Customize and Edit Photos in Storyline: 6 Tips

Imagery is a crucial element of any e-learning course. You can use it to present important information nonverbally, and help drive home key points to learners. Whether you choose stock photography or your own custom images, Articulate Storyline offers some really great features for working with photos. I’d like to share with you six simple tips that will save you time and help you create awesome-looking courses.

1.Insert Multiple Images at Once

If you’ve ever worked in an image-intensive course, you know that inserting each image manually can be tedious and time-consuming. With Storyline, however, you can insert multiple image files at once by holding the CTRL key and selecting the images you’d like to add to your slide. Click Open and all of your selected images will be added to the slide.

2.Double-Click for Quick Editing

If you have a graphic or photo that you’d like to edit, simply double-click on the image to pull up the Format tab on the ribbon at the top of the application. You don’t need to select the image and then navigate to the Format tab manually. Simply double-click and all of your imaging-editing tools are quickly at your fingertips.

3. Use the Change Picture Tool

Have you ever placed a picture exactly where it should be on your slide, but then need to swap out the image? Instead of inserting a new image and having to place it “just right,” try the Change Picture tool. Select the photo you’d like to update, click the Change Picture button, and select your updated image. The photo you want to replace will be updated to your selection with the same dimensions.

4. Edit the Look of Your Photos

Storyline has tons of features for making simple edits to your photos and graphics. Some are available on the ribbon, but you can also right-click on an image and click Format Picture to open a Format Picture panel. You can adjust the contrast, change the brightness, lower the transparency, and more, right from the menu. You can also add a color filter, or turn your photo into a black and white image, to give the photo an artistic feel.

5. Use Picture Styles

Besides these simple photo-editing options, Storyline also has 10+ pre-made picture styles so you can customize the look of your project with a single click. Simply choose one of the pre-made picture styles to add a border, turn your photo into an oval, or add an easy drop-shadow effect.

6. Try the Zoom Picture Effect

Do you want to show a large picture, but only have room for a thumbnail? Then consider using the Zoom Picture effect. Simply choose your image or graphic and click the Zoom Picture button on the Format tab on the ribbon. This will automatically add a little Zoom icon on the bottom right-hand corner of your image. When the user clicks the button, the full-size image will pop up on the slide. This is a great way to incorporate your full-size images without overtaking the whole slide.

With these six tips, you can easily edit and customize your photos and graphics in Articulate Storyline. If you have your own tips about working with photos, please leave a comment below and share your experiences with others.

You can always sign up for a fully functional, free trial of Articulate software. And don’t forget to post your questions and comments in the forums! We’re here to help. For more e-learning tips, examples, and downloads, follow us on Twitter.