, started creating these Hand drawn presentation graphics .

We want to help people who don’t have the time and skills to draw their own graphics. To allow everybody to create presentations with this visually engaging handwritten style . Our own presentation experience proved to us that various sketched-out graphics catch the eye. Beyond the unconscious pull of artistic elements, there are other motives for using hand-drawn, creative styles when building presentations. Adding scribbled or hand-drawn diagrams can make your documents look more interesting, and seem more personalized. You can also check out this TED talk by sketcher Sunni Brown about learning the visual language and doodling as a powerful tool .

The Power of Hand-Drawn Graphics

The goal of creating these handcrafted graphics was to allow presenters to give their projects personality and tap into their creative side . We wanted to form a toolbox based on our expertise and feedback from our community to build something you could use for any presentation.

why hand written graphics style presentation

Whether your presentations need charts, graphs, or filled tables – by using a simple hand-drawn mark you can emphasize the details and ideas. That is why our sets include a variety of items such as arrows, lines, circles, charts, graphs, word balloons, and even people who can help illustrate whatever concepts you need.

hand drawn tables infographics powerpoint template

How You Can Make the Most Impact with Presentation

In order to make the most impact, you should follow the path of Presentation Zen by Garr Reynolds. In his book, he recommends that each slide should represent one idea . Even if your slide needs to contain a lot of information to be displayed or a large field of text, you should only focus on one key message to have the most impact. This is true for presentations filled with charts, graphs, tables, or passages of text. When you need to highlight specific, key data hand-drawn elements are perfect!

You can underline information using ovals, point it out using arrows, or utilize speech balloons to accentuate what you need to say. The best part is that design elements are completely customizable so you can make the sketched graphics match your branding or style of presentation.

Four Ways to Use Hand Drawn Graphics in Your Projects

If you are not inspired yet, check out some of the ways we’ve been told people use our handwritten elements and the way we use them every day:

Underlining Scribbles – ( Arrows, ovals, speech balloons, etc. ) These are used to highlight information the same way you might if you were working on a tangible, paper document.

Illustrative Icons – ( People, charts, etc. ) They allow you to visualize your theme. Using these, you can enable people who are unfamiliar with your topic to create a mnemonic association to better remember the topic and content on your slide.

Progress Indicators – ( Timelines ) – These are to indicate plans, and projects, or even share the outline of your presentation in an organic way around the progression of time.

Diagrams – ( Charts, graphs, pieces of charts & graphs ) – Alternately, you may use the elements to create your very own charts and illustrations to represent your own process, structure, or relationship.

venn diagram powerpoint sketch loop cycle

The motive of all of the items in our hand-drawn sets, from lines to pie charts, is to make your presentations more memorable and interesting for viewers.

Using hand-drawn graphics beyond PowerPoint slides

Notice that the title says to use hand-drawn graphics in projects, not just presentations. Although we’ve been talking about how our handwritten icons can be used to embellish presentations, they have also been utilized successfully in eBooks and blog posts.

We use it in many places on our own infoDiagram blog – see scribble illustrations, for example, Seth Godin’s blogs.

If you’re still not sure how to incorporate graphics into your projects, contact us !

Remember the design rules applies also with freehand drawing

Of course, when you’re using any kind of artistic embellishments you need to remember the importance of design consistency . Learn three design hints to make sure your diagrams are professional-looking and remain readable.

Presentations that combine too many style elements can distract the audience. (The goal is to highlight your message and create mnemonic devices for your content, not to detract from it!).

Therefore we suggest

using no more than two handwritten styles per presentation. For example: Only use charcoal or ink style elements, but not all together. The same goes for fonts, stick to 1-2 fonts.
Have enough white space . Let the slide breathe – leave margins from the slide edge and don’t put elements too close together.
Keep alignment and equal distribution of elements, e.g. if your icons of the flowchart are in one vertical or horizontal line, they should not jump around by a few pixels.
And be careful with resizing the elements – keep them proportional, to avoid the “sun to egg” effect. With PowerPoint there’s a simple trick – hold Ctrl when resizing the vector icon.

