The easiest way to draw in Microsoft Office Word 2003 is to use AutoShapes. AutoShapes are a series of pre-defined shapes that you can use as a starting point or as a finished shape.

 

 

First, make sure you have a drawing canvas in your document and that it is selected. Next, click the Insert menu, choose Picture, and click AutoShape. The AutoShape toolbar will appear; it looks like the picture on the right. You can click on each shape type to see a list of AutoShapes. Here’s what each button on the AutoShapes toolbar represents:

 

 

 

You can also click the AutoShapes menu at the bottom of the screen to see the same list:

 

 

If you want to insert a simple line, arrow, square, or oval, you can also click one of the AutoShape icons beside the AutoShape menu; they are circled in red in the sample above.

 

So, here are the steps to insert an AutoShape:

1.      Insert a drawing canvas. (Insert – Picture – New Drawing)

 

 

 

2.      Choose an AutoShape to insert. (Insert – Picture – AutoShape, and then select the shape you want from the toolbar. You can also use the AutoShape menu or the AutoShape icons, both located in the drawing toolbar.)

 

 

3.      Click within the Drawing Canvas to place your AutoShape. (For lines, you must click to place the start point and the end point.)