The Ultimate Guide to Editable Graphics in Obsidian: A Game Changer
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Chapter 1: The Discovery
Recently, during that serene time between my workday and sleep, I stumbled upon something remarkable: a seamless and editable method for sketching and writing directly within Obsidian!
It brings me great joy to realize that with just a keystroke, I can illustrate the ideas I'm developing while linking to relevant notes concurrently!
While I had heard of Excalidraw before, I was unaware of its capabilities until yesterday:
- It operates seamlessly on both iPads and desktops.
- The pen tool is impressively sensitive to pressure.
- My drawings are saved in my own vault, not on a third-party server.
- Graphics remain editable even after creation.
- Automatic backups are available in non-proprietary formats.
Section 1.1: Evaluating the Pen Tool
The line quality of Excalidraw's pen tool is surprisingly good. Although it may not compete with the leading apps like GoodNotes, Noteshelf, or Notability, that’s not the main focus here. With an iPad and Apple Pencil, or even a Surface device, you can write as clearly, if not quite as fluidly, as in those specialized note-taking applications.
I did experience some lag at times. When I first tried the pen tool in Excalidraw, it felt smooth, allowing me to write at my usual pace. However, while creating the cover image for this article, I encountered significant lag that hampered my progress. This could be related to Wi-Fi connectivity or server issues.
My initial attempts in Excalidraw were not always lag-free, but I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Section 1.2: A Note on Handwriting Quality
If having aesthetically pleasing handwriting is your top priority, you might want to stick with one of the major three apps or a dedicated graphics program like Procreate, then insert your (non-editable) artwork as a screenshot into your Obsidian notes.
Consider maintaining a separate scratchpad in one of those main apps, as I’ve mentioned before. Sometimes, I take screenshots of these notes and paste them into Obsidian, but generally, they're just a way for me to clarify my thoughts before transferring them to text-based notes.
Chapter 2: Managing File Formats
It’s true that using Excalidraw means depending on it to retain access to your editable graphics, similar to the reliance on the major three apps. The easy solution is to incorporate regular backup habits for work done in other proprietary applications.
Excalidraw simplifies this with an option to save as SVG or PNG next to the current file. Simply click the Obsidian logo to access the export options. I suggest enabling automatic SVG or PNG export within the plugin settings.
PNG is typically the best choice for most users, while SVG is ideal if you wish to further edit your file in vector graphics software like Adobe Illustrator or Affinity Designer.
I’m thrilled! This integration couldn’t be more straightforward! The thoughtfulness behind merging such a powerful graphic tool into a text-based framework is truly impressive.
The first video, "Obsidian - Make your links look better in 5 minutes," provides insights into enhancing your links for better organization and aesthetics in your notes.
Section 2.1: Choosing the Right Tools
A multi-tool may help you navigate various situations, but it shouldn't replace specialized tools like a full-sized screwdriver or wrench.
Although I created the cover image entirely in Excalidraw to test its plugin capabilities, it wasn't necessarily the best choice for that task; dedicated graphic apps or even the major three are better suited for such images.
Here are the unique strengths I see in Excalidraw compared to dedicated notes or graphics applications:
- Excalidraw: Great for flow charts, quick vector sketches, editable graphic elements, access to hex colors, and graphics that link directly to my files and auto-update.
- Dedicated Apps: They offer smooth, reliable writing and drawing tools, a variety of pen and brush options, optical character recognition (OCR) for searching handwritten notes, and interactive PDFs where handwriting is the primary input.
Conclusion
Excalidraw is a powerful and feature-rich graphics tool developed by Zsolt Viczián that integrates seamlessly with Obsidian. The free version is open source and customizable, with a collaborative whiteboard option for teams.
I see immense potential for individuals who appreciate the digital independence of plain text while also desiring a comprehensive, user-friendly way to incorporate graphics into their notes.
I envision presentations using the Advanced Slides plugin, featuring editable graphics during the presentation, and quick sketches in my weekly logs that can be enhanced in Affinity Designer.
And there’s so much more to explore!
Thanks to the Excalidraw team for making my day!
The second video, "How to make your notes visual in Obsidian," illustrates techniques to enhance your note-taking experience by incorporating visual elements effectively.