Plain text documents look plain and boring. The world is visual, and an easy way to spice up your document is with clip art.
The term “clip art” refers to simple drawings made for computer users for both digital and printed materials. They're usually fun and whimsical.
Microsoft Word has a feature that makes adding Office clip art to your project easier than ever. As you'll see in this article, you don’t have to leave Word to find and insert clip art into your Word document. That’s because Word has a built-in online browser you can use to find clip art for your material.
But your best bet is to use premium clipart in Word from Envato Elements. Elements offers thousands of stylish clipart packsfor download now. Use them to learn how to insert clipart in Word and wow every reader!
Find Clip Art on Microsoft Word Now (Quickstart Video)
Do you want to quickly find out how to add clip art to your Microsoft Word document? Our quickstart video can help.
To learn even more about using clip art with Microsoft Word, study the written tutorial below.
How to Find Clip Art on Microsoft Word
Now, let's learn how to insert clipart in Word. The first option here is to use Word's built-in library of clipart. You can do this right inside the app!
The tips in this section were written using Windows and Office365. If you’ve got a different operating system or a different version of PowerPoint, your steps may be slightly different.
To get started finding clip art, first click on the Insert tab. Then, in the Illustrations group, click on the Pictures drop-down arrow. From the list of options, choose Online Pictures.
In the center of your Word screen, you’ll see the Online Pictures menu launch. In the search bar, type a keyword or phrase related to the image you want to use. Press Enter.
When you hit Enter, you’ll see images for your search term appear. Now, you’ll have a few options.
By default, the Creative Commons only filter is checked. This means the images’ creator has given permission for others to use, share, and build on their work. It’s always best to leave this option checked. Otherwise, you may find yourself using clipart and images that you’re not allowed to use in your work.
You can click on the filter icon to filter the results based on other dimensions:
- Size. Small, medium, large, or extra large
- Type. Photograph, clipart, line drawing, or transparent
- Layout. Square, wide, or tall
- Colors. Color only, black and white.
Click on Clipart and whatever other filters you want to use. This displays only clip art in the results, leaving out other types of images.
The image results will be filtered according to these settings. Scroll down the results to find a clip art for your document. If you’re not happy with the results, try using different keywords and filters.
How to Insert Clip Art
When you find the clip art you want to add to your document, click on it to select it.
To find out more about the image, click on the ellipsis on the lower-right corner of the image. This displays the image size and link to its source.
If you want to add the clipart to your Word document, click on its thumbnail. This will select the clipart in Word design. Then, find the Insert button in the lower right corner of the Online Pictures menu. Click it, and you’ll see the clipart appear in your Word doc.
You could also insert several clip art images all at the same time. To do so, scroll throughout the image results and click on all the images you wish to insert. Then, press Insert. Watch as every clipart image you selected appears on your page.
That’s it! You’ve learned how to insert clipart in Word easily. But you’re not done! Now, it’s time to learn how to use clip art with Word’s editing designs. This lets you make each piece of clipart your own, seamlessly merging it with your documents.
How to Edit Clip Art
With the clip art added to your Word document, you can now manipulate and edit it as you would any other image in Word.
For example, you can resize and rearrange clip art in Word. To begin, select the clip art, then click and drag one corner to resize the image. Then, you can click and drag on the center of the image to move it around the page.
Additionally, you can make many other changes and customizations to your favorite clipart in Word designs. Be sure your clipart is selected, then come up to the Picture Format tab, found on Word’s ribbon. Click on it.
Here, you have many choices. In the Adjust group, you can apply corrections and new colors to change up the look and feel of your clipart. In the Picture Styles group, you can add frames, borders, and more. For example, you can make your clip art black and white by opening the Color drop-down and choosing Grayscale from the Recolor group.
Use the other buttons on the Picture Format tab to achieve the look and effect you desire.
For example, click Wrap Text > Square to have the text run around the clip art. Or select other text wrap options to achieve the layout you've got in mind.
