Drawing the Ionic Column
Before you get started you need a blank slide on which to draw.
Choose New from PowerPoints File menu.

The New Presentation window should come up asking you to create a new presentation using....
Click on Blank Presentation then click on the OK button.

The New Slide window should come up asking you to choose an Autolayout...
Highlight the blank side and click on the OK button.

A blank window should come up called Presentation followed by a number. This is your drawing window.

While creating the Ionic Column, it is helpful to use the example to guide you.

You will begin by drawing the base of the column.

The Octagon tool located in the AutoShapes drop-down menu under the Basic Shapes sub menu will produce the vertical grooves found on the column.
Click on the Octagon tool button.
Move the pointer into the drawing window. Drag the cross-shaped pointer diagonally down and to the right.
Your goal is to make a tall and thin rounded octagon.

While the object (the rounded octagon) is selected, click on the Fill Color button () to remove the fill.

If you make a mistake, choose Undo from the Edit menu or select the object and then choose Clear from the Edit menu, and try again.

Your drawing should be similar to this:


Duplicating Objects


The Ionic column contains five grooves total. Instead of drawing four more rounded octagons, let's duplicate the one you have.
Select the object you want to duplicate.
While the rounded octagon is selected, press and hold down the Ctrl key, now click anywhere on the octagon except the vertices of the selection box. A small plus sign should appear next to your arrow.
Drag a copy of the object away and release the mouse button then the Ctrl key.

Note: if you release the Ctrl key you will only drag the object not make a duplicate.
After you duplicate, click outside the selection box.

You have just learned a speedy means of duplicating objects in PowerPoint's drawing tool.

If you press the Delete key while an object is selected, that object will be removed from the drawing window.
Select the duplicate octagon and hit the Delete key.
Note:this is just another way to erase an object.

You should now have only one groove in your drawing window.

If you look closely at the completed example, you will notice that the top and bottom edges of the five column grooves are level. As you duplicate the rounded octagon to make the four other grooves, you'll need some help keeping them level with one another. If you use the Shift key while duplicating, you will only be able to move the duplicates horizontally or vertically. Once you begin moving in one direction, that is the only direction you can move in.
Select the rounded octagon that you have drawn in the drawing window.
Position the rounded octagon slightly to the left in the drawing window by dragging it.
While the object is selected, press and hold the Ctrl and Shift keys. Drag the duplicate rounded rectangle to the right a distance approximately equal to its width. Release the mouse button.

Your drawing should resemble this:

You now have two rounded octagons.
Let's duplicate again, but this time we want to duplicate both of the rounded octagons. This will result in a total of four rounded octagons when we are done.

In PowerPoint's drawing program everything is based on the concept of an object. You presently have two objects on your screen. We need to treat them as one object in order to duplicate them both at the same time. In order to make two or more objects "one" object we must Group them together. Here is how to Group these two objects:
While holding down the Shift key, select both of the rounded ocatgons.
Your drawing should look similar to this:

While both rounded octagons are selected, choose Group from the Draw menu.
Your drawing should resemble this:

Observe that the selection box now encloses both of the octagons. This is now "one" object.
Select and duplicate your new grouped object. Make sure you press both the Shift and Ctrlkeys to keep everything level.

Your drawing should look similar to this:

To duplicate the remaining rounded octagon you will need to Ungroup the objects you Grouped.
Select one of the grouped objects and then choose Ungroup from the Draw menu.

Your drawing should look similar to this:

Observe that the selection box has changed into two selection boxes. You now have a total of three objects on your drawing window, because you haven't ungrouped the other octagons.
Ungroup all grouped objects on your drawing window.
Select and duplicate one of the rounded octagons. Remember to keep everything level and to click outside the selection box when you are done.

Your drawing should look similar to this:


Let's summarize the functions of the Shift and Ctrl keys: Shift key - keeps movements straight. Ctrl key - duplicates.

The grooves are now properly positioned. It is now time to use the Rectangle tool to enclose the grooves.
Select the rectangle tool from the tools bar. Enclose the grooves with a rectangle by dragging the mouse. If the rectangle is filled clear the fill by clicking on the Fill Color button () while the rectangle is selected.
Remember to click outside the selection box when you are done.

Recall that you can erase the rectangle by choosing Clear or Undo from the Edit menu.

Your drawing should look similar to the following:


Next: Drawing the Abacus
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