**Created**:: [[2021-04-26 Monday]] **Link**:: https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0 **Duration**:: 6:06  # Summary In this video, Zsolt introduces the basic features of the Excalidraw plugin available within Obsidian. He demonstrates various tools for creating shapes, drawing lines, and adding text, as well as the utility of enabling features like grid snapping and customizable styles. The tutorial highlights the flexibility of the drawing environment, including options for colors, backgrounds, and line styles to facilitate quick and effective diagram creation. # Key Takeaways - The Excalidraw plugin in Obsidian provides intuitive tools for drawing shapes like squares and circles easily. - Users can lock tools for continuous drawing and utilize a grid feature for better alignment of objects. - Customization options include changing colors, stroke styles, and fonts, enhancing the overall drawing experience. # Content So this is the second part of my mini-series introducing the Excalidraw plugin in Obsidian. In this part, I'm going to introduce to you some of the basic Excalidraw features. I think you have already noticed this palette up here with different tools you can choose from, and it is pretty self-explanatory. You select the square and you can draw a square; you select a circle, you can draw a circle; it is all as expected. What I want to highlight is that you see these small numbers here. So, if I press 5, that's the number for the arrow, then I can go ahead and draw an arrow. In some cases, this is quicker. In terms of writing text, I can either choose the text tool and then start typing, or I can just simply double-click and type, and then I can create text. I want to draw your attention to this lock; this is a very helpful feature. For example, if I want to draw multiple squares one after another, then I can press the lock, and it will lock me into the selected tool. [* ](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=0) Here, if you right-click on the drawing, then you have a context menu, and I want to show you the grid. If you bring up the grid, Excalidraw will snap objects to the grid as well for sizing and positioning. This is very helpful when you want to draw a quick diagram and want to make sure objects align and have standard sizes. You can also set the background color and the stroke color. Right now, the background is transparent for the object. If I go ahead and choose a different color, you see I can fill it with a certain color. You have different fill patterns that you can play with, or you can have a filled color. The same with the stroke; you have different strokes in terms of the width of the stroke, as well as the style of the stroke and the lines used. If you don't like this handwritten-looking stroke, then you can simply choose the straight line here, but this is the architect type. If you want a cartoonist look, then you will see the line style change. [* ](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=45) Similarly, I want to show you, in terms of the colors, that you can change the background color of your paper as well. You can choose from colors, or in fact, you can type in your color as well in hexadecimal, so that is an option you have. Additionally, there is a dark mode and light mode. This is now the light mode of the application; if I click the button, then it goes into dark mode and it inverts the colors such that they still look good. In terms of fonts, there are three typefaces you can choose from, and you can choose from them here. This is the font family—this is the handwritten font. I can choose a normal font or this coding font as well, so those are your three options. [* ](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=90) Finally, I want to show you how the lines and arrows work. First of all, the common feature of lines and arrows is that if I double-click on a line or an arrow, then it goes into an edit mode. If I hold down the Alt key, then I can add additional points to the line. I can make the edges round, or I can change the edge to be square as well as change the arrowhead if it is an arrow. I can change it to look like this or that; you can see the different options. The difference between arrows and lines is that arrows snap to objects. Let me just put here two objects and then snap my arrow to these two objects. When an object is snapped to an arrow, then the arrow will move with the object. Of course, I could change this back to show you the arrowhead, and then you can do this. The special feature of lines is that if I draw this line and—oops, sorry for that—if I draw this line and double-click, I go into edit mode, I can simply add points to it. With the points, you can create your custom shape of whatever you like, and so that's the special feature with lines. You can create shapes with arrows, and you can snap to objects. That was all I wanted to show you in terms of the basic features. Thank you. [* ](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=180) # YouTube Details ## YouTube Description You can install the plugin from Community Plugins in Obsidian, or download it from GitHub here: https://github.com/zsviczian/obsidian-excalidraw-plugin If you find this helpful please say thanks by buying me a coffee: https://ko-fi.com/zsolt You can reach me (@zsviczian) in the Obsidian Members Group (OMG) on Discord or on Twitter. ## YouTube Transcript [so this is the second part of my](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=0) [mini-series](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=2) [introducing the x-collet raw plug-in in](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=3) [obsidian](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=6) [and in this part i'm going to introduce](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=7) [to you some of the basic](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=10) [exco features so i think](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=11) [you have already noticed this palette up](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=15) [here with different tools you can choose](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=17) [and it is pretty self-explanatory uh](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=20) [you select the square and you can draw a](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=23) [square](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=26) [you select a circle you can draw a](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=27) [circle](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=29) [it is all as expected what i want to](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=30) [highlight is you see these small numbers](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=34) [here so if i press](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=36) [5 that's the number for the arrow then i](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=38) [can go ahead and draw an arrow in some](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=41) [cases this is quicker](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=44) [in terms of writing text i can](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=46) [either choose the text tool and then](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=49) [start typing or i can just simply double](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=53) [click click and type and then](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=58) [i can create text i want to draw](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=61) [your attention to this lock this is a](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=65) [very helpful feature](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=67) [so for example if i want to draw](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=69) [multiple squares one after another](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=72) [then i can press the lock and it will](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=76) [lock me in](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=79) [to the selected tool](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=80) [here if you right click on the drawing](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=84) [then you have a context menu and i want](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=88) [to show you](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=91) [grid if you bring up grid](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=92) [xcoli draw will snap objects to grid