Microsoft Excel. How to draw a line in Excel? How to make a graph in Excel

Creation graphic objects It is convenient to make drawings of a technical or business nature directly in Excel, using the tools of the Drawing panel. This panel can be displayed on the screen in the usual way or the Draw tool of the Standard panel. The Drawing panel includes tools for creating, editing and placing graphic objects,

such as lines, rectangles, arrows, etc., from which the drawing is then formed. This panel is essentially a small graphic editor, built into Excel. Drawings of the built-in editor can be placed both on table sheets and on chart sheets.

It is more convenient to create a drawing on any free space. Then the finished drawing can be moved to the desired location. The simplest objects are created with the Line, Arrow, Rectangle, Oval and Caption tools. To create a graphic object, you need to select the appropriate tool, place the mouse cursor (it takes the form of a crosshair) in the document, press the mouse button and stretch the image of the object to the required size.

You can create a closed object (that is, anything other than a line) by selecting the appropriate tool and simply clicking in the document. In this case, the object will have default dimensions, which can then be changed. More complex objects and connecting lines between objects (autoshapes) can be created using the tools that appear after selecting the Autoshapes tool. In this case, basically the same techniques are used as when creating simple shapes.

Although in some cases there are peculiarities. For example, when drawing lines using the Curve and Polyline tools from the AutoShapes-Lines submenu, you need to create line bends with single clicks of the mouse, and complete the drawing with a double click. If double click performed at the starting point of the line, a closed figure will be created. To create a connecting line between two objects, you need to select a tool from the AutoShapes - Connecting Lines submenu, hover the mouse cursor over one of the objects (blue connection points will appear on the object when you hover), click on one of the connection points, and then move the mouse cursor over the other object and also click on the connection point.

A line of a given type will appear between the objects, or more precisely, between the connecting points of the objects that were clicked. This line is, as it were, attached to objects and later, when moving connected objects, the line moves with them. In addition to the AutoShapes tool of the Drawing panel, a special toolbar with the simple name AutoShapes can also be used to create autoshapes. This panel can be called in the usual way, as well as with the command Drawing-AutoShapes (Insert).

Another trick you can use is to place the mouse cursor on the header of the AutoShapes tool and drag it to the side, i.e., create a separate toolbar. If you select the object creation tool by double-clicking, you can create not one, but several objects. The tool will remain enabled until it is selected again, until you press Esc keys or before selecting another tool. This method can be used when creating simple objects, as well as when creating autoshapes, but only if you select the autoshape tool, located on a separate panel.

If, while creating a rectangle, while dragging, hold down Shift key, then you can draw a square. The same technique allows you to draw a circle when creating an oval; when creating a line - a vertical, horizontal or inclined (30, 45, 60 degrees) line, etc. If you hold down the Ctrl key while creating, the initial position of the mouse cursor will be the geometric center of the created object. Inside the object created by the Caption tool (it is rectangular in shape), immediately after its creation you can type text. Text can also be placed inside other closed objects.

To do this, run the Add text command context menu object. Text inside graphic objects is typed and edited using usual techniques. You can also use the Font Color tool, which duplicates the Formatting panel tool. An explanatory caption to an arrow or a line can be added in the following way: using the Caption tool, create an object with the required text inside, then remove the frame and fill from this object, and then place it next to the arrow or lines.

Thus, in in this case an arrow (line) and the text associated with it are two different objects.

Creationdrawings in Excel tables

1. Creation of graphic objects

It is convenient to make drawings of a technical or business nature directly in Excel, using the tools of the Drawing panel (Fig. 1).

The Drawing panel includes tools for creating, editing and placing graphic objects, such as lines, rectangles, arrows, etc., from which a drawing is then formed. This panel is essentially a small graphical editor built into Excel.

Rice. 1 - Drawing toolbar

Drawings of the built-in editor can be placed both on table sheets and on chart sheets. It is more convenient to create a drawing in any free space. Then the finished drawing can be moved to the desired location.

The simplest objects are created with the Line, Arrow, Rectangle, Oval and Caption tools (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2 - Simple figures

To create a graphic object, you need to select the appropriate tool, place the mouse cursor (it takes the form of a crosshair) in the document, press the mouse button and stretch the image of the object to the required size. You can create a closed object (that is, anything other than a line) by selecting the appropriate tool and simply clicking in the document. In this case, the object will have default dimensions, which can then be changed.

