Visual note templates with Obsidian Excalidraw

TL;DR

Obsidian Excalidraw supports a single-note workflow that flips between drawing mode and markdown mode, avoiding separate linked visual/text notes.

Briefing Cornell Notes

Briefing

Most note systems force a tradeoff: either stay fully textual for searchability and sharing, or go visual and lose easy text handling. A new workflow in Obsidian Excalidraw removes that choice by letting a single note flip between a diagram-first view and a markdown text view—so the same page can function like both a searchable document and a visual card.

The approach centers on Obsidian Excalidraw, a community plugin that brings Excalidraw-style drawing into an Obsidian Vault. Instead of creating separate “visual notes” and “text notes” that must be linked together, the workflow treats one note like a physical sheet of paper with two sides. In Excalidraw mode, the note behaves like a drawing canvas with embedded elements; in markdown mode, the same note exposes the text content, links, and underlying data. Switching between modes is designed to be fast—via a hotkey or the command palette—so the user can “turn the sheet” whenever a different kind of thinking is needed.

A key practical detail is configuration. The workflow disables Excalidraw’s default behavior of saving new drawings as “.excalidraw.md” so the note remains a standard markdown note. It also enables auto-export to SVG so the drawing side can be embedded back into the text side. With those settings in place, the note can display a visual representation in markdown while still preserving editable Excalidraw content.

From there, the workflow builds a “hybrid note template.” A new Excalidraw note template is created so that the note opens in text view by default, while still allowing a quick toggle into drawing mode. The template includes an Excalidraw open flag (so Obsidian treats it as an Excalidraw note) and an embedded SVG placeholder that updates automatically when the drawing changes. The result: every new note starts as both text and visual, without requiring manual duplication.

The same method can retrofit existing notes. For notes that already exist as markdown, a conversion command (“convert markdown node to excal draw drawing”) can transform them into hybrid notes. In the user’s setup, conversion may omit the SVG embedding depending on templating behavior, but the SVG can be added afterward.

Beyond mechanics, the workflow changes how ideas are organized. Visual elements are treated like small “Post-It” summaries, while the back side holds the detailed text, links, and context. That structure encourages more frequent diagramming—quick sketches, spatial relationships, and screenshot pastes—because the user no longer has to decide upfront whether a note will be searchable text or a visual artifact. The net effect is a tighter loop between drawing and writing, with easier publishing and sharing thanks to the markdown backbone.

Cornell Notes

Obsidian Excalidraw enables a single note to act like two-sided paper: a drawing side for visual thinking and a markdown side for searchable text, links, and publishing. The workflow hinges on configuring Excalidraw to keep notes as standard markdown (disabling the default “.excalidraw.md” naming) and turning on auto-export to SVG so the drawing can be embedded in the text view. A hybrid template is then created so new notes open in markdown by default but can be flipped instantly into Excalidraw mode via a hotkey. Existing markdown notes can also be converted into hybrid notes, letting diagrams and text coexist without maintaining separate linked documents.

Why does the workflow insist on “one note, two modes” instead of two separate notes?

Separate visual and textual notes force extra linking and make it harder to keep context together. With Excalidraw mode and markdown mode on the same note, the user can flip between diagram and text without duplicating content or managing relationships across multiple notes. The “back of the sheet” metaphor captures this: the same page holds both the drawing and the written explanation, depending on which side is currently active.

What configuration changes make the hybrid note behave like normal markdown?

Two settings are central. First, the workflow disables Excalidraw’s default saving format for new notes (the “.excalidraw.md” naming), so the note stays a standard markdown note. Second, it enables auto-export to SVG, which allows the drawing portion to be embedded on the markdown side. Together, these choices keep the note searchable and easier to publish while still preserving editable Excalidraw content.

How does the template ensure the note opens in text view but still supports drawing?

The template adds an Excalidraw open property (set to true) so Obsidian treats the note as an Excalidraw-enabled hybrid. It also includes an embedded SVG element placeholder in the markdown side. With that setup, the note can default to markdown view, while a hotkey (or command palette toggle) flips into Excalidraw drawing mode for edits.

How can an existing markdown note be turned into a hybrid visual-text note?

A conversion command (“convert markdown node to excal draw drawing”) can transform an existing markdown node into an Excalidraw-enabled drawing note. The workflow may use different templates for new notes versus existing notes; in the user’s experience, conversion might not automatically include the SVG embedding, but the SVG can be added later so the markdown side shows the visual.

What does “visual summary” mean in practice for organizing knowledge?

The workflow treats the visual side like a compact card—similar to a Post-It note—while the markdown side holds the detailed text, links, and supporting ideas. Flipping back and forth makes it easier to remember and connect concepts because the visual summary provides an at-a-glance structure, and the text side preserves depth and searchability.

Review Questions

What two Excalidraw settings are most important for making the hybrid note work smoothly in markdown view?
How does a hybrid template use properties and embedded SVG to support both editable drawings and readable text?
What are the tradeoffs or differences when converting an existing markdown note into an Excalidraw-enabled hybrid note?

Key Points

1
Obsidian Excalidraw supports a single-note workflow that flips between drawing mode and markdown mode, avoiding separate linked visual/text notes.
2
Disabling Excalidraw’s default “.excalidraw.md” saving format keeps hybrid notes behaving like standard markdown for search and sharing.
3
Enabling auto-export to SVG allows the drawing to appear on the markdown side and update automatically when edits are made.
4
A hybrid note template can set Excalidraw open to true and include an embedded SVG placeholder so new notes default to text view but remain editable as drawings.
5
Existing markdown notes can be converted into hybrid notes using a “convert markdown node to excal draw drawing” command, with possible follow-up needed for SVG embedding.
6
Treating the visual side as a compact summary (like a Post-It) while keeping details and links on the markdown side improves recall and concept organization.
7
Fast mode switching via a hotkey or command palette encourages more frequent diagramming and spatial annotations without sacrificing textual usability.

Highlights

The workflow removes the “either visual or searchable text” tradeoff by putting both modes on the same note and switching instantly.

Turning on auto-export to SVG is what makes the drawing side usable inside markdown view and publishing.

A hybrid template can force notes to open in markdown by default while still preserving editable Excalidraw content.

Converting existing markdown notes into Excalidraw-enabled hybrids lets diagrams and written context evolve together over time.