Choose appropriate clip art. You should choose clip art that "illustrates a point, supports the message you're trying to convey, and will be readily understood by readers," according to Microsoft Office tips. Don't choose clip art that will confuse your audience or that your audience may regard as inappropriate.
Surround your clip art with a visually appealing amount of white space. "Empty space calls attention to what is typed or drawn within it or near it," according to college instructor Richard Jewell. Crowding too many clip art images together will make your essay look sloppy or unprofessional, but when surrounded by white space, clip art can draw appropriate attention to your piece. Be wary of surrounding your clip art with too much white space, however. Large blocks of empty space may make your instructor think that you're using the clip art simply to pad your essay or that you had printing issues that you were too lazy to fix.
Resize your clip art so that it is easy to see but not overwhelming. "Whether too small or too large, an incorrectly sized image can make your document look messy and may actually detract from its overall effectiveness," according to Microsoft Office tips. As with overcrowding, overly large images in your essay can easily make your instructor think that you're trying to make your paper look longer than it is. Images that are too small can also frustrate your audience, however, as it may be difficult to make out what they are. A happy medium is best, so size your picture so that it is large enough to see without squinting but not so large that it overwhelms your reader.
Decide whether your image is better aligned to the left, right or center. Place images near the text that they are meant to introduce or reinforce, and align images and text so that you achieve a balanced look on the overall page.
If an image is copyright-protected, make sure you include a citation with the correct attribution, according to Microsoft Office tips. This is not required, however, if you are using copyright-free images.