Annotate Tool

The annotation tool is available in multiple editors. It can be used to add notes to e.g. 3D objects or node setups.

The annotation tool can be activated in the Toolbar on the left side. It has a couple of sub-tools listed below.

Annotate

Draw free-hand strokes in the main area.

Annotate Line

Click and drag to create a line. Optionally, you can select the arrow style for the start and end of the line.

Annotate Polygon

Click multiple times to create multiple connected lines. The current polygon is finished when Esc is pressed.

Style Start, End

The decoration to use at the beginning or end of the line segment. This can be used for example to create arrows to point out specific details in a scene.

Annotate Eraser

Click and drag to remove lines. The eraser has a Radius setting found in Tool Settings ‣ Eraser.

Settings

Common

There is a panel, Sidebar ‣ View ‣ Annotations, in it multiple annotation layers can be managed.

Color

Adjusts the color of existing and new strokes.

Opacity

Adjusts the opacity of existing and new strokes.

Thickness

Adjusts the thickness of existing and new strokes.

Onion Skin

Shows a ghosted image of strokes made in frames before and after the current frame. Onion skinning only works in the 3D Viewport and Sequencer. See the Grease Pencil documentation for an explanation of Onion Skinning.

Stabilize Stroke

Helps to reduce jitter of the strokes while drawing by delaying and correcting the location of points.

Radius

Minimum distance from the last point before the stroke continues.

Factor

A smooth factor, where higher values result in smoother strokes but the drawing sensation feels like as if you were pulling the stroke.

3D Editor

When creating new annotations in the 3D Viewport, there is one tool setting.

Placement

The Placement option determines where the line is drawn in 3D space.

3D Cursor

Draw on an imaginary plane that goes through the 3D cursor and is aligned to your view.

View

Draw in screen space instead of in 3D space. That means, that the line will stay on the same position in the screen, even when the camera moves or rotates.

Surface

Project the line on the surface under the mouse.

2D Editors

In 2D editors, the Placement option does not exist. When the annotation tool is enabled, the settings for managing multiple layers can be found in the Tool ‣ Active Tool panel in the right Sidebar.

Annotations tool in a node editor.