This controls how text interacts with your clipart, and how they fit together. It’s a key part of the design process, helping you ensure your documents always look their very best.
How to Insert Icons, the Modern Clip Art
There’s another kind of drawing you can add to your Word document. What are these? Icons! They’re super simple and have become popular both online and in printed form.
Icons are all over the screens of computers and mobile devices. In fact, many people have developed a kind of icon vocabulary. Most people know, for example, that the floppy disk icon means “save.” This includes folks who’ve never seen a floppy disk in their lives!
To insert an icon, place the cursor where you want the icon to be. Click the Insert tab, then click Icons.
The Stock Images menu opens, on the Icons tab. Use the search field to look for a specific icon. When you find the one you want to use, click on it to select it. Then, click Insert. The selected icon is added to the document.
From here you can treat the icon like any image in Word and change its size, orientation, position, text wrapping, and other settings.
For example, to change the color of the icon, select it, then click the Graphics Format tab. Click Graphics Fill, then select the color you wish to use from the drop-down.
Click on the thumbnail of the new color, and you’ll see Word apply it to the icon that you have selected.
How to Find More Clip Art Online
Want a wider selection of clip art images and icons to add to your Word project? You can look at external sources. And the best option here is Envato Elements.
Elements is the top source for professionally made Microsoft clip art, graphics, and icons. Plus, you'll enjoy countless Microsoft Word templates! The offer is powerful.
For a flat monthly rate, you can download and use as many of these templates and assets as you want. It's a tremendous creative value, and one that you can't afford to miss in 2023 and beyond.
Elements also provides fonts, photos, stock video, video footage, music, and more. All these categories are included in the unlimited downloads offer. Join Elements todayand start downloading!
How to Find Premium Graphics from Elements for More Professional Results
To find and use clip art from Elements, first log into your account. At the top of the homepage, you’ll see the search box. You can use this to find clip art of your own.
Begin by clicking on the drop-down arrow beside All Items. From the list of displayed options, choose Graphics. Next, type a keyword or phrase in the search bar. Click the search icon.
You’ll see an array of clipart designs appear. We’ll use the Truck Driver Sitting In Construction Truckclipart design to demonstrate. Click on the thumbnail of the file that you wish you use.
This opens the page for that graphic or graphic pack. This page gives you a preview of the images, as well as more information about the file, such as what formats and image sizes are included. Click the Download button to download the file.
The Add this file to a project dialog box opens. Check the appropriate box to add the file to an existing project. Then click Add & Download.
The file is downloaded into your computer. If it’s a zip file, double-click on the file name to unzip it.
Then, go back to your Word document, and place the cursor where you want to insert the clip art. Click on the Insert tab. Next, click Pictures > This Device. Find your clipart page, select it by clicking, and then choose Insert.
Word will add clipart that you’ve selected. From here, you can move and style it like any other image - just like we did above!
As you can see, it’s a great idea to use clipart in Word from Envato Elements. With thousands of expertly crafted designs to choose from, you’re sure to find the perfect design for your next project. Get started today!
6 Bestselling Clip Art Images From Envato Elements
Clip art images have come a long way since they were first used in desktop publishing in the 1980s.
The following bestselling clip art graphics in Elements show you the wide range of options you've got at your fingertips. They're proof that clip art can look anywhere from whimsical to technical to cartoonish, and everything between.
1.Maternity Clip Art
As the name suggests, this pack includes clip art of images related to pregnancy, maternity, nursery, and mom and baby. All clip art images are in PNG format, which means they've got a transparent background. This makes it easy for you to add them to a collage, design, or layout.
2. Christmas Clip Arts
Whoever thinks clip art can't be elegant should check out this collection. Although they maintain the hand-drawn charm that clip art images are known for, these Christmas-themed clip art graphics are tasteful and graceful at the same time. The collection includes 14 clip art images in both EPS and PNG formats.