as](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=95) [well](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=99) [for sizing as for positioning this is](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=100) [very](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=103) [helpful when you want to draw a quick](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=104) [diagram](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=106) [and you want to make sure objects align](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=107) [and have](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=110) [standard sizes also you can set the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=111) [background color](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=115) [and the stroke color so right now the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=116) [background is](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=119) [transparent for the object if i](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=120) [go ahead and choose a different color](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=123) [you see i can](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=126) [fill it with a certain color you have](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=128) [different fill patterns](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=130) [that you can play with or you can have](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=132) [a filled the color the same with the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=135) [stroke](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=139) [you have different strokes in terms of](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=140) [the width of the stroke as well as](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=144) [the style of the stroke and the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=148) [lines used so if you don't like this](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=152) [hand written](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=155) [looking stroke then you can simply](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=157) [choose](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=160) [the straight line here but](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=160) [this is the architect type but if you](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=164) [want a cartoonist then you will see](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=167) [the line style changes](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=171) [similarly i want to show you in terms of](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=175) [the colors that you can change the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=178) [background color](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=180) [of your paper as well so you can choose](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=181) [from colors](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=184) [or in fact you can type in](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=185) [your color as well in hexadecimal so](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=189) [that is an option you have a dark mode](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=193) [and the light mode so if](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=196) [i this is now the light mode of the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=198) [application if i click the button](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=200) [then it goes into dark mode and](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=202) [it inverts the colors such that they](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=205) [still](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=209) [look good in terms of fonts](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=210) [there are three typefaces you can choose](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=213) [from](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=216) [and you can choose from them here so](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=217) [this is font family this](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=220) [is the handwritten font i can](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=222) [choose a normal font and i can choose](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=225) [this coding font as well](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=229) [so that's your three options](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=233) [and finally i want to show you how the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=236) [lines](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=239) [and arrows work and so first of all](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=240) [the common feature of lines and arrows](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=244) [is if i double click on a](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=247) [line or an arrow then it goes into an](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=250) [edit mode](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=253) [and if i uh hold down the alt key](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=254) [then i can add additional points](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=257) [to the line i can make](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=260) [the edges around or i can](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=264) [change the edge to be squares](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=267) [as well as i can change the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=270) [arrow head if it is an arrow so i can](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=274) [change it](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=277) [uh to look like this or eval you can see](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=278) [the different](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=281) [options the difference between](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=282) [arrows and lines is arrows snap to](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=285) [objects so let me just put here](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=289) [two objects and let's snap my](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=291) [arrow to this object](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=294) [to these two objects and then an object](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=297) [is snapped to an arrow then](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=301) [as you can see the arrow will move](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=305) [with the object and of course i could](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=308) [change this back to](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=310) [show you the arrow head and then](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=312) [you can do this the special feature of](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=315) [lines](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=318) [is if i draw this line and](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=318) [uh oops sorry for that](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=322) [if i draw this line and i double click i](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=326) [go into](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=329) [edit mode i can simply add](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=330) [points to it and with the points i'm a](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=336) [bit](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=340) [uh clumsy here with the points you can](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=341) [create your custom shape uh of](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=344) [whatever you like and so that's the](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=348) [special feature with lines](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=351) [you can create shapes with arrows](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=353) [you can snap to objects and](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=356) [that was all i wanted to show you in](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=360) [terms of the basic features](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=362) [thank you](https://youtu.be/-dk7pvdl-H0?t=364)