More complex objects and connecting lines between objects (auto-shapes) can be created with tools that appear after selecting the AutoShapes tool (Fig. 3). In this case, basically the same techniques are used as when creating simple shapes. Although in some cases there are peculiarities.

Rice. 3 - AutoShape Tool and Detached Toolbars

Drawings in Excel Spreadsheets

For example, when drawing lines using the Curve and Polyline tools from the AutoShapes-Lines submenu, you need to create line bends with single clicks of the mouse, and complete the drawing with a double click. If you double-click at the starting point of the line, a closed figure will be created (the second figure in Fig. 4).

Rice. 4 - Complex figures

To create a connecting line between two objects you need

select a tool from the AutoShapes-Connection Lines submenu, hover the mouse cursor over one of the objects (when you hover over the object, blue connection points will appear), click on one of the connection points, and then move the mouse cursor over another object and also click on the connection point. Between the objects, or more precisely, between the connection points of the objects that were clicked, a line of a given type will appear (Fig. 4).

This line is, as it were, attached to objects and later, when moving connected objects, the line moves with them.

In addition to the AutoShapes tool of the Drawing panel, a special toolbar with the simple name AutoShapes can also be used to create autoshapes. This panel can be called by the command Drawing-AutoShapes (Insert). You can use one more trick: place the mouse cursor on the header of the AutoShapes tool and drag it to the side, i.e., create a separate toolbar (Fig. 3).

If you select the object creation tool by double-clicking, you can create not one, but several objects. The tool will remain enabled until it is selected again, the Esc key is pressed, or another tool is selected. This method can be used when creating simple objects, as well as when creating autoshapes, but only if you select the autoshape tool, located on a separate panel.

If you hold down the Shift key while dragging while creating a rectangle, you can draw a square. The same technique allows you to draw a circle when creating an oval, while creating a line - a vertical, horizontal or inclined (30, 45, 60 degrees) line, etc. If you hold down the Ctrl key while creating, the initial position of the mouse cursor will be the geometric center of the created object.

Inside the object created by the Caption tool (the shape is a rectangle), immediately after its creation you can type text (on the right in Fig. 2).

Text can also be placed inside other closed objects. To do this, execute the Add text command from the object's context menu.

Text within graphic objects is typed and edited using conventional techniques. You can also use the Font Color tool, which duplicates the Formatting panel tool.

An explanatory caption to an arrow or a line can be added in the following way: using the Caption tool, create an object with the required text inside, then remove the frame and fill from this object, and then place it next to the arrow or lines (Fig. 2). Thus, in this case, the arrow (line) and the text associated with it are two different objects.

2. Changing the position, size and shape of objects

The appearance and position of the created graphic object can be changed if necessary.

Before performing any operations on objects, they must first be selected. To select a single object, move the mouse cursor over it and click. Moreover, the click should be performed at such a position of the mouse cursor when it has the shape of two crossed double arrows. The selected object is framed by a frame with “handles”, and if it is a straight line, “handles” appear at its ends (in Fig. 2 the line is highlighted, in Fig. 4 the cylinder is highlighted).

To select multiple objects, you can use one of the following techniques:

Click on the selected objects while holding down the Shift key;

Select the Object Selection tool of the Drawing panel, place the mouse cursor in the document next to the objects, press the mouse button and stretch the dotted rectangle to the required size, as a result of which all objects inside the rectangle will be selected (Fig. 5);

Select one object and press Ctrl+Shift+Space (spacebar), which will select all objects on the sheet.

Rice. 5 - Selecting multiple objects

When using the second technique, after finishing the selection, turn off the Object Selector tool. This can be done either by selecting it again or by pressing Esc.

A selection can be removed by clicking anywhere in the document, but not on the object.

To change the position of an object, place the mouse cursor on it (the cursor should have the shape of two crossed double arrows) and drag the object to the desired position. If you drag an object while holding down Ctrl key, then it will be copied.

The size of an object can be changed by dragging the “handles” on the frame of the selected object (Fig. 6). When you place the mouse cursor on the handle, it takes the form of a double black arrow, and it is in this cursor state that you can start dragging. When dragging the “handles” while holding down the Ctrl key, the dimensions of the object change symmetrically relative to its geometric center. Shift-drag the corner handles to maintain the object's original proportions.

Rice. 6 – Resizing an object

The position and size can be changed for several objects at once.