Source of Hand-Drawn Graphics

If you need to graphically illustrate a concept or idea, try our handwritten PowerPoint icons and shapes collection. We put there several graphical styles:

scribble graphics
chalk or charcoal-style graphics
pencil style sketchnoting graphics

Our collection of hand-sketched shapes is probably the largest collection of shapes like this available online. We have over 500 handcrafted doodles, and our collection is constantly growing . Browse the bundle collection of hand-drawn PPT graphics here:

Hand Drawn Icons and Diagram Shapes PPT Collection

We created our hand-drawn graphics sets so we could all have a unique method of highlighting, accentuating, and underlining the key data, points, and messages of slides .

To give you the tools to draw (no pun intended!) attention and focus on important information in a fun and clever way. By making our graphical representation interesting, we are making our presentations interesting as well, and we’re also making them more memorable.

With these instruments, we’re able to strike a chord with audiences in a way we cannot with a standard formal look of printed material alone.

PS. If you are still not convinced, get a free sample of our hand drawn shapes to try first.

Published by

Chief Diagram Designer, infoDiagram co-founder View all posts by Peter Z

2 thoughts on “Using Hand Drawn Graphics in Your presentation: Why and How”

I saw someone use visual slides yesterday which made a good presentation.

I would be happy to receive the free slide content mentioned in your pop up message.

David Finlay Transforming Lives

Hi David, thanks for your interest in our graphics. You can download a free sample here: https://www.infodiagram.com/freesample

Comments are closed.

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presentation drawing

Quick reference.

A term coined in the 20th century by the Hungarian art historian Johannes Wilde to describe certain drawings made by Michelangelo, for example those he gave as presents to various aristocratic young men. Presentation drawings were finished, non-utilitarian works of art, as opposed to preparatory drawings for a work in another medium. The earliest known presentation drawings dating from the Italian Renaissance are two drawings of the 1420s by Lorenzo Monaco.

From: presentation drawing in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms »

Subjects: Art & Architecture

Bears reveal plans for $4.7 billion domed lakefront stadium development: 'This is not an easy project'

The plans, according to the team, will include additional green and open space with access to the lakefront and the museum campus, which bears president kevin warren called “the most attractive footprint in the world.”.

A rendering of a proposed domed stadium on the lakefront unveiled at Wednesday’s news conference.

Chicago Bears

With Mayor Brandon Johnson as lead blocker, the Bears on Wednesday launched their hurry-up offense to win legislative approval of their $4.7 billion plan to build a domed lakefront stadium during the final month of the Illinois General Assembly’s spring session.

Working for the Bears is a $2 billion contribution from the team billed as the largest private investment in Illinois history.

The political obstacles include a cold reception from Gov. J.B. Pritzker and state legislative leaders with more important priorities, along with the potential for a legal battle with Friends of the Parks, the public advocacy group that serves as the primary protector of the lakefront. The group is guided by the Lakefront Protection Ordinance that prohibits new construction east of Lake Shore Drive.

“This is not an easy project,” Bears President Kevin Warren openly acknowledged at a Soldier Field news conference, adding “Chicago doesn’t like it easy. We like to do the difficult things — the things that resonate with people for generations to come.”

It will indeed be difficult to get any help from Pritzker, who was not invited to Bears’ big announcement. The governor has been critical of early reports that the team would ask for taxpayer assistance, and remained so on Wednesday.

“I’m highly skeptical of the proposal that’s been made and I believe strongly that this is not a high priority for legislators and certainly not for me, when I compare it to all the other things,” Pritzker said at a news conference in Maywood.

This rendering, part of the Chicago Bears’ presentation at Wednesday’s news conference, shows a downscaled Soldier Field, with much of the grandstand demolished, but the colonnades preserved.

Mayor leads cheers: ‘Thank you for believing in Chicago’

Johnson, on the other hand, happily took on the role as cheerleader for the project.

“This is a beautiful day for the city of Chicago…It’s an honor to celebrate the Bears’ commitment to remaining the Chicago Bears,” the mayor said. “Thank you for believing in Chicago and my administration.”

Johnson said he established three must-haves: no new or increased taxes; a “real and substantial private investment,” and “public use and participation.”

“Today’s announcement delivers on all three,” he said. “What it does not call for is raising existing taxes or imposing any new taxes...There are no new taxes on the residents of Chicago.”

No love for new Bears stadium from Illinois’ top Democrats

That won’t be enough to get Friends of the Parks on board. The advocacy group issued a list of concerns, including a lack of community involvement, questions about the veracity of rosy economic impact estimates and, of course, the use of lakefront property.

