Microsoft Word can draws lines and fills with background color by using the paragraph style. You can set the background colors and under line stroke. It is better understandable headings than ones which is simple changed its font size.
Also, by setting them in the heading paragraph style, rather than individually in each place, you can unify the heading styles within a single document and change them all at once when you make changes.
TOC
Draw under lines
Add the under lines to the paragraph styles of the Heading 1. Do following.
STEP
Enter “Heading 1 Test”.
STEP
Set the paragraph style of entered line to “Heading 1”.
STEP
Right click the “Heading 1” in the tool bar, and select the “Modify…”.
Select the “Modify…”
STEP
Click the “Font” button and select the “Border…”.
STEP
Select a solid line from the style, “Automatic” from the color, and “1/2 pt” from the width. (They are default settings)
STEP
Click the underline button.
Borders and Shading dialog
STEP
After you see the underline is appeared in the preview, click the “OK” button.
STEP
After you see the underline is also appeared in the preview of the Borders and Shading dialog, click the “OK” button.
STEP
On the line following heading 1, type “Main Text.”.
Adjust the space between heading and body text
The space between heading and body text is small, they are close, so we adjust it.
To expand the space after the heading 1, change the spacing of the paragraph of the heading 1.
STEP
Right click the “Heading 1” in the toolbar and select the “Modify…”.
STEP
Click the “Format” button and select the “Paragraph…”.
STEP
Change the Spacing “After:” to the 0.5 line, and click the “OK” button.
STEP
You are back to the Modify Style dialog, click the “OK” button to close.
Change the background color
Change the background color to make the headings stand out.
STEP
Right click the “Heading 1” in the toolbar and select the “Modify…”.
STEP
Click the “Format” button and select the “Border…”.
STEP
Open the “Shading” tab.
STEP
Change the fill color to “Blue, Accent 1, Lighter 40%”.
Select the fill color
STEP
Change the line color.
Open the “Borders” tab, change the color to “Blue, Accent 1”, and click the underline button two times.
The first click removes the line and the second click add a line with a newly selected color.
STEP
Click the “OK” button and click the “OK” button in the “Modify style” dialog.
Configure the shading patterns
The background color is now little strong and the text of the headings is weak. Adjust a bit more.
To improve the paragraph style, there are following ways.
Make the text to be bold.
Change the background color.
STEP
Right click the “Heading 1” in the toolbar and select the “Modify…”.
STEP
Click the “Format” button and select the “Border…”.
STEP
Open the “Shading” tab.
STEP
Change the fill color to “Blue, Accent 1, Lighter 60%” and click the “OK” button.
STEP
Click the “Bold” button in the Modify Style dialog.
STEP
Click the “OK” button.
Conclusion
By changing the paragraph style and border/shading settings for Heading 1, you can create headings that stand out from those that simply have larger text.
Also, by adjusting paragraph spacing, you can create documents that are easy to read, even when they are long.
I am an application developer loves programming. This blog is a tech blog, its articles are learning notes. In my work, I mainly focus on desktop and mobile application development, but I also write technical books and teach seminars. The websites of my work and books are here -> RK Kaihatsu.