Most objects can be rotated. If you select an object that can be rotated, a special green round “handle” will appear next to it – the rotation “handle” (Fig. 7). When you place the mouse cursor on the rotation “handle”, it takes the form round arrow. By dragging the “handle”, you can rotate the object to the desired angle relative to its geometric center. If you drag a “handle” while holding down the Ctrl key, it will rotate around the “handle” located on the opposite side of the object outline.

Rice. 7 - Rotate an object

The shape of some complex objects can be changed. If you select an object whose shape can be changed, then one or more special diamond-shaped yellow “handles” will appear on it (or near it) - “handles” for changing shape (Fig. 8). When you place the mouse cursor on the “handle” for changing the shape, it takes the form of a small white arrow. Changing the shape is done by dragging the “handle”.

Every complex object has its own characteristic “handles” of shape changes. For example, a graphic object such as a curly brace has two such handles, by moving which you can change the degree of curvature of this figure and the position of its “nose” (Fig. 8).

Figure 8 – Changing the shape of an object

Form arbitrary line, which was created by the Curve, Polyline, or Sketch Curve tool can be modified as follows. After selecting the line, you should execute the Start changing nodes command in the object's context menu.

As a result, “nodes” of shape changes (black squares) will appear on the line (Fig. 9). By dragging these "nodes" you can change the shape of the line. After you drag a line "node" created by the Drawing Curve tool, additional reshaping "nodes" (white squares) appear. Using them, you can change the type of bend of adjacent lines (segments).

Fig.9 - Changing the shape of an arbitrary line

The shape and appearance of the line connecting objects can be changed using the line context menu commands. For example, to ensure that a line connects objects at the shortest distance possible, you can use the Straighten Connections command.

3. Formatting objects

The newly created object has some default settings: it is usually drawn with black thin solid lines with a white fill. These settings can then be changed. To do this, you must first select the object being edited. If you select several objects at once, you can set the same parameters for all of these objects.

After selection, it is more convenient to perform further operations on editing object parameters using the Line Type, Stroke Type, Arrow Type (only for lines), Line Color, Fill Color (for closed objects) tools of the Drawing panel (Fig. 1). The purpose and application of these tools is obvious. It is only worth noting that to cancel the border in the field that appears when you select the Line Color tool, you must click on the No Lines value, and to cancel the filling, click on the No Fill value in the Fill Color tool selection field. It should be remembered that no fill and white fill are not the same thing.

Quite interesting possibilities for designing created objects are provided by the Shadow and Volume tools. The first of them allows you to select one of the standard options for the object’s shadow, the second – one of the variable

ants of the volumetric representation of an object of flat objects (Fig. 10).

Rice. 10 - Object with shadow and object with volume

Using the Shadow Settings... and Volume Settings... commands that appear when you select these tools, you can display additional panels tools. Using these panels, a user with artistic taste can show off his talent. To reject a shadow, select the No shadow value; to reject a volumetric representation, select the No volume value.

You can also use the AutoShape Format window to edit the parameters of a graphic object.

The simplest objects you can create in your worksheets are arrows and lines. Use the Line shape to create line segments, or the Arrow shape to create arrows pointing to key parts of your workbook. You can quickly apply to an arrow or line various formats using the Quick Shape Styles gallery (new!) or change format elements such as thickness and strokes using the Shape Outline button The Shape Outline button allows you to change the type of line or arrow. You can also turn any line in your worksheet into an arrow.

To draw a straight line or arrow:

Click on the Insert tab

Click the Shapes button and then select a line or arrow from the Shapes gallery.

Drag the cursor to draw a line. The start and end points of a line or arrow are the points at which you begin and end dragging the cursor.

Release the mouse button and make sure that you have drawn a line of the desired length. Size manipulators are located on both sides of the line. Use these handles to resize or move a line.

To apply a quick style to a line:

Select the shape you want to transform.

Click on the Shape Gallery scroll arrows or click on the button arrow Additional options to display other styles.

Hover over a style.

The option preview function will turn on (new!)

Select a style from the gallery to apply it to the selected shape.

To change a line or arrow:

Select the line or arrow you want to transform.

Click the Format tab in the Drawing Tools group

Click the Shape Outline button and select the style or thickness of the line or arrow.

Select a color or click on Weight, Stroke or Arrows and then select a style.

Drag the size handle to change the size or angle of the line or arrow.

To convert a line or arrow:

Select the line or arrow you want to change.