3.Flower Set Clip Art
This clip art set is perfect for any flower-related project. It delivers plenty of value: a total of 47 flower clip art images, available in both EPS and PNG file formats. The clip art images are 6 inches x 6 inches, so you can use them even in large, printed projects.
4.Warehouse Clip Art
The boxy, technical look of these images are perfect for warehouse, manufacturing, and industry-related projects. The clip art graphics come in EPS and AI formats. This means you can edit them if you're so inclined.
5.Outer Space Vector Clip Art
It's no wonder this pack of outer space-themed clip art images is a bestseller. The graphics are just plain fun! The set has 25 cute clip art images, including a green alien and a monkey in a space suit. The graphics come in a variety of formats, including EPS, PNG, and SVG.
6.Watercolor Clip Art Abstract
These could be one of the most unusual clip art images you've ever seen. While most clip art is hand-drawn, this set of flower clip art is hand painted in watercolor, making for a very pretty effect. A total of 18 individual images are included in PNG format. Each flower is 5 inches x 5 inches in size.
Learn More About Microsoft Word
A clip art or icon you add to your Word document behaves like any image. That’s why it pays to learn more about how to work with images and pictures in Word. The following posts can help:
- How to Quickly Add, Move, and Format Pictures in Microsoft WordAlexis (Lexi) Rodrigo05 Jan 2020
- 30+ Best Microsoft Word Keyboard Shortcuts to Quickly Work in DocsAlexis (Lexi) Rodrigo20 Feb 2020
Tips for Using Clip Art in Word
Now that you know how to find, insert, and format clip art images in Word, you might be tempted to go crazy with them. As with other creative elements in a material, clip art can be misused or abused, making your document look amateurish and unprofessional. Careless use of other people’s clip art can even get you into trouble.
To avoid these issues, consider the following tips for using clip art in Word:
1. Check on Permission to Use the Image
As mentioned above, clip art that are publicly available come with different licenses. Even among clip art with the Creative Commons license, different rights and obligations may be assigned.
And so, look at the license of the clip art you want to use and ensure that you comply with it. For example, some clip art with Creative Commons license may not be free for commercial use.
Clip art, icons, and other graphics you download on Envato Elements come with broad commercial rights. This means you can use them for both personal and commercial projects. With that said, there are certain things you’re not allowed to do. This page has more details.
2. Choose Clip Art That Matches the Tone and Visual Style of Your Brand
In general, clip art tends to be casual. Some may even consider them childish. So, clip art tends to go better on projects that are informal in tone and visual style. Icons, on the other hand, tend to be acceptable even in more formal, academic, and corporate materials.
You can only decide on a case-by-case basis, because there are many different kinds of clip art. You may find some that work for more formal projects, especially if you get premium clip art from Elements.
3. Use Clip Art Only When It Adds Meaning to Your Document
To avoid the misuse of clip art, use it only when it makes your document more meaningful. It’s probably a good idea to add clip art to your project if they:
- act like visual shortcuts or metaphors, either replacing or enriching the text
- make the text easier to understand or navigate
- reinforce the personality or style of your brand
A common mistake is to add clip art for its own sake. In this case, clip art only clutters up your project. It doesn’t add value and it can even annoy or turn off your reader.
Download Some Fun Clip Art for Your Microsoft Word Document Today
Clip art continues to be a fun way to make your projects more lively, interesting, and effective. These simple graphics are easy for most users to understand. A type of clip art, the icon, has in fact become ubiquitous in digital materials and screens.
You can also find top-quality clip art, icons, and other graphics at Elements. Elements is the perfect choice for you, if you create many Word documents. You'll enjoy unlimited downloads of icons, graphics, and Word templates for a flat rate.
Now, it's time to embrace the idea of clipart! Find your favorite designs and start adding them today. You'll be crafting stunning and unique Word documents in moments.
Editorial Note: This tutorial was originally published July of 2020. It's been completely reviewed for accuracy and relevancy and a video has been added by Andrew Childress.
