WD: How to Place Text over a Graphic in Microsoft Word

ID: Q141926

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article describes how to place text over a graphic in a Microsoft Word document.

To understand this process, it is important to first understand "layering." Word documents are composed of six layers:

Cross Section of Word Document Layers

                                           ___________________
                                          /                   /|
                                         /   <SURFACE OF     / |
                                        /       PAPER>      /  |
                                       /                   /  /|
                 Front drawing layer  |-------------------|  / |
                     MAIN TEXT LAYER  |===================| / /|
                  Back drawing layer  |-------------------|/ / / 
                                      |                   | / / 
                 Front drawing layer  |-------------------|/ / 
   (Header/footer) BOTTOM TEXT LAYER  |===================| / 
                  Back drawing layer  |-------------------|/

MORE INFORMATION

Word 98 Macintosh Edition

You can import graphics, such as clip art or other pictures, by clicking Picture on the Insert menu, or by cutting or copying a graphic to the Clipboard and then pasting it to your document. By default, inserted graphics are embedded objects and reside in the drawing layer unless you clear the Float Over Text check box. If the Float Over Text check box is cleared, the inserted graphic goes into the main text layer, and the graphics behave as a single character of text.

To place text over a graphic, use either of the following methods.

Method 1: Insert or Paste a New Graphic

1. Insert or Paste the graphic into the document.

2. On the Format menu, click Picture.

3. On the Wrapping tab, click None under Wrapping Style, and click OK.

4. Click Draw on the Drawing toolbar, point to Order, and click Send 

   Behind Text.
The graphic is now behind the main text layer.

Method 2: Use a Text Box

Place the text inside a text box positioned in front of the floating graphic. The text box is in the main text front drawing layer, positioned over the floating graphic. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Insert or paste the graphic into the document

2. Click the Text Box button on the Drawing toolbar. 

   The insertion point appears as a plus sign (+) when moved over the
   document.
3. Position the insertion point where you want the text to appear. Click 
   and drag the mouse to draw a box.

   When you release the mouse button, your insertion point is inside the
   text box.
4. Type the text you want to appear on the graphic. 

   NOTE: The text box may have a solid background and border. To change
   these settings, follow these steps:

      a. On the Format menu, click Text Box and select the Colors and
         Lines tab.

      b. Under Fill, select Semitransparent or set the Fill Color to No
         Fill.

      c. Under Line, set the Color to No Line.

Word 6.x and 7.x

You can import graphics, such as clip art or other pictures, by clicking Picture on the Insert menu, or by cutting or copying a graphic to the Clipboard and then pasting it into your document. By default, inserted graphics are embedded objects and reside in the main text layer. The graphics behave as a single character of text.

Drawing objects created using the Drawing toolbar reside within the drawing layers, not in the main text layers. To place a graphic behind or in front of text, you must insert the graphic inside a text box, which can move among the drawing layers.

Use either of the following methods to place text over a graphic.

Method 1: Place the Text Inside a Text Box

The text box is in the main text front drawing layer, positioned over the embedded graphic. The graphic resides in the main text layer of the document.

To create a text box that "floats over" the graphic, follow these steps:

1. Insert the graphic: 

    - If you are importing a graphic, click Picture on the Insert menu,
      select the appropriate drive, folder, and file name of the graphic.
      Click OK.

    - If you are inserting a clip art object, follow these steps:

         a. Click Object on the Insert menu.

         b. In the Object Type list, select Microsoft ClipArt Gallery, and
            click OK.

         c. Select the clip art to be inserted and click Insert.
2. If it is not already visible, display the Drawing toolbar. (On the View 
   menu, click Toolbars. In the Toolbars list, select the Drawing check
   box and click OK.)

   The Drawing toolbar appears at the bottom of the Word window.
3. Click the Text Box button on the Drawing toolbar. 

   The insertion point appears as a plus sign (+) when moved over the
   document.
4. Position the insertion point where you want the text to appear. Click 
   and drag the mouse to draw a box.
5. When you release the mouse button, your insertion point is inside the 
   text box. Type the text you want to appear on the graphic.
6. The text box, when selected, is a gray outline. There may be a border 
   and shading applied to the text box. To change the border and shading,
   select the text box (this is evident by black handles appearing within
   the text box boundary), and click Borders And Shading on the Format
   menu.
7. Select the border and shading you want. 

   NOTE: If you don't want any border or shading, select None on both tabs.

Method 2: Place the Graphic Inside a Text Box

Place the Graphic Inside a Text Box, and position the text box behind the text. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1-4 of "Method 1: Place the Text Inside a Text Box" above 

   to create a text box.
2. When you release the mouse button, your insertion point is inside the 
   text box. Place the graphic or clip art object inside the text box.

    - If you are importing a graphic, click Picture on the Insert menu,
      select the appropriate drive, folder, and file name of the graphic.
      Click OK.

    - If you are inserting a clip art object, follow these steps:

         a. Click Object on the Insert menu.

         b. In the Object Type list, select Microsoft ClipArt Gallery, and
            click OK.

         c. Select the clip art to be inserted and click Insert.
3. The text box, when selected, is a gray outline. There may be a border 
   and shading applied to the text box. To change the border and shading,
   select the text box (this is evident by black handles appearing within
   the text box boundary), and click Borders And Shading on the Format
   menu.
4. Select the border and shading you want. 

   NOTE: If you don't want any border or shading, select None on both tabs.
5. While the text box is selected, click the Send Behind Text button on 
   the Drawing toolbar. This places the graphic contained within the text
   box behind the text. That is, the text box is in the main text back
   drawing layer.

REFERENCES

For additional information, please see the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: 

   ARTICLE-ID: Q106016
   TITLE     : Drawing Object Sent to Back Overwrites Header/Footer Text

   ARTICLE-ID: Q105698
   TITLE     : Drawing Layer Shortcuts and Tips

   ARTICLE-ID: Q95277
   TITLE     : How to Create Watermarks in Word

   ARTICLE-ID: Q110018
   TITLE     : Moving Pictures into the Drawing Layer

REFERENCES

"Microsoft Word for Windows User's Guide," version 2.0, pages 366-381.

Additional query words: graphic behind box front clip art ole object embed embedded top over watermark floating 8.0 8.00 

Keywords          : kbgraphic kbualink97 wordnt word8 macword98 winword ntword macword word6 word7 word95 
Version           : Windows:6.0,6.0a,6.0c,7.0,7.0a; Macintosh: 6.0,6.0.1,6.0.1a,98
Platform          : MACINTOSH WINDOWS
Issue type        : kbhowto

Last Reviewed: January 21, 1999