Click the Format tab in the Drawing Tools group.

Click the Shape Outline button, select Thickness, Strokes, or Arrows, and then click More Lines or More Arrows

For line and arrow, select a width, compound type (double or triple pin), stroke type, dot type (rectangular, round, or flat), or joint type (rounded, raised, or straight).

For the arrow, select the start type, end type, start size, and end size.

Click on Close

If you want to create a custom shape, use free shapes, or polygyny. Select Polygyny from the Lines category in the list of shapes. Freeforms are similar to drawings, the only difference is that instead of paper and pencil, you use a worksheet and a mouse. A free-form figure can be either an open or a closed curve. You can edit polygynes using the Start Modifying Nodes command, which allows you to modify the vertices of the curved lines that make up the shape.

To draw polygyny:

Click on the Insert tab.

Click on the Shapes button and select Polygyny in the Shapes gallery in the Lines category.

Click the location on the worksheet where you want to insert the first polyline node.

Move the cursor and then click where the next polyline node will be placed. The two nodes will be connected by a line.

To create a continuous curved line, move the cursor instead of selecting individual nodes as described in steps 3 and 4.

Follow the above steps until the polygyny is ready.

To complete the creation, click next to the first node of the polygyny (to create an open polygyn) or double-click the last point of the polygyn (to create a closed polygyn).

• Tutorial

Is it possible to obtain a pseudo-volumetric image without 3D software? “Of course,” you say, “you take it, strain yourself and draw from scratch.” What if without “you take it, strain yourself and draw”? What if without any special knowledge at all? Is it possible to get isometric objects without wasting time on rendering? Does digital illustration exist at all outside the usual graphics programs? I will answer these and other questions in my article dedicated to a new method of creating digital illustrations - ExcelArt.

Part 1. A unique method of creating illustrations

A Brief Background on Creative Tools

I believe that an illustrator or designer who truly loves their job is simply obliged to constantly be in search of new tools, styles and working techniques. Without this, his professional development is impossible. Without this, progress in the world of design is also unthinkable.

Guided by the idea of ​​​​searching for new creative tools, I conducted a kind of experiment. I tried to create a digital illustration without using conventional graphics programs. After a certain number of attempts, I came across something completely unique.

Easy and fast isometrics without 3D

As you know, it is better to see once than to hear a hundred times. Therefore, in order to save the time of dear readers, I will simply show a video in which the entire process of creating a picture in MS Excel from start to finish is clearly visible.

What does this mean for designers and illustrators?

When the problems go beyond the cubes, and you need to draw, for example, several buildings, such a task can also require a lot of time. Although, with a little practice, doing the same thing in Excel is much faster.

I myself once fell victim to the pseudo-volume problem. I needed to get pseudo volumetric letters in a vector. When I tried to do this regular means in Illustrator, he first took a few minutes to calculate the image, and then gave me a bunch of broken lines. Drawing the same thing with gradients and contours was incredibly labor-intensive. The task was in danger of failure. ExcelArt saved the day! In just a few seconds (!) I did voluminous text in Excel. And, by the way, the result from there was perfectly exported to the “chandelier” (after all, I needed a vector at the output).

What does this give to ordinary people?

As an example, I will give several illustrations made exclusively using the ExcelArt method without further post-processing.

And now, in the second part of the article, you can try to create a full-fledged digital illustration yourself. Don't be intimidated by the size of the tutorial; all the steps in it are intuitive and similar to each other.

Part 2. Tutorial

In the first part of the article, you learned what is unique and advantages of a new method of creating digital illustrations - ExcelArt. It's time to practice. Let's try together to create a full-fledged image - a phone.

Why was the phone chosen? The fact is that a significant share of the work of a modern IT specialist is the creation of mobile content. All developers mobile games and applications, and UI designers love to display their products in natural environments. Based on this, it will always be convenient to have a small mockup that will help you easily and quickly demonstrate your mobile prototype. This is exactly the mockup with a phone that we will make in this lesson.

1. Let's start by creating the front of the phone body. To do this, open MS Excel, select top panel Insert tab > Shapes > Rounded Rectangle (20.29 x 9.97 cm). Make the corners rounded using a yellow diamond in the upper left corner of the shape, as in the image below.

To make it easier for you to navigate the proportions, I will indicate in parentheses the sizes of all created objects. Once you have created a shape, you can change the dimensions in the Format > Size tab.