“Once again, Chicago taxpayers are being told what is good for them. We are told that a new domed stadium on protected lakefront land will make Chicago a great city. We are already a great city — in large part due to our protected lakefront,” the group said in its statement.

“As is so often the case in Chicago, the powerful and wealthy are demanding that our entire city stop and fast track their plans to expand operations on the people’s lakefront.”

This rendering, part of the Chicago Bears’ presentation at Wednesday’s news conference, shows the proposed fixed-roof stadium.

By the numbers

Of the estimated $4.7 billion for the entire project, $3.22 billion is for the stadium alone. The rest is needed for infrastructure improvements. According to the team, the infrastructure work could be done in phases , though about $325 million would be required to make sure the stadium can open, bringing the minimum cost of opening the new facility to $3.5 billion.

Even with the $2 billion contribution from the Bears, a $900 million funding gap would still need to be filled just to build and finance the stadium designed by David Manica, architect of Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

Karen Murphy, chief financial officer of the Bears, said the team hopes the Illinois Sports Facilities Authority will fill that gap by issuing 40-year bonds backed by the same 2% city hotel tax used to bankroll the 2003 renovation of Soldier Field. The 40-year bonds would also be enough to refinance $589.1 million in outstanding Soldier Field debt, along with $50 million owed on renovations at Guaranteed Rate Field.

Whenever hotel tax revenue fails to grow at 5.5% a year, Chicago taxpayers must make up the difference. That’s happened three times, and twice in the last three years. The biggest deficit was $27.3 million in 2022.

The start of the Soldier Field renovation is shown, with rows of seats removed and heavy construction equipment on the playing field.

Seat removal begins at the start of Soldier Field renovations in 2002.

Sun-Times file

Murphy said the Bears’ new financing plan assumes more “conservative hotel tax growth” and “protects the city from unexpected drops” in hotel revenue. That’s just part of what made the deal so attractive to City Hall, according to Jill Jaworski, the city’s chief financial officer.

“Hotel revenues are relatively volatile. They definitely swing with the economy. One of the things that got us comfortable at the city when we looked at the plans the Bears had for the ISFA debt … was that they’re assuming a lower rate of growth. But they’ve also incorporated about … a $160 million liquidity reserve,” Jaworski said.

“Between looking at a lower rate of growth that is more reasonable so we’ll see that debt increase at a more modest rate, and the fact that we have such a large liquidity reserve that we could access — we think we have less risk under this scenario than we do right now....A more conservative structure — we think that insulates us more and reduces our risk going forward.”

Jaworski noted the current schedule for repaying Soldier Field bonds calls for balloon payments at the end, the result of modifications that salvaged the deal after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks caused a tourism drop, leading to lower hotel tax revenues. Payments go from $56.7 million this year to $90.5 million in 2032, the year those bonds would be retired.

Because of that, “we would expect, without a refinancing, that that would hit the city budget every year in an increasing amount,” Jaworski said.

Soldier Field is shown in 2004. A federal parks panel recommended stripping its landmark status, agreeing that the renovation destroyed the historic character of the stadium.

Soldier Field was built in 1924 and has been dedicated as a war memorial, potentially complicating any plans to deconstruct or reuse it. The refit, which debuted in 2004, cost the stadium its status as a national landmark.

Associated Press

Labor leader touts jobs: ‘I’d like to build two stadiums’

Sources said the Bears and Sox plan to join forces and seek immediate approval of their ambitious stadium plans during the spring legislative session.

That will be a heavy lift, even with support from union leaders salivating at the promise of 43,000 construction jobs generated by the domed lakefront stadium alone.

“I’m a Bears fan. I want to be clear and I want them to win and I want them to have a great place to play,” Pritzker said at an unrelated news conference on Wednesday.

“But I just think that the taxpayers’ dollars need to be protected. I think it’s my job to be a good steward of those dollars.”

Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Chicago) went so far as to say the Bears proposal would “fail miserably” if the team tried to get it passed in the spring session.

Chicago Federation of Labor President Bob Reiter was in Washington Wednesday and said he had not yet been briefed on specifics of the Bears’ plan. But the lure of 43,000 construction jobs on the lakefront stadium alone, not to mention the White Sox hopes for a ballpark in the South Loop, has Reiter sounding like he’s ready to start lobbying labor allies in Springfield.

