Working with HSL Colors in PowerPoint 2010 for Windows

Assuming someone has provided you with an HSL (Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity) value of a color, and asked you to add a rectangle of that color to a slide, then how do you proceed? Let's also explore another scenario. What if you have started with a color that's close enough to what you need, but it's not the exact one. Maybe you need it to be a little less saturated? Again, you will benefit by working with the HSL color model rather than the RGB model. And if you did not understand everything we said so far, then do explore our tutorial on HSL.

Follow these steps to get started:

1. Insert a Rectangle shape on your slide in PowerPoint 2010, as shown in Figure 1.
2. 
   Figure 1: Rectangle being inserted
Tip: Hold the Shift key while drawing your Rectangle so that you end up with a Square! Learn more in our Drawing a Perfect Square in PowerPoint 2010 tutorial.
2. Right-click the Rectangle and from the resultant contextual menu, choose the Format Shape option, as shown highlighted in red within Figure 2.
3. 
   Figure 2: Format Shape option within the right-click contextual menu
3. This brings up the Format Shape dialog box, as shown in Figure 3, below. Make sure the Fill tab (highlighted in red within Figure 3) on the sidebar is selected. On the right side of the Format Shape dialog box, select the Solid fill radio button, shown highlighted in blue within Figure 3.
4. 
   Figure 3: Format Shape dialog box
5. Now, click the Color button (highlighted in red within Figure 4) to bring up the Color drop-down menu, as shown in Figure 4. Within the Color drop-down menu, select the More Colors option (highlighted in blue within Figure 4).
6. 
   Figure 4: More Colors option
Tip: Learn more about Solid Fills for Shapes in PowerPoint 2010.
4. In the resultant Colors dialog box, ensure that you have the Custom tab (highlighted in red within Figure 5) selected. Click the Color model drop-down list, and ensure that you choose the HSL option, as shown highlighted in blue within Figure 5.
5. 
   Figure 5: Colors dialog box
5. Now change the HSL values to match values of the color you need. In this example, we want to use Magenta—the values for all the three properties: Hue, Saturation, and Luminosity have been typed into the Colors dialog box, as shown in Figure 6 below (highlighted in red). Then, click the OK button.
6. 
   Figure 6: Colors dialog box with changed HSL values
6. Your Rectangle shape is now filled with the color you choose, as shown in Figure 7.
7. 
   Figure 7: Rectangle's color changed to Magenta
7. Save your presentation often.

You can similarly use RGB values everywhere within PowerPoint 2010.