SlidesCarnival.com is a Madrid-based company that specializes in designing templates for both Google Slides and Microsoft PowerPoint.
The company has a Creative Commons license, which makes the templates free provided that proper attribution is given. Click here to read more about SlidesCarnival's Term of use.
Advantages of using SlidesCarnival
- Free Slides templates from an ever-growing database.
- Reminders on how to create quality presentations.
- Examples of high-quality graphic design.
- The designs can be modified to add a personal touch or color scheme. Learn how to Edit theme in the next lesson.
Learn Graphic Design with SlidesCarnival
SlidesCarnival not only provides free templates, it also, directly and indirectly, teaches us graphic design principles. All too often, students and adults include too much information on a slide. The direct suggestions in SlidesCarnival remind us to either focus on the text or the graphics because the audience can't do both successfully. SlidesCarnival also indirectly reinforces graphic design principles such as rule of thirds, contrast, repetition and more.
Rule of Thirds & Contrast
This free template from SlidesCarnival is called Isabella. Look at its Title page. Do you notice that the photo is exactly 2/3 of the slide? This is an example of rule of thirds. The text contrasts with the darkest part of the sky, making the text easier to read.
Repetition and Font Choice
The free Halloween 2017 template demonstrates repetition, which strengthens the overall look of the design. The pumpkins in the corner are repeated in the bulleted list icons. Two fonts, Metal Mania (Title) and Averia Serif Libre Light (Body copy) are paired together to create a "bloodcurdling" mood.
White Space
The white space in the free Eglamour presentation template gives the design elements breathing room. "White space" does not have to be white. It refers to space not taken up by elements such as text, photos or illustrations. SlidesCarnival reminds us that not every inch of space must be used.
Add Borders
Add borders only when they add value. In the Quintus example, the photo of the bird is framed with a Miter join to create a straight edge like an old-fashioned photo. Can we recreate this in Google Slides? Yes! In Google Slides, insert an image and go to Format -> Borders & lines -> Border decorations -> Miter join.
Font Pairs & Color Combinations
Slide #26 of each SlidesCarnival template lists the fonts and colors used in that presentation. In the Nym example, the fonts used are Roboto Slab (Title) and Muli light (Body copy). Both fonts can be downloaded at fontsquirrel.com or easily added in any Google app. Six colors with their hex codes are listed in this example.
If you like the graphic design, use the Google Keep extension to type the names of the fonts and colors. You never know when these choices may inspire a design.
SlidesCarnival Inspiration
In addition to teaching good graphic design, SlidesCarnival also inspires. Below are examples of templates that have been modified for yearbook layouts.
| SlidesCarnival Original Template | Modified SlidesYearbook Template |
|---|---|
| Quintus | Quintus for SlidesYearbook |
| Jachimo | Jachimo for SlidesYearbook |
| Nym | Nym for SlidesYearbook |
| Oberon | Oberon for SlidesYearbook |
| Ophelia | Ophelia for SlidesYearbook |
Websites
- 7 Graphic Design Principles to Up-Level your Graphics by Mariah Althoff
- 10 Ways to Improve Typography In Your Designs by Janie Kliever
Edit Theme
Learn to make changes to the font pairs, color palette, and more to the entire slide deck using Edit Theme.
Revised October 8, 2022.