Need to give a report or presentation some extra visual punch? Adding dynamic photography and design work can really help get your messages across.
Tight timescales and tighter budgets can mean that commissioning your own artwork isn’t always an option.
When that happens, why not head to the Microsoft Office Online site and choose from thousands of royalty-free clip art and photographic images?
So long as you have a valid Microsoft Office licence and agree to the terms and conditions, it is possible to access a massive range of imagery to pep up a document or website and make even the blandest of subject matter visually exciting.
MS Office users can access the clip art directly from the site or by navigating to the site from within Microsoft Office software. As well as images the Microsoft Office Online site also offers how-to articles, tips, training courses, templates, sound and video media, downloads and other productivity-enhancing tools for all Microsoft Office versions.
The free clip art and photographic images from iStockphoto are arranged for ease of use in subject categories ranging from abstracts to web elements. The iStockphoto images are free of charge, and are now set to be significantly increased in number following a year long trial.
While the free images found on the site will work well for most applications, users looking for high-resolution images for commercial or marketing purposes are also given the option to link directly to the iStockphoto website from Microsoft Office Online, where they can choose from millions of photos, illustrations and videos that are available to be purchased and licensed for prices as low as one dollar (£0.50).
OpenOffice users, meanwhile, should point their browsers to the software’s dedicated clipart resource where there are around 14,000 graphics to choose from. Linux users can also access this collection from pbone.net. The OpenOffice graphics are saved as SVG files so this makes them compatible for Mac users as well. It is advisable to check out the FAQ page first to find out more about handling and editing SVG files.
Also worth visiting to find the right royalty-free image for your work is FreeDigitalPhotos.net. Thousands of images are free to use, with the option of downloading a high quality print version for $10 (£5.04).
For even more choice try this Google search on “royalty-free images”. Terms and conditions vary from site to site, please read the terms and conditions to ensure your proposed use of an image or graphic is permissible.
