Creating a Background

By default, all Word documents are created on a standard white page. This is adequate for the vast majority of documents, but occasionally you might want to jazz things up a bit. Backgrounds and watermarks are excellent effects that can enhance the look of your Internet and hard copy documents. Backgrounds are intended for display exclusively in Web Layout view, whereas watermarks are designed for printed documents. In Word, you can add a background color or texture to a Web page, online document, or e-mail message.

Add a Background Color or Texture

Click the Format menu _' and then click Background.

Click one of the following options:

• Click a color choice to apply a uniform color. The background color is applied.

• Click More Colors to view additional colors. Click a color, and then click OK.

Click Fill Effects to add the following effects:

• Click the Gradient tab, select one or two colors and a shading style, and then click OK.

• Click the Texture tab, click a background texture, and then click OK.

• Click the Pattern tab, select a pattern, foreground and background colors in which to display the pattern, and then click OK.

• Click the Picture tab, click Select Picture, locate and double-click the picture you want, and then click OK.