Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Excel versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Excel 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Excel, click here: Filling a Drawing Object.

Filling a Drawing Object

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated September 25, 2021)
This tip applies to Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003


When you first insert a drawing object in Excel, it appears as an outline; sort of a stick drawing. You may want to change this by filling the object with either a color or a specific effect. Both of these are done using the Fill tool on the Drawing toolbar. (This is the one that looks like a bucket spilling paint.) To use the tool, simply click on it using the mouse and then click on the object you want filled. It is then filled using the color shown in the bar at the bottom of the Fill tool.

If you want to change the color used for fills, you can do so by clicking on the down-arrow at the right of the Fill tool. This displays a palette of colors (forty of them) from which you can choose a color. If you don't like those colors, you can click on More Fill Colors (just underneath the palette) to pick any color you desire.

A neat feature of Excel is that you can also pick an effect to use for your fill. You do this by choosing Fill Effects at the bottom of the color palette. This displays the Fill Effects dialog box. Using the controls in this dialog box (and on the other tabs in the dialog box), you can specify exactly what special effects you want applied to filling the shape. You can choose to use a gradient (where the fill blends in, from none to full) or apply a texture (such as wood or marble). You can also use any of a number of different patterns, or use your own picture for the fill. The different fill options allow you to make your graphics look quite impressive.

ExcelTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Excel training. This tip (2823) applies to Microsoft Excel 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Excel (Excel 2007 and later) here: Filling a Drawing Object.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. ...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Creating a Table of Authorities

In legal documents a table of authorities is a common element. Creating the table is easy to do if you apply the ...

Discover More

Understanding Background Printing

We click the button to print our document and seldom think of what is happening behind the scenes. Word prints documents, ...

Discover More

Inserting a Row or Column

When editing worksheets, it is important to know how to add rows and columns. Excel provides a couple of quick ways you ...

Discover More

Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!

More ExcelTips (menu)

Flipping a Drawing Object

Don't like the way a drawing object looks? Perhaps flipping the object could help appearances. Excel allows you to flip ...

Discover More

Adding a Drop Shadow to a Text Box

One way to make your text boxes "stand off" the page is to add a drop shadow to them. This tip shows just how easy it is ...

Discover More

Using the Keyboard to Select and Resize a Chart Object

When working with charts and chart objects, Excel is very dependent on the mouse. If you don't want to use the mouse, but ...

Discover More
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

What is 6 - 0?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)


This Site

Got a version of Excel that uses the menu interface (Excel 97, Excel 2000, Excel 2002, or Excel 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Excel, visit our ExcelTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.

Newest Tips
Subscribe

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in ExcelTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

(Your e-mail address is not shared with anyone, ever.)

View the most recent newsletter.