NWA-PCUG Newsletter Article, March 2012
Add Text on a Photo in Word 2007
By Lynn Page, Editor,
Crystal River Users Group, Florida
December 2010 issue, CRUG newsletter

http://www.crug.com
ndemarte (at) Verizon.net (click to email author)

When creating a document it may be useful to place text with or on top of a photo. You could create a new photo with the text in a digital photo editing application and then save it for use. But if you will just use that image once why go to the bother. Within Word 2007 you can add the text on top of your photo using either WordArt or a text box. Which method to use depends on the effect desired. For text that is short and an interesting stylized look is what you want WordArt is a good option. For plain and simple text a text box can match the text to that in the rest of the document.

Text Box on Top of a Photo
Placing a text box on a photo can be as easy as inserting the photo, creating a text box and dragging the text box onto the photo.

To add a photo to a document place the insertion point in the document where the photo is to be located and click the Picture icon in the Illustrations group on the Insert tab. Browse to the photo in the Insert Picture dialog box, select it and click the Insert button.

To place a text box on the photo first create the text box. Place the insertion point on a line below the photo. Then in the Text group on the Insert tab, click text box and then click to select Simple Text Box. In the inserted Text Box type the text. To change the font or style of the text, highlight the text and then select the desired text formatting as with any other text. Drag the text box sizing handles to resize it as necessary. Finally click the outside edge of the text box and drag it to the proper location on top of the photo.

The default Text Box will have white fill and a black border. For use over a photo you will probably want no fill color or border. With the Text Box still selected click Text Box Tools and on the Format tab, in the Text Box Styles group, click Shape Fill and select No Fill. Then click Shape Outline and select No Outline.

With the Text Box you can add text on top of a photo and move the text to position it over the photo, but you can't rotate it. To be able to rotate the text or use text that is more stylized use WordArt.

WordArt on Top of a Photo
To place WordArt on the photo first create a Drawing Canvas. Place the insertion point in the document and then in the Illustrations group on the Insert tab open the Shapes drop down menu and click New Drawing Canvas.

With the new drawing canvas still selected on the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, click Picture. In the dialog box browse to and select the photo to use and click the Insert button. Again on the Insert tab, but in the Text group, click WordArt, select the style desired, and type the text. Select either piece of art and use the sizing handles to resize as desired. Click the outside edge of the WordArt to select it and drag it over the photo. Use the rotation handle to rotate the text to the angle that works best for the photo.

Once the graphics are correctly formatted and positioned group them. That creates a single graphic that can be moved or resized. The text stays with the photo. To create a group click the outside edge of the photo, press and hold the CTRL key, and click the edge of the WordArt so both items are selected. Under Drawing Tools, on the Format tab, in the Arrange group, click the arrow next to Group, and then click Group.

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