Attention! Don't create a shape in the top left corner of the page. Later, when you start adding other objects and working with isometrics, you may have problems with the placement of elements. Please note that I made my rectangle closer to the center of the page (coordinates W69).

2. Let's take care of the screen. First, let's create the screen itself, it is done in the same way as the previous element, that is, using the top tab Insert > Shapes > Rectangle (15.74 x 9.21 cm). In this case, there is no need to round the corners. Next we make the speaker: Insert > Shapes > Rounded rectangle (0.18 x 1.5 cm), its corners need to be rounded to the maximum. Then create a button: Insert > Shapes > Oval (1.5 x 1.5 cm).

3. The front camera is created by two Ovals: the lower one with a larger diameter (0.29 x 0.29 cm), and the upper one with a smaller diameter (0.14 x 0.14 cm). In order to make it convenient to work with them in the future, these two Ovals need to be grouped. To do this, hold down the Shift key and select the ovals by clicking on each of them. Shift needs to be released. Next, right-click on any of the ovals, bring up the menu and select the items: Group > Group.

4. Now we need to align all objects relative to each other. Let's start with the camera and speaker. They need to be on the same line. To do this, hold down the Shift key, select the camera and speaker and in the top tab select: Format > Arrange > Align > Align to Middle. Next, group the speaker and camera in the same way as you did with the ovals in the previous step.

After that, holding down the Shift key, select all objects (body, screen, button, grouped speaker and camera) and align them along one axis by selecting: Format > Arrange > Align > Align Center. You now need to group all the selected and aligned objects into one.

5. It's time to add color to the picture. Left-click three times on the body of the phone so that the body is selected, and not the entire grouped object. indicator the right choice two blue strokes will appear around objects: one outer dotted and the other inner solid.

6. Painting the speaker and camera is more complex, since they are painted not with a solid color, but with gradients. To do this, select the speaker (do not forget that all objects are grouped, and you need to triple-click only the speaker, not the entire group), right-click on the speaker and select Format Shape. In the pop-up window that appears, select the tab - Fill > Gradient fill. Create a gradient with the following settings: type - linear; angle 90⁰; left gradient point is second gray bottom of the second column with brightness 15%; The right point of the gradient is the third gray color from the bottom of the second column with a brightness of 25%. And, of course, don't forget to remove the outline as in the previous step: Format > Shape Outline > No Outline.

Paint over in the same way front camera. First select the lower oval with a larger diameter. Its gradient settings are as follows: type - linear; angle 300⁰; the left point of the gradient is the second gray color from the bottom of the second column at position 41% with a brightness of 15%; The right point of the gradient is the third color from the bottom of the second column with a brightness of 25%.

Now select the upper oval with a smaller diameter. Make a gradient with the following settings: type - linear; angle 0⁰; left gradient point - third blue bottom of the fourth column with brightness 40%; The right point of the gradient is the second blue color from the bottom of the fourth column with a brightness of 25%.

7. With a screen everything is much simpler. Make the screen color as follows: Format > Fill > white. To color the outline, select: Format > Shape Outline > second gray color from the bottom of the second column.

Unlike all previous objects, the button does not have a fill, but the outline is painted in a gradient. To configure it, in the Shape Format window, select: Line Color > Gradient Line. For the outline we will need four gradient points. They can be created by left-clicking on the gradient strip. Note that the colors of all gradient points are the same Only the position and brightness will differ. So, the gradient settings are as follows: type - linear; angle 50⁰; the gradient color is the second gray color from the bottom of the second column; first gradient point - position 30%, brightness 18%; second gradient point - position 48%, brightness 30%; third point of the gradient - position 62%, brightness –100%; fourth point of the gradient - position 70%, brightness 15%.

8. Now it's time to give the objects an isometric projection. Click on the grouped shape once to select it, and right-click to open the familiar Format Shape window. Next, select: Rotate 3D Shape > Blanks > Parallel > Isometric, Top. Keep the Format Shape window open.

Select the black rectangle of the body and go to the 3D Shape Format tab. Give the body the following relief settings: circle on top, width 4 pt, height 5 pt. The depth, surface and contour do not need to be changed. If everything is done correctly, small gray shadows should appear on the two edges of the rectangle.

9. Now let's create the metal part of the body. Click three times on the black rectangle of the body, selecting it, and copy it by pressing Ctrl+C. After that, remove the selection by clicking on any empty cell of the sheet, and insert a rectangle by pressing Ctrl+V.

