Create Puzzle Pieces in PowerPoint

6 minutes read

@ tutsplus.com

Learn how to create Microsoft PowerPoint puzzle pieces as a powerful storytelling tool with templates in this tutorial.

The Importance of Puzzle Pieces in Presentations

It may seem that every presentation concept has already been used, but you can break out of that mold by using creative concepts like PowerPoint puzzle pieces to tell a story. A puzzle is something you might put together on a lazy weekend afternoon, but it’s also a powerful storytelling tool that visually represents how different parts fit together. This infographic-style approach might be the perfect addition to your next presentation.

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to use puzzle piece shapes in PowerPoint presentations. You’ll also explore the best PowerPoint puzzle pieces templates from Envato Elements and learn how to create puzzle pieces in PowerPoint with GraphicRiver designs.

Quickly Create Puzzle Pieces in PowerPoint With Templates

If you want to create puzzle pieces for PowerPoint right now, check out the quickstart video below to get started:

To learn even more about PowerPoint puzzle pieces, continue with the rest of the tutorial.

How to Make Custom Puzzle Piece Designs in PowerPoint

Puzzles symbolize how ideas link together, making them an ideal tool for your next presentation.

Chances are, you’re not a professional graphic designer, and even if you are, why waste time crafting complex puzzle slides from scratch? There are already pre-designed puzzle piece shapes for PowerPoint waiting for you. Your best option is to use an Envato Elements pre-built PowerPoint puzzle pieces theme.

With a subscription to Envato Elements, you unlock access to thousands of templates at no extra cost beyond your initial subscription fee.

image

The power of templates lies in the fact that they have most of the design work completed for you. Just download a template, add your details, and you’ll have your best PowerPoint puzzle pieces design yet.

Utilizing infographics in your PowerPoint presentations can enhance storytelling. Many PowerPoint presentations are text-heavy and may bore your audience. Whenever possible, convert text-heavy slides into infographics using slides from Envato Elements. Check out the best infographic templates in the round-up below:

If Envato Elements isn’t your style, GraphicRiver is an excellent source for jigsaw PowerPoint templates. It’s a pay-as-you-go site, allowing you to choose and pay for only the single template you want.

How to Build PowerPoint Puzzle Pieces Slides with Templates

In this section, we’ll use the fantastic Puzzle Diagram PowerPoint template. It’s a versatile template that helps bring your ideas to life. PowerPoint puzzle pieces are visually appealing and convey large concepts better than simple text can.

Instead of drawing a slide design from scratch, start with a template from Envato Elements like the Puzzle Diagram. Let’s customize it together.

We’ll customize Slide 4 in the Puzzle Diagram template, which is a perfect starting point.

image

Templates provide a head start for building puzzles in PowerPoint. Best of all, pre-designed templates are fully customizable to suit your design preferences.

1. Change the Text & Icons

Begin customizing this slide by filling in the text boxes with your own words. Click inside the text placeholder box, highlight the text, and start typing.

You can also add new icons to the puzzle pieces or delete existing ones. There are additional slides in the deck with more icons you can copy and paste to fit your needs.

image

2. Change the Colors

You can easily change the colors of the PowerPoint puzzle pieces. Click on an individual puzzle piece to select it, then go to the Drawing Tools > Format menu on PowerPoint’s ribbon. Choose Shape Fill and select a new color from the menu. This change will instantly apply to the selected puzzle piece. Since the template is designed to allow each shape to have a unique color, feel free to customize as needed.

Consider matching the puzzle pieces to your brand style guide colors to ensure consistency in your presentation.

image

3. Finish Up

Templates like this offer many diverse puzzle piece designs in PowerPoint. The process of customization remains consistent—just fill in the blanks, and you’re free to explore fonts, colors, and more.

As demonstrated in this section, jigsaw PowerPoint templates are ready for your customizations. This template is just one example among many available on Envato Elements that includes jigsaw puzzle designs. Check out the round-up of the best templates in our tutorial below:

Don’t forget to animate the puzzle to introduce ideas in a perfect sequence. Let’s learn how in the next section.

How to Quickly Animate Puzzle Piece Slides in PowerPoint

In the previous section, we learned how to build a stunning custom PowerPoint puzzle using a specialized theme. While it looks great, it could benefit from some motion. Animating puzzle pieces allows you to stylishly introduce them in a custom sequence, keeping your narrative on track.

1. Select an Animation

Use animations for your jigsaw in PowerPoint to present key points in order. To get started, select a puzzle piece and navigate to the Animations tab on PowerPoint’s ribbon.

A collection of basic animation options will appear. Stick with simple animations like “Fly In” or “Float In” to maintain audience engagement without distraction.

image

When you find an animation you like, click to apply it. You can always swap it for another animation by repeating the same steps.

2. Sequence PowerPoint Animations

To reorder animations and keep them in the desired order, click on the Animation Pane on the ribbon under the Advanced Animation section. A sidebar will open with a complete list of every animation on the slide.

image

To reorder animations, click on the appropriate animation and drag it to a new spot in the sequence. You can also adjust duration and whether animations start automatically or with a click.

As you can see, it’s easy to build and animate puzzles in PowerPoint with the help of professional slide themes from Envato Elements. Use these templates whenever you need to present new thoughts and ideas in a visually appealing way.

Common Microsoft PowerPoint Questions Answered (FAQ)

Creating puzzle pieces in PowerPoint is easier than you think! You’ve already seen the steps to follow for making great puzzle pieces in a presentation.

If you still have questions while working on your puzzle pieces in PowerPoint, here are some common inquiries:

1. What Versions of PowerPoint Exist?

As you learn about PowerPoint, you may wonder which version is suitable for creating puzzles. PowerPoint puzzle animations work great, even in the web browser!

2. How Do You Change PowerPoint Templates?

PowerPoint templates are key to impressive and rapid design. Learn how to switch between PowerPoint templates easily:

3. What Should You Do Before You Email a Puzzle Piece in PowerPoint?

To make emailing easier, it’s best to reduce your PowerPoint file size. Learn how to trim your PowerPoint puzzle file size effectively:

4. What’s a PowerPoint Slide Layout?

Understanding PowerPoint slide layouts can significantly speed up your design process. Learn more about how to create effective slide layouts:

5. What’s the Best Way to Show Data in PowerPoint?

Visualizing data helps your audience understand your message better. Learn how to create charts and graphs in PowerPoint and integrate them with your puzzle piece designs:

© 2024 Collected from Public Sources