Technology Tip Number 155
How to Make a Tech Tip

Many of the technology tips feature pictures of actual windows to help explain how to do something.  Are you curious about how these are made?  Today's technology tip will help you make your own technology tips.

Using pictures of what's on your computer screen can go a long way to help you explain how to do something on the computer.  You have to start with a "screen shot" of whatever you'd like to make a picture of.  Technology Tip #14explained that you can take a picture of whatever's on your computer screen by pressing CRTL + Prnt Scrn.

Next you'll want to open up a program like "Paint" which is on most computers that have a Microsoft Operating System.  To find it go to the Start menu, then Programs, then Accessories, and then look for "Paint."  Technology Tip #37 talks more about Paint if you need some help with it. 

Paste the picture you just took of the desktop into Paint by pressing CTRL+V or going to "Edit" on the menu bar and selecting "Paste."

You can then use the tools in Paint, such as the spray paint tool, to mark up the picture however you need to:

Then use the selection tool to select the part of the picture you need.  Use CTRL + C to copy that image.  Then all you have to do is open another program, such as Microsoft Word and use CTRL + V to paste that image in.  You can then write your directions around the image.

That's how the images for these technology tips are made.

PRACTICE ACTIVITY:  Try using the technique explained above to make an informative screen picture.

TO KEEP ON LEARNING:  To learn more about making screen shots try searching the internet for:

Screen Shots
Editing Screen Shots in Paint
Uses for MS paint

Looking for Something?