Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
If the projector is bright—or if you are using a large flat-panel display—there is little need
to darken the room. Whenever possible, do not turn the lights off. Communication is
enhanced when audiences can see both the visuals and your face clearly. (And it
certainly makes for better teaching if students can see the teacher.)
Slide background color: light or dark?
For large keynote presentations at conferences, for darker venues (Pecha Kucha Nights
or Ignite events, for example), and for larger venues, use a darker slide background
since white light on the background can be blinding in an otherwise dark room. Most
situations, however, such as those in college lecture halls or in school classrooms, have
enough ambient light to justify a white or light background.
The advantage of using a white background is that you can use stock images without
having to take time to remove the white backgrounds. (PowerPoint and Keynote come
with tools for removing a selected color from an image, such as a white background, but
their tools do not do as smooth a job as more professional editing software.) Regardless
of the type of background you choose, what matters most is maintaining clear contrast
between the background and the foreground elements. It's important to pay attention,
then, to the levels of contrast among the foreground elements and the background.
Images in slides on this page and opposite page from
iStockphoto.com
.
On a large screen, the chart in the slide on the left does work, though the contrast is more subtle for the gray
bars. The background pattern in the slide on the right makes it harder to see the gray bars.