Fill the rectangle with light gray (third color from the bottom of the first column) and enlarge it slightly (20.53 x 10.09 cm). In the Volume Shape Format tab, make the following relief settings: on top - a circle of 11 pt in width and height, below - a circle of 11 pt in width and height. Please note that in the same tab you need to change the lighting angle: Surface > Lighting > Angle > 300⁰. We do not touch the depth and contour.

To place the metal part of the body under the black one, you need to right-click on it and select the items: Send to Back > Send to Back.

10. On at this stage We've covered all the basic techniques for generating objects needed to create an isometric phone. Almost all of the following elements will be created in exactly the same way as all previous design parts.

Let's start making the bottom block of holes with the speaker. Make six identical Ovals (0.2 x 0.2 cm). Align them in the middle and group them. Next, select: Shape Format > Rotate 3D Shape > Blanks > Parallel >

Give each Oval the same gradient. This time we will need three gradient points. As in the previous case, the color of all points is the same - the second gray color from the bottom of the second column. The remaining settings are as follows: type - linear; angle 130⁰; first point of the gradient - position 27%, brightness 15%; second gradient point - position 63%, brightness 50%; third point of the gradient - position 75%, brightness –15%.

Now you need to select the thickness of the outline by clicking on the top tab: Format > Shape Outline > Thickness > 0.5 pt. At the same point, select a color - the first gray color from the bottom of the first column.

11. Now let's take care of the charging hole and the bolts near it. Each bolt consists of two figures. The bottom figure is an Oval (0.2 x 0.2 cm), light gray (the second color from the bottom of the first column) without an outline. The top figure is a five-pointed star. To create it, select the Insert tab > Shapes > 5-pointed star (0.15 x 0.15 cm). Color: black without outline. Both shapes need to be selected and aligned relative to each other, centered and in the middle, and also grouped. The bolts are exactly the same, so you can only make one and simply copy the other side by side.

The charging hole, as you probably already guessed, is rounded rectangle(0.32 x 1.06 cm), the corners of which are rounded to the maximum. The color of all three gradient points is the same as in the previous step. The gradient settings are similar: type - linear; angle 130⁰; first point of the gradient - position 0%, brightness 15%; second gradient point - position 29%, brightness 50%; third point of the gradient - position 94%, brightness –15%. The outline weight is 1 pt, the color is the second gray color from the bottom of the first column.

After making the bolts and charging hole, align them in the middle and select: Format Shape > Rotate 3D Shape > Blanks > Parallel > Isometric, Top Right.

12. The last two Ovals on the bottom are the headphone input (the larger one) and the microphone hole.

The microphone hole is exact copy speaker holes, just copy one of them.
The headphone input is made from an Oval (0.48 x 0.48 cm) without a contour. The color of the gradient points is the same: the second gray color from the bottom of the second column. The gradient settings are as follows: type - linear; angle 30⁰; first point - position 7%, brightness –18%; second point of the gradient - position 100%, brightness 37%.

As always, we align both holes in the middle, group them and give the resulting group a rotation: Shape Format > Rotate 3D Shape > Blanks > Parallel > Isometric, up to the right.

13. All that's left to do is sidebar. The mute button consists of two rectangles rounded to the maximum. The bottom rectangle (0.3 x 0.85 cm) is dark gray (third color from the bottom of the second column) without an outline. The top rectangle (0.16 x 0.85 cm) is light gray (third color from the bottom of the first column) without an outline. Go to the Shape Format > 3D Shape Format tab and give the top rectangle the following settings - relief: top - corner, width 0.5 pt, height 1 pt; depth: depth 1.5pt; surface: material - standard “plastic”, lighting - neutral “three points”, lighting angle: 170⁰. The bottom rectangle does not require any settings. To rotate rectangles in isometric projection, select for each of them: Shape Format > Rotate 3D Shape > Presets > Parallel > Isometric, Down Left.

Attention! Don't group the rectangles until you've completed each one, otherwise you may have problems with one rectangle overlapping another after adjusting the volume format.

14. The volume buttons are made of three rectangles rounded to the maximum. The ovals of the buttons themselves (0.29 x 1.43 cm) have exactly the same settings as the mute button in the previous step. The rounded rectangle underneath (0.36 x 3.39 cm) has no outline. The gradient settings for it are as follows: the color of both points is the third dark gray color from the bottom of the second column; type - linear; angle 90⁰; first point of the gradient - position 0%, brightness 29%; second point of the gradient - position 100%, brightness 75%. Rotate all ovals: Shape Format > Rotate 3D Shape > Blanks > Parallel > Isometric, down left.