“I’d like to build two stadiums,” Reiter told the Sun-Times, excited by the prospect of “modernizing our professional sports infrastructure” and “what that could mean for the people who work in stadiums, our members who play on the field, our members who work in the stands [and] the members who build the structures.”

Renderings of the proposed new Bears stadium

Bears release designs for new stadium on Chicago lakefront

Warren anxious to dig in on lakefront

Warren was not intimidated by the early legislative opposition.

“We feel that the time is now. Every year that we wait, it’s $150 [million] to $250 million of increased costs that ultimately we’ll have to figure out. But we don’t think that’s prudent. The time is now. Our expectation is in this session,” Warren said.

“Even if we’re approved in a fall veto session, we wouldn’t be able to get in the ground because of the weather. It would push it back a year. If we’re approved in May, that would allow us to start construction and put people to work next summer and that would allow us 36 months later to open up our building in 2028. So this truly is one of those adages that time is money.”

The Bears apparently have abandoned plans to build a domed stadium on the 326-acre site of the old Arlington International Racecourse — after spending $197.2 million to acquire it. The team expressed disappointment at failing to secure a large enough property tax break on that land. Local school districts opposed a lower assessment, saying it would shortchange students.

A rusty rail is in the foreground of this photo of the grey dusty racetrack at Arlington International Racecourse, with green vegetation and a sprawling white building far in the background.

The former Arlington International Racecourse in Arlington Heights. The Chicago Bears purchased the facility in hopes of building a stadium on the 326-acre parcel.

Anthony Vazquez/Sun-Times

Johnson was dazzled by the Bears’ multi-media presentation, and by the promise of tens of thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in tax-generating “economic activity” — and not at all concerned that progressive voters who put him in office won’t see it that way.

“These pictures are miraculous. We’re talking about thousands of lives that will benefit from this investment,” Johnson said. “The sooner we can put shovels in the ground and put people to work — that is our surest way to secure a better, stronger, safer Chicago. And it benefits the entire region. We’re talking about $8 billion of economic vibrancy as a result of this investment. The time is now for that. Think about how long we’ve been waiting for investments like this.”

Manica’s stadium design likely will be seen by many as a vast improvement over the much-criticized, spaceship-like seating bowl plopped onto Soldier Field’s historic colonnades in 2003. With the new stadium, Warren said, fans will be be protected from the elements but “feel like they’re outside.”

They “might even have to wear sunglasses” while looking up through the translucent roof, a design similar to the roof at SoFi Stadium, or through the “clear glass” walls at the lakefront and Chicago’s iconic skyline.

The historic facade of the original Soldier Field features numerous colonnades and sits on the perimeter of the current stadium bowl, as blue sky and a few clouds stretch above.

The Bears opened the renovated Soldier Field with a game against the Green Bay Packers on Sept. 29, 2003. The renovation left the Bears with what is now the smallest stadium in the National Football League — and with a futuristic seating bowl dwarfing the historic colonnades.

AFP/Getty Images

Warren said the team considered but dismissed the possibility of a retractable roof, since it would have added hundreds of millions of dollars to the cost — and, based on conversations with teams that do have retractable roofs, it likely would have been used just a handful of times each year.

Outside, Warren said, the team envisions developing a “promenade plaza” with food and beverage options, public restrooms, a sports and cultural museum, and ice skating in winter.

Soldier Field to be demolished — except for the colonnades

Chicagoan Marc Ganis, who has advised numerous NFL teams on stadium financing, on Tuesday said the timing of Warren’s stadium reveal was “brilliant.”

“The national and international focus of the sports world on Thursday night is going to be on the NFL draft and, in particular, the No. 1 draft pick — and the Bears own the No. 1 pick. By announcing the stadium plan the day before, it will get a tremendous amount of attention locally and also nationally and internationally,” Ganis said.

“Tens of millions of people around the country are going to see the renderings and the plans for the new stadium. The attention that it will receive will be dramatic — all because they have the No. 1 pick. It wouldn’t be the same if they had the No. 2 pick,” Ganis added.

“If everything goes as hoped,” he said, April 24 and April 25 will become “seminal dates” in Bears history — “taking the quarterback that they hope will be their franchise star leading them to Super Bowls for many years to come, and the stadium that will be the first that the team will ever have built and designed themselves.”

