Define a new block environment in LaTeX beamer

Question

I have two kinds of examples in my document. I want to use different colors, say, red and blue. This is what I am doing now.

\documentclass[]{beamer}
\usetheme{Madrid}
\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
\frametitle{Test}
\setbeamercolor{block title}{fg=white,bg=red!75!black}
\begin{block}{First Kind Example}
This is example of the first kind.
\end{block}
\setbeamercolor{block title}{fg=white,bg=blue!75!black}
\begin{block}{Second Kind Example}
This is example of the second kind.
\end{block}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

I know this is kind of stupid. I want to define two new block environments, one for each color, so I don't need to use setbeamercolor every time I use them.

\begin{block1}{First Kind Example}
...
\end{block1}
\begin{block2}{Second Kind Example}
...
\end{block2}

I know I need to define these two new environments in the preamble, but don't know how. Thanks for the help.

By the way, what is a good reference on these kinds of tricks in LaTeX/beamer? Any recommendations?

Answer 1

If you want to present them as examples and mark them up as such using beamer's example environment (rather than just using the generic block) you might try something like this:

\documentclass[]{beamer}
\usetheme{Madrid}

\newtheorem{examplefirst}{Example}
\newtheorem{examplesecond}{Example}
\newenvironment<>{examplefirst}[1][]{%
  \setbeamercolor{block title example}{fg=white,bg=red!75!black}%
  \begin{example}#2[#1]}{\end{example}}
\newenvironment<>{examplesecond}[1][]{%
  \setbeamercolor{block title example}{fg=white,bg=blue!75!black}%
  \begin{example}#2[#1]}{\end{example}}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
    \begin{examplefirst}[An example of the first kind]
        Something about this example of the first kind.
    \end{examplefirst}
    \begin{examplesecond}[An example of the second kind]
        Something about this example of the second kind.
    \end{examplesecond}
    \begin{example}[A regular example]
        Something about the regular example.
    \end{example}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

which produces:

If you prefer to stick to the generic block environment perhaps something like this might work:

\documentclass[]{beamer}
\usetheme{Madrid}

\newenvironment<>{examplefirst}[1]{%
  \setbeamercolor{block title}{fg=white,bg=red!75!black}%
  \begin{block}#2{#1}}{\end{block}}
\newenvironment<>{examplesecond}[1]{%
  \setbeamercolor{block title}{fg=white,bg=blue!75!black}%
  \begin{block}#2{#1}}{\end{block}}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}
    \begin{examplefirst}{An example of the first kind}
        Something about this example of the first kind.
    \end{examplefirst}
    \begin{examplesecond}{An example of the second kind}
        Something about this example of the second kind.
    \end{examplesecond}
    \begin{block}{A regular block}
        Something in the regular block format.
    \end{block}
\end{frame}

\end{document}

Answer 2

Here you have the standard code, using different colors

\documentclass{beamer}

\usecolortheme{whale}
\usecolortheme{orchid}

\begin{document}

\begin{frame}{A frame}

\begin{block}{A block environment}
Some text.
\end{block}

\begin{alertblock}{An alertblock environment}
Some text.
\end{alertblock}

\begin{exampleblock}{An exampleblock environment}
Some text.
\end{exampleblock}

\end{frame}

\end{document}

Answer 3

Extended versuion of @cfr's answer:

\newenvironment<>{definition}[2][DEFINITION]{%
    \setbeamercolor{block title}{fg=white,bg= green}%
    \setbeamerfont{block title example}{family=\ssfamily}
    \begin{block}{#1}#3{#2}}{\end{block}}

and use it as

\begin{definition}
some text
\end{definition}

that its title by default is: DEFINITION

or you can give your title:

\begin{definition}[YOUR TITLE]
    some text
\end{definition}