Obsidian - Excalidraw - Lets Make a Map!
Based on Josh Plunkett's video on YouTube. If you like this content, support the original creators by watching, liking and subscribing to their content.
Install the Excalidraw community plugin in Obsidian to create map canvases directly inside your vault.
Briefing
Excalidraw inside Obsidian can function as a practical, low-cost map-making workflow for TTRPGs—layering downloaded PNG symbols, drawing terrain features, and then turning the result into a pinned, clickable map inside your notes. The payoff is a map you can build entirely within Obsidian’s ecosystem, then link to locations, towns, or encounters at the table without relying on a separate mapping platform.
The process starts with setup. Installing the Excalidraw community plugin in Obsidian enables new drawings via right-clicking a folder and choosing “create new drawing.” From there, the real work becomes asset sourcing: map icons work best as PNGs with transparent backgrounds. The transcript points to free and paid asset libraries, including MapForge software’s list of mapping assets and Cartography Assets, plus a subscription option through Pro Fantasy’s “Cartographers Annual,” which delivers monthly icon packs and also includes PNGs usable outside its primary toolchain.
Building the map is mostly about composition and layering. The recommended approach is to start in the top-left of the canvas and move forward, so objects can be stacked from farthest to closest using “bring to front.” Mountains, hills, and other terrain elements are dragged in as separate images, resized, and positioned to create depth. When the preview of some images stops working, the workaround is to reload without saving and, if needed, restart the app; a small subset of problematic images may need to be deleted and re-added.
Beyond pasted symbols, Excalidraw’s drawing tools help fill in the gaps. The transcript highlights using the color picker to match the palette of existing assets, then drawing rivers and coastlines so they visually integrate with the terrain. Background color is adjusted directly in the drawing settings, and borders can be added using the box tool and edge/border controls. Once the map looks right, the workflow shifts to portability: take a screenshot (ShareX is mentioned), paste it into a new Obsidian note as an image, and then pin it.
Pinning turns a static map into a navigable interface. The map is re-imported into a fresh Excalidraw drawing, then a pin icon (or a simple emoji dot) is added as a separate element. That pin is linked to a specific Obsidian note, enabling “linked maps” where clicking a location jumps to the relevant content. The transcript also suggests a next step: publishing these pinned maps to a website, since a Leaflet-style approach isn’t as straightforward for Obsidian.
Finally, the same technique scales beyond regional maps. Dungeon layouts can be built by placing a grid image with transparency behind room elements and locking it, then layering doors and rooms underneath. City maps are also feasible by reusing building, roof, and vehicle/structure assets and drawing roads with the pencil/line tools. The overall message is pragmatic: Excalidraw isn’t a dedicated cartography suite, but with the right PNG packs and careful layering, it becomes a flexible, budget-friendly way to create usable, linkable maps for play—entirely inside Obsidian.
Cornell Notes
Excalidraw inside Obsidian can be used to create TTRPG maps by layering transparent PNG assets (terrain, structures, trees) and then drawing details like rivers and coastlines. The workflow emphasizes starting with distant elements first (top-left to forward) and using “bring to front” to maintain correct depth. After finishing a map, the creator screenshots it, pastes it into a note, then reuses it in a new drawing to add pins that link to other Obsidian notes—turning the map into a clickable navigation layer. The same approach can support dungeons (with a locked grid background) and city maps (with buildings and roads). This matters because it keeps map creation and campaign navigation in one place without paying for dedicated map software.
What setup steps make Excalidraw map-making work inside Obsidian?
Where do the map symbols come from, and what file format is most useful?
How does layering work in Excalidraw to create depth in regional maps?
What happens when image previews stop working, and how is the issue handled?
How are rivers and coastlines drawn so they match the map’s existing style?
How do pins turn a static map into a navigable Obsidian interface?
Review Questions
- Why does the transcript recommend starting map elements in the top-left and moving forward, and how does that affect layering?
- What criteria make a PNG asset suitable for this workflow, and which asset sources are named?
- Describe the pin-linking workflow that turns a map into a clickable navigation tool inside Obsidian.
Key Points
- 1
Install the Excalidraw community plugin in Obsidian to create map canvases directly inside your vault.
- 2
Use PNG symbols with transparent backgrounds for terrain, structures, and decorative elements.
- 3
Build depth by layering images from farthest to closest, using right-click “bring to front” and a consistent placement order.
- 4
If Excalidraw image previews fail for certain assets, try reloading without saving and restarting; problematic images may need to be removed and re-added.
- 5
Draw rivers and coastlines with Excalidraw tools, matching colors via the color picker to keep the map visually cohesive.
- 6
Convert the finished map into a pinned, linked interface by screenshotting, pasting into a note, then adding pin icons that link to other Obsidian notes.
- 7
The same approach can create dungeons (grid image locked behind rooms) and city maps (buildings/roofs plus drawn roads).