Bears eye taxpayers for stadium-related infrastructure costs. The bill? $325 million to start, $1.5 billion overall

The plan calls for most of Soldier Field to be demolished, preserving only the historic colonnades. The Bears took great pains to make those columns a focal point for the 14 acres of new park land, playing fields and other recreational space that would be located south of the new stadium.

During a question-and-answer session after Wednesday’s presentation, Warren said he looked at “10-to-12” possible stadium sites in Chicago before settling on the lakefront.

The Michael Reese Hospital site that Friends of the Parks has urged the team to consider was rejected because it was “very narrow” and “doesn’t work from an NFL standpoint” because the stadium would have to be built “over an active train line.” The marshaling yards for trucks serving McCormick Place also would have to be relocated.

After years of tension between the Bears and their landlords at the Chicago Park District, Warren was asked whether he was seeking more favorable terms in a new stadium lease.

“The terms we’d be looking for is terms that you would do with a partner. We just want to be fair with each other,” Warren said, without elaborating. “And I’m confident with Mayor Johnson and the leadership of the city of Chicago that they’re fair people. They’re talented business people and we would be able to work out fair terms because that’s the only way that a public-private partnership is able to thrive.”

More From Forbes

How 27 seconds of silence turned a salman rushdie interview into gripping television.

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Salman Rushdie, author of "Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder." (AP Photo/Andres Kudacki)

Author Salman Rushdie is lucky to have survived the attack on his life in August 2022. Rushdie, appearing on 60 Minutes for his first television interview since the knife attack, said that, in addition to losing his right eye, he sustained fifteen wounds on his face, neck, hand, chest, and thigh.

Rushdie told anchor Anderson Cooper that the man who leaped on stage stabbed and slashed him for 27 seconds.

To underscore the horror of a 27-second knife attack, Cooper relied on a communication technique that’s rarely used in a visual medium designed to grab and keep the viewer’s attention—silence.

“This is how long 27 seconds is,” Anderson Cooper said as he started the stopwatch on his phone.

The two men sat across from each other for 27 seconds and didn’t say a word. It made for gripping television, made more emotional by close-up camera angles of each man’s face.

Finally, Rushdie broke the silence. “It’s quite a long time,” he said. “That’s the extraordinary half-minute of intimacy in which life meets death.”

Silence is a powerful yet under appreciated communication tactic that can underscore the gravity of an issue—as Cooper expertly demonstrated— or provide a uniquely memorable moment in a speech or presentation.

The Good, Bad And Ugly From The Green Bay Packers’ Draft

The 150th kentucky derby post draw odds and 2024 top win contenders, ufc vegas 91 results bonus winners after night of knockouts.

Silence is an effective rhetorical tool for a skilled communicator because it breaks a pattern. By interrupting the spoken word, it acts as a signal to the brain to pay attention. In the wild, when the chatter and chirping of animals suddenly come to a stop, it’s a sign to be on high alert.

If you want people to look up from their screens, go silent.

I learned about the power of silence in a business presentation when I met with the CEO of a major Silicon Valley company releasing a new tech product. The company’s engineers had figured out how to significantly speed up data transfers from computers to hard drives.

“A transfer of data that usually takes a minute will now take no more than 20 seconds,” they said excitedly.

“Instead of putting the information on a PowerPoint slide, why don’t you demonstrate it in real time?” I suggested. Run two computers on stage—one with the current technology and the other with your new product. After your transfer is completed in 20 seconds, tell the audience to wait until your competitors catch up.”

“What should I say in the meantime?” the CEO asked.

“Nothing. Let the time pass. Another 40 seconds of silence will be painful to sit through and will underscore your point better than any PowerPoint deck could possibly show.”

Don’t confuse silence for a simple pause. A pause is waiting for a beat or two to underscore a key point or to give the audience a chance to absorb an idea. Silence is an extended pause, sometimes uncomfortably long, to make the audience feel the pain of a slow process.

Above all, the use of silence must be intentional and relevant. When musician Amanda Palmer walked on stage for her popular TED Talk, she silently placed a milk carton on the floor, stepped up, struck a pose, and took a deep breath. Twenty-four seconds later, she started to speak.

“I didn’t always make my money from music,” she began. Palmer then explained that, for five years, her “day job” was working as a living statue while playing clubs at night. Her intentional silence was relevant to the topic, framed the context, and made for a gripping presentation.

