Heat Ink Trail

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Heat Ink Trail

About Heat Ink Trail

Heat Ink Trail is a responsive Framer component for cursor-reactive ink: a transparent overlay where slow movement lays down wide dark marks, fast movement thins them, overlapping strokes build density, and marks cool away on their own.

Use Cases

Works well for:

  • studio and agency homepages

  • portfolio heroes

  • editorial articles

  • photography and gallery sites

  • product launch pages

  • one-page sites

  • teaser pages

  • personal sites

  • 404 pages

Perfect when you want a section that reacts to being read, not one that just sits there.

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Customization

Fully customizable via the properties panel:

  • ink color

  • max opacity and blend mode

  • optional halo color

  • strength and spread

  • min and max brush radius

  • speed range

  • irregularity

  • fade

  • diffusion

  • hold strength

  • touch mode

  • reduced motion

  • render quality

  • max DPR

  • canvas preview

  • clear trigger

It draws nothing but ink, so the section underneath stays yours to design.

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Responsive Behavior

  • Desktop: the cursor paints. Rest it or hold the button to bloom more heat.

  • Tablet: a tap leaves one bloom, the page still scrolls, stylus pressure is read.

  • Mobile: same tap bloom, or switch drawing off.

Fills its container at any size, never blocks links or buttons underneath, respects reduced motion, and pauses while the tab is hidden.

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Preview: https://heat-ink-cursor-trail.framer.website/

Tutorial: https://heat-ink-cursor-trail.framer.website/tutorial

Included: the component and a live preview with setup steps. Support on X at @KullenJahnke.

Good to know: fade is a time constant, not a lifetime, so dense areas outlast the number you set. Diffusion cannot be turned off.

Use Quality: Low for a full-page overlay. Draw mode on touch suppresses scrolling inside the frame, so it is not the default. No splatter or droplets.