Shape Fills, Lines, and Effects for SmartArt in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

As we have already explored, you can change the color for the entire SmartArt graphic. This technique applies new colors to the entire SmartArt graphic including the various shapes it contains. However, there may be times when you want one of the shapes to be colored differently.

Follow these steps to explore fill, line, and effect options for individual shapes within a SmartArt graphic in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows:

1. Select any individual shape within your existing SmartArt graphic, as shown in Figure 1, below. As you can see, one of the gear shapes has been selected in this case.
2. 
   Figure 1: Shape is selected within Gear SmartArt graphic
2. Doing so will activate the two contextual SmartArt Tools tabs on the Ribbon. These are the SmartArt Tools Design and the SmartArt Tools Format tabs, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 2, below. Select the SmartArt Tools Format tab.
3. 
   Figure 2: SmartArt Tools Format tab selected

Contextual Tabs

The SmartArt Tool Design and SmartArt Tool Format tabs are contextual tabs. These tabs are special tabs in the Ribbon that are not visible all the time. They only make an appearance when you are working with a particular slide object which can be edited using special options.
3. Within the SmartArt Tools Format tab, locate the Shape Styles group, as shown in Figure 3, below. Here, you'll find fill, line, and effect options for individual SmartArt shapes.
4. 
   Figure 3: Shape Styles group
5. These fill, line, and effect options for SmartArt graphics are explained below:

A. Shape Fill

6. Select this option to view the Shape Fill drop-down gallery, as shown in Figure 4, below. Learn more about Shape Fills here.
7. 
   Figure 4: Shape Fill gallery

B. Shape Outline

8. Select this option to view the Shape Outline drop-down gallery, as shown in Figure 5, below. Learn more about Shape Outlines here.
9. 
   Figure 5: Shape Outline gallery

C. Shape Effects

10. Click to open the Shape Effects drop-down gallery, as shown in Figure 6, below. Learn more about Shape Effects here.
11. 
    Figure 6: Shape Effects gallery

D. Shape Styles

12. Click the downward-pointing arrow, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 3, above. Doing so will bring up the Shape Styles drop-down gallery, as shown in Figure 7, below. Learn more about Shape Styles here.
13. 
    Figure 7: Shape Styles drop-down gallery
4. Figure 8, below, shows different fills, outlines, and effects applied to individual shapes of the gear SmartArt graphic variant (compare with Figure 2, shown previously on this page).
5. 
   Figure 8: Different fills, outlines, and effect applied to individual shapes within a SmartArt graphic
5. Save your presentation often.