Choosing Backgrounds & Themes
October 28, 2006 Filed in: General Tips
One of the tougher questions I get when helping
someone assemble a PowerPoint or Keynote presentation
is this: "Which background (or theme) should I use?"
Every presentation is different, and, as such, each has a unique style and feel. The backgrounds you choose should be appropriate for that feel and act as a suitable backdrop for your content. Okay, that's a vague answer – here are some guidelines I like to follow.
x
Remember, first and foremost, your slides are there to reinforce your material. A distracting background will not help with that goal.
x
The first slide was created using a standard PowerPoint template. The second started as a blank slide, and I chose elements that seemed to best reinforce my message. (By the way, all of those points on the first slide are included on the second, but they are revealed with built images rather than text.) Does the second slide take more time and effort to create than the first? Yes, but the results are worth it.
x
As the slides move away from the theme of creation, I abandon the star-field that acts as a backdrop to the previous slide and replace it with a grassy field. Other slides will have other backdrops. Yes, in many of my presentations, the backdrop remains consistent, but it does not have to be that way. In fact, sometimes it is appropriate to change backgrounds as the content in your slides evolves from premise to conclusion or through different sections.
x
Sometimes you may want to create a frame for your material, which will cut down a little on space, but you don't want a slide that is completely restrictive in its proportions. I've seen slides like this first example a few times, and they are never effective visual communication. Constricting backgrounds only lead to cluttered slides.
It's almost become a mantra here to say that your slides should be uniquely you, and the theme or backdrop you choose for your slides is part of that process. If you can avoid some common pitfalls many stumble into when choosing backgrounds for your slides, your audience will notice at some level. It may be subtle, but it goes a long way toward making your presentation as effective as it can be.
Every presentation is different, and, as such, each has a unique style and feel. The backgrounds you choose should be appropriate for that feel and act as a suitable backdrop for your content. Okay, that's a vague answer – here are some guidelines I like to follow.
Avoid Distracting Backgrounds
The background should not be so colorful or busy that it distracts from the material you are presenting. You want your audience to focus on content – not the cool image that serves as the backdrop. Compare these two approaches:
x
Remember, first and foremost, your slides are there to reinforce your material. A distracting background will not help with that goal.
Don't Be a Cookie
Some themes (especially those in PowerPoint) are just plain overused. Try to avoid backgrounds that look stale and stereotypical. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: don't let PowerPoint tell you how your slides should look. You take charge of the appearance of your slides. Sometimes, this means you should build your slides from scratch, and this includes picking your own background.
x
The first slide was created using a standard PowerPoint template. The second started as a blank slide, and I chose elements that seemed to best reinforce my message. (By the way, all of those points on the first slide are included on the second, but they are revealed with built images rather than text.) Does the second slide take more time and effort to create than the first? Yes, but the results are worth it.
It's Okay to Change
You don't have to keep the exact same background behind every single slide. Again, here is an example from some slides I'm working on regarding Christianity and environmental responsibility.
x
As the slides move away from the theme of creation, I abandon the star-field that acts as a backdrop to the previous slide and replace it with a grassy field. Other slides will have other backdrops. Yes, in many of my presentations, the backdrop remains consistent, but it does not have to be that way. In fact, sometimes it is appropriate to change backgrounds as the content in your slides evolves from premise to conclusion or through different sections.
Give Yourself Room
I bend this guideline from time to time, but I've seen space on slides misused often enough to mention it: Don't create a slide that constrains your space. In Keynote, for example, most default themes give you an 800x600 or 1024x768 canvass. Don't use a layout that restricts this space.
x
Sometimes you may want to create a frame for your material, which will cut down a little on space, but you don't want a slide that is completely restrictive in its proportions. I've seen slides like this first example a few times, and they are never effective visual communication. Constricting backgrounds only lead to cluttered slides.
My Picks + Conclusion
In closing, here are some Keynote themes I tend to build my presentations around. I find they make good themes in and of themselves while also lending themselves to flexibility and customization.
It's almost become a mantra here to say that your slides should be uniquely you, and the theme or backdrop you choose for your slides is part of that process. If you can avoid some common pitfalls many stumble into when choosing backgrounds for your slides, your audience will notice at some level. It may be subtle, but it goes a long way toward making your presentation as effective as it can be.