How to create blots for numbering

PowerPoint 2016
When you create your own presentation, in some situations, it should be funny or have some attractive visual accents. You can use different colors, backgrounds or pictures, etc., but you are still limited by standard elements. This tip shows how to use PowerPoint to create interesting visual objects for your presentation.

See also how to create spot shapes for numbering, how to use 3D cubes for numbering, or the numbering list.

Blots for numbering in PowerPoint 365

To create blot shapes, do the following:

   1.   Create blots:

   1.1.   On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, select SmartArt:

SmartArt graphic in PowerPoint 365

   1.2.   In the Choose a SmartArt Graphic dialog box, on the Process tab, and then select Random to Result Process:

Process SmartArt graphic in PowerPoint 365

The new SmartArt graphic will be added to your slide:

New SmartArt graphic in PowerPoint 365

For our new blot shape, we will need just circles.

   1.3.   Select just added SmartArt graphic, and then on the SmartArt Format tab, in the Arrange group, click on the Group dropdown list and select Ungroup:

Ungroup shapes in PowerPoint 365

After this operation, it is not a SmartArt graphic anymore!

   1.4.   Select the object, then on the Shape Format tab, in the Arrange group, click on the Group dropdown list and select Ungroup. It ungroups all shapes:

Ungrouped shapes in PowerPoint 365

   1.5.   Remove all shapes that don't need for this task and group circles into two different groups:

Regrouped shapes in PowerPoint 365

Note: To group objects, just select them, then on the Shape Format tab, in the Arrange group, click on the Group dropdown list and select Group.

See How to select and format objects in the slide with a big number of objects for more comfortable selections.

   2.   Create the main blot:

   2.1.   On the Insert tab, in the Illustrations group, select Shapes:

Shapes in PowerPoint 365

   2.2.   In the Shapes list, from the Callouts group, choose the Thought Bubble: Cloud shape:

Callouts shapes in PowerPoint 365

Now you have three different shapes in your slide (one shape and two groups of shapes):

Added Cloud shape in PowerPoint 365

   3.   Format these shapes by:

   3.1.   Changing the connector size and position using the yellow point for the Cloud shape:

Cloud shape in PowerPoint 365

   3.2.   Rotating shapes by using the rotation handle at the top of the selecting border:

Rotate sign of shape in PowerPoint 365

New blots will look the way you want:

Rotated shapes 1 in PowerPoint 365    or    Rotated shapes 2 in PowerPoint 365    or    Rotated shapes 3 in PowerPoint 365

Note: After rotation and positioning the objects, it is recommended to group them by selecting them and clicking Group (on the Shape Format tab, in the Arrange group, on the Group dropdown list):

Grouped shapes 1 in PowerPoint 365    or    Grouped shapes 2 in PowerPoint 365    or    Grouped shapes 3 in PowerPoint 365

   3.3.   Changing the fill and line color:

   3.3.1.   Right-click on the object and choose Format Shape... in the popup menu:

Format grouped shape in popup in PowerPoint 365

   3.3.2.   On the Format Shape pane, on the Shape Options tab, in the Fill & Line group:

  • In the Fill section, select Solid fill or even Gradient fill, and then customize colors according to your preferences:
    Fill in Format Shape pane in PowerPoint 365
  • In the Line group, select No line:
    Line in Format Shape pane in PowerPoint 365

After all these changes, the shapes will look like this:

Shape 1 in PowerPoint 365    or    Shape 2 in PowerPoint 365    or    Shape 3 in PowerPoint 365

   4.   To add text to the shapes, just double-click on the shape and enter text.

See also this tip in French: Comment créer des taches de peinture pour la numérotation.

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