Don’t let your message get lost in the noise—the barrage of text, video, and information that bombards your listeners daily. Instead, cut through it by letting silence do the talking.

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COMMENTS

Presentation Drawing
Presentation drawing, also known as a rendering, is a crucial aspect of the design process. It's a means of visually communicating ideas to clients, colleagues, and contractors. Presentation drawings can take many forms, from quick sketches to highly detailed, realistic illustrations. Regardless of the format, the goal of presentation drawing ...
How to Draw on Google Slides
Open your presentation and select the slide you want to use. Go to Insert in the menu, move your cursor to Line, and choose "Scribble" in the pop-out menu. You can also use the line, arrow, and other tools if you like. You'll see your cursor transform into a crosshair symbol. Use that to draw on the slide.
What Is Presentation Drawing In Architecture
Presentation drawing in architecture is a creative visual form of communication used to convey information about buildings, structures, and other aspects of the built environment. It is an important part of the architect's skill set and allows them to effectively communicate their ideas. Presentation drawing is used to demonstrate a building ...
How to Draw on Google Slides and Make a Great Impression?
Step 1. Open Google Slides. The first step is to open Google Slides. If you've already created a presentation and want to use it, then open the presentation in Google Slides. If you'd like to start with a brand new presentation, then just create a new one. Bear in mind you should already have a Google Account. Step 2.
How to Draw in PowerPoint to Create Custom Designs
1. Open PowerPoint and load a new presentation or a previously saved project. 2. Navigate to the "Draw" tab and click "Draw" on the far left. 3. You'll find several preloaded options, even if it's ...
Draw on slides during a presentation
Turn on the pen and draw in Slide Show. On the Slide Show tab, ensure that Use Presenter View is turned on. On the Slide Show tab, click either From Beginning or From Current Slide to start your slide show. In Presenter view, some helper buttons appear at the lower left corner of your slide. The one that looks like a pen determines how the ...
How To Draw in PowerPoint Using Multiple Methods (Including Tips)
Use the Draw tab in MacOS. For Mac users, follow these steps to draw on your PowerPoint presentation: Launch PowerPoint and load an existing presentation or create a new one and select a new or existing slide on which to draw. Click on the "Draw" tab and then select "Draw" to enter drawing mode. Choose a pen tool from the menu.
How to add a drawing to a PowerPoint presentation
1. To activate the Draw Tab, right-click anywhere on your PowerPoint ribbon. Then, select Customize the Ribbon from the context menu that appears. This step will open the PowerPoint options window ...
Drawing in PowerPoint 101
Step 1 - Draw a rough outline of the desired shape. The first step is to draw the outline of the desired shape using the Freeform shape tool. In PowerPoint 2007, you'll find the Freeform shape on the Ribbon under the Insert tab > Shapes button. Drawing is as simple as left clicking to start drawing, clicking or adding a point whenever you ...
What Are Presentation Drawings In Architecture
Presentation drawings are one of the most important tools available to an architect, and they can have a huge impact on the success of a project. From allowing the client to get a better understanding of the project to helping to identify potential problems in the construction process, presentation drawings can make a huge difference in the ...
3 Ways to Draw Using PowerPoint
Enable the Draw tab if it's not present (Windows only). If you don't see a tab called Draw at the top of PowerPoint, you'll need to enable it. [2] Here's how: Click the File menu at the top-left and choose Options. Click Customize Ribbon. Click Draw. 3. Click the Draw tab. It's at the top of Word.
Creating a Successful Architecture Presentation Board
Architecture presentation boards are a tool to showcase your work. They are a way to draw your viewers into your design process and methods, providing an overall summary and vision for the project. You are communicating your design and showcasing your artistic skills, and your sense as a designer. Every successful project has a central concept ...
Plan Graphics for Presentation Drawings
Another type of drawing is a presentation drawing. The purpose is to describe the design. Generally, presentation drawings are shown to clients during the design process. While in school, these drawings are presented to instructors and classmates. A construction drawing will include the information necessary to assemble the project.
10 Tips for Creating Stunning Architecture Project Presentation
General Tips. 7) Minimize text on your presentation board. Write a short and concise concept statement and add a very brief explanation, if needed. Don't waste your time composing elongated descriptive text because no one will read it. 8) Replace words, whenever possible, with simple illustrative sketches and figures.