After you make all the parts of this block, do not forget to group them for ease of putting in place and dragging.

15. The gray stripes on the side of the body are obtained from two Block diagram figures (Insert > Shapes > Block diagram: saved data), each size is 0.5 x 0.4 cm, figure rotation: Figure format > Volumetric figure rotation > Blanks > Parallel > Isometrically, down left.

Gradient settings: the color of both points is the second light gray color from the bottom of the first column; type - linear; angle 100⁰; first point of the gradient - position 0%, brightness –35%, transparency 30%; the second point of the gradient is position 100%, brightness –63%, transparency 0%.

16. Our phone is ready. All that remains is to insert the image into the screen. Select the white rectangle of the screen, right-click: Format Shape > Fill > Picture or Texture > Insert from: File. Then select the image you want to add to your phone screen on your computer and click Insert. I inserted a previously taken screenshot mail application Mail.Ru. You can add a mockup of your app design or any other picture.

17. To give the picture a finished look, you need to paint over the background. To do this, simply select the empty cells behind the phone and select the appropriate fill color in the top tab: Home > Font > Fill Color.

Having already completed the image and looking at the resulting result, I realized that the phone needed a little shadow to make it more convincing. You may ask: “Can this really be done in Excel?” There is much more possible, but we will stop there.

Select the bottom gray rounded rectangle (body) and right-click to open the Format Shape window. In the Shadow tab, enter the following settings: color - black, transparency - 62%, size - 99%, blur - 11 pt; angle - 60⁰; distance - 3 pt.

18. Last question What we have to decide is how to get the finished image file that we have been working on for so long. There are several ways to solve this problem. I will tell you one of the simplest and most logical ones - just take a screenshot.

The desktop version of Mail.Ru Cloud has a wonderful screenshot. Press Shift+Ctrl+6, select the part of the screen with the phone image and click Finish. The link to the image will immediately go to your clipboard, and the image itself will png format will be located in your Cloud in the Screenshots folder. Just like that, it’s quick and convenient, and you don’t have to cut and save anything separately.

I hope you enjoyed the lesson, and now you can fully appreciate all the benefits of creating digital illustrations using the ExcelArt method. And if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask them in the comments. And be sure to show what you did if you use my tutorial.

Have you ever created a flowchart for a document or business process? Some companies buy expensive specialized software, using which you can create flowcharts with just a few clicks of the mouse. Other companies choose a different path: they use a tool that they already have and that their employees know how to use. I think you guessed that we are talking about Microsoft Excel.

Make a plan

The purpose of a flowchart is to show the logical structure of events that must happen, decisions that must be made, and the consequences of those decisions. Therefore, it will undoubtedly be easier to construct a flowchart if you first take a few minutes to organize your thoughts. A flowchart made up of haphazard, unthought-out steps will be of little use.

So take a few minutes to take notes. It doesn’t matter in what format, the main thing is to write down each step of the process and record each decision with possible consequences.

Customize Items

For each step of the structure, add flowchart elements to Excel.

1. On the tab Insert(Insert) click Figures(Shapes).
2. The list of shapes that opens is divided into main groups. Scroll down to group Block diagram(Flowchart).
3. Select an item.
4. To add text to an element, right-click on it and select from the menu that appears Change text(Edit text).
5. On the tab Format(Format) Menu ribbons select a style and color scheme for the element.

Having finished with one element, add the next element for the next point of the intended structure, then the next, and so on until the entire structure appears on the screen.

Pay attention to the shape of each element in the flowchart. The form tells the reader what function is performed at each step of the structure. I recommend using all forms in accordance with their generally accepted purpose, as non-standard use of forms can confuse readers.

Here are some of the most commonly found elements:

Organize the elements

After all elements are inserted into the sheet:

Set up communication lines

On the tab Insert(Insert) click Figures(Shapes) and select a straight arrow or a ledge with an arrow.

• Use a straight arrow to connect two elements that are in direct sequence.
• Use an arrow ledge when the connecting line must be curved, for example, if you need to return to a previous step after a decision element.

Next steps

Excel offers many additional elements for creating flowcharts and an endless variety of customizable formatting options. Feel free to experiment and try all the available possibilities!