**Created**:: [[2021-11-05 Friday]] **Link**:: https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY **Duration**:: 3:21 ![Cheating to develop you visual vocabulary in Excalidraw](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY) # Summary In this video, the speaker shares techniques for enhancing one's visual vocabulary in Excalidraw, even if one is not an accomplished artist. The approach involves using inspiration from sites like the Noun Project, tracing images, and customizing them to create unique pictograms for sketch notes. This method allows users to infuse personal style into their drawings while acknowledging the line between tracing and creating original art. # Key Takeaways - Utilize inspiration from resources like the Noun Project to enhance your visual vocabulary. - Trace images in Excalidraw to develop your drawing skills and personalize your sketch notes. - Combining elements from multiple images can lead to unique creations while ensuring you don't simply copy existing art. # Content Hey all, so we are not all great artists. For sure, I'm not one, and I still want to be able to draw some nice pictograms for my sketch notes. So here's a way you can cheat, and "cheating" has two parts. The first part is getting some inspiration, and for that, I very much like to use the Noun Project. In this case, I started to search for "cheating," and then along the way, I sort of found a picture of Pinocchio. So I searched for "Pinocchio," and there’s an image that I like. [* ](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=0) Then starts the second part of cheating: I copied this image to the clipboard and pasted it into Excalidraw. I used the line tool to draw around the shapes. What I do is also to get some color onto my drawing. I typically copy and paste the initial line I drew to trace the drawing itself, and I place the same shape on top of it, but then I complete the drawing so I can fill it with color. I make the stroke color transparent and send this to the back, so the actual initial line I drew is the outline on top, and then below, I have the color that I can color the way I want to. In this case, the shirt of this guy is going to be sky blue. [* ](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=45) Then I continue the same on the head, drawing first the face and then the ears with the hair. Then I'll go and draw an ellipse for the eyes and contour the mouth. You can also go a bit further and do some customization. So, in this case, all I'm going to do is put a bit of a blush on the face of this guy and color the eyes blue. Sometimes, I search for other images on the Noun Project and combine multiple images into a single drawing. I think these are all options that you can follow. [* ](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=78) In the end, I get this nice sketched version of the icon that I found on the Noun Project. And yes, this is cheating. On the other hand, I think the borderline between cheating and creating something new is always a very thin line. In the end, this is not a copy-paste of the original; yes, it is heavily based on the original, and I would never sell it as my own drawing. But as far as my sketch notes go, I think this makes it much more personal than just simply using an SVG from the internet. [* ](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=149) If you are not so good at drawing yourself, like I am, then this is a good way to enrich your visual vocabulary and your stencil library in Excalidraw. Thank you! [* ](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=175) # YouTube Details ## YouTube Description If you find the plugin and/or my videos helpful, please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt If you'd like to request a feature or report a bug, please raise it on GitHub: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin If you want to connect, you can reach me (@zsviczian) in the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord or on Twitter. Links --------- The Noun Project: https://thenounproject.com/ Colors: https://www.w3schools.com/cssref/css_colors.asp My Blog: https://zsolt.blog Obsidian: https://obsidian.md Excaldiraw: https://excalidraw.com ## YouTube Transcript [hey all so we are not all great artists](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=0) [for sure i'm not one and](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=2) [i still want to be able to draw some](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=5) [nice pictograms for my sketch notes so](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=7) [here's a way you can cheat and cheating](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=11) [has two parts first part is getting some](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=13) [inspiration and for that i very much](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=17) [like to use the noun project and in this](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=19) [case i started to search for cheating](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=22) [and then on the way](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=25) [i sort of found a picture of pinocchio](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=28) [and then i searched for pinocchio and](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=31) [so there's an image](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=34) [that i like and then starts the second](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=36) [part of cheating i copied this image to](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=39) [the clipboard and paste it into x color](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=43) [draw and i use the line](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=45) [tool to](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=48) [draw around the shapes](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=50) [and what i do is also to get some color](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=52) [onto my drawing i](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=56) [typically copy paste the initial line i](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=59) [draw to trace the drawing itself](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=62) [and i place the same](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=66) [shape on top of it but then i complete](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=68) [the drawing so i can](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=71) [fill it with color](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=74) [i make the stroke color transparent and](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=75) [i send this to the back so the actual](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=79) [initial line i drew is the outline on](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=82) [top and then below i have the color that](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=86) [i can color uh the way i want to so in](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=89) [this case the shirt of this guy](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=92) [is going to be sky blue and then i](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=95) [continue the same on the head](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=98) [drawing first the face](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=101) [and then the ears with the hair then](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=103) [i'll go and draw an ellipse for the eyes](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=106) [and contour the mouth and then you can](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=110) [also go a bit further and do some](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=115) [customization so in this case all i'm](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=118) [going to do](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=121) [is](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=122) [going to put a bit of a blush on the](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=123) [face of this guy and color the eyes](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=126) [blue and sometimes i search for](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=129) [other images on the noun project and](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=131) [combine multiple images into a single](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=134) [drawing i think these are all options](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=138) [that you can follow](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=141) [and in the end i get this nice sketched](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=142) [version of the icon that i found on the](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=146) [noun project and yes this is cheating on](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=149) [the other hand i think the borderline](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=152) [between cheating and](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=155) [creating something new is always a very](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=157) [thin line](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=160) [in the end this is not a copy paste of](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=162) [the original yes it is heavily based on](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=165) [the original and i would never sell it](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=168) [as my own drawing but as far as my](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=171) [sketch note goes i think this makes it](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=175) [much more personal than just simply](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=178) [using](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=180) [an svg from the internet so](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=181) [if you are not so](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=184) [good at drawing yourself like](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=186) [i am](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=189) [then this is a good way to enrich your](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=190) [visual vocabulary your stencil library](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=194) [in x color draw thank you](https://youtu.be/pQ-V6J3cCOY?t=198)