How to Draw Freehand in PowerPoint
Shapes: Located in the toolbar, this is the traditional tool that allows you to choose from different shapes or draw your own using lines.; Pen tools: Use many different pen types to create your own custom, freehand shapes.; Ink to text: Use Ink to Text to turn your written word into text within your PowerPoint presentation.; Ink to shape: Draw shapes, then turn them into text shapes using ...
Four Choices in Architectural Presentation Drawings
Winning a project bid requires architectural presentation drawings that demonstrate to the potential client the merits of the structure's design concept and is a direct indication of an architectural firm's skill in creativity and technical ability. Poorly drafted presentation drawings can result in losing great projects to other firms. We offer four different avenues to presenting your ...
How to Make a "Good" Presentation "Great"
A strong presentation is so much more than information pasted onto a series of slides with fancy backgrounds. Whether you're pitching an idea, reporting market research, or sharing something ...
10 Benefits Of Live Drawing For Presentations- No Artistic Skills
1. Drawing Improves Memory and Recall. Drawing engages both the visual and motor cortex of the brain, which enhances memory retention. When you draw during a presentation, you create a visual memory for yourself and your audience, making the information more memorable.
How To Draw During Your Presentation
Here are some simple public speaking tips for drawing during your presentation: Tip #1: Make Your Drawings Simple. You do not need to be a great artist to pull this off. Just make your drawing simple, obvious, and legible. Make your text and figures as large as possible. Tip #2: Pause While Drawing.
How to Animate a Drawing in Microsoft PowerPoint
Animate the Drawing in PowerPoint. With the drawing or part of the drawing selected, pick either "Replay" or "Rewind" in the Animation box on the ribbon. Replay shows your drawing from start to finish while Rewind shows it from finish to start. You'll only see these animation options for drawings you create with the ink tools.
How to Draw a Presentation (drawing tips)
Learn how to doodle at IQ Doodle School: https://school.iqdoodle.com/Step 1: How would you draw a presentation? Is there an easy way to represent this? Well,...
Using Hand Drawn Graphics in Your presentation: Why and How
Whether your presentations need charts, graphs, or filled tables - by using a simple hand-drawn mark you can emphasize the details and ideas. That is why our sets include a variety of items such as arrows, lines, circles, charts, graphs, word balloons, and even people who can help illustrate whatever concepts you need.
Welcome to Slidev
Presentation slides for developers. Press Space for next page Enter fullscreen Go to previous ... Draw with stylus Draw a line Draw an arrow Draw an ellipse Draw a rectangle Erase. Adjust stroke width. Set brush color. Set brush color. Set brush color. Set brush color. Set brush color.
Presentation drawing
Presentation drawings were finished, non-utilitarian works of art, as opposed to preparatory drawings for a work in another medium. The earliest known presentation drawings dating from the Italian Renaissance are two drawings of the 1420s by Lorenzo Monaco. From: presentation drawing in The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Art Terms ».
What is presentation drawing in architecture?
Presentation drawing in architecture is the production of a drawing for the purpose of gaining support, such as at a presentation of an architectural...
Interior Design Visual Presentation, 6th Edition
Interior Design Visual Presentation includes information on: The design process and related graphics, covering diagrams and programming analysis graphics, programming matrices, schematic design, and design developmentParaline and perspective drawings, and sketching interior environments using photographs and perspective grid chartsMaterials ...
Effects of Drawing on Memory
So, a clear benefit of drawing the words was found. Drawing vs. Writing: Word Pairs. In the second experiment, participants studied a list of unrelated word pairs. This time each word pair presentation was followed by one of two prompts: drawing a picture illustrating both words of the pair versus writing out the word pair out a couple of times.
Bears reveal plans for $4.7 billion domed lakefront stadium development
The plans, according to the team, will include additional green and open space with access to the lakefront and the Museum Campus, which Bears President Kevin Warren called "the most attractive ...
Bears release plans for stadium project in Chicago
During a public presentation Wednesday at Soldier Field, the Bears unveiled their plans to build a state-of-the-art fixed-roof stadium along Chicago's lakefront. The Burnham Park Project includes a new publicly-owned multipurpose replacement stadium located just south of Soldier Field that's part of ...
How 27 Seconds Of Silence Turned A Salman Rushdie Interview ...
Her intentional silence was relevant to the topic, framed the context, and made for a gripping presentation. Don't let your message get lost in the noise—the barrage of text, video, and ...