Loose impressions
A trail of small relief prints follows movement through an exhibition field with three prints visible at rest.

Move through the field or place a print
Subframe Original · MIT
Add to your project
Component source
Standalone React component. Styles are included.
React only. No additional packages.
Render the default export inside a container with a defined height. Its optional active prop stops movement when false. This example works with React 19; Next.js projects can use it as a client component.
View source code
/**
* MIT License
*
* Copyright (c) 2026 Subframe
*
* Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy
* of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal
* in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights
* to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell
* copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is
* furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:
*
* The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all
* copies or substantial portions of the Software.
*
* THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR
* IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY,
* FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE
* AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER
* LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
* OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE
* SOFTWARE.
*/
"use client"
import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react"
function useReducedMotion() {
const [reduced, setReduced] = useState(true)
useEffect(() => {
const query = matchMedia("(prefers-reduced-motion: reduce)")
const update = () => setReduced(query.matches)
update()
query.addEventListener("change", update)
return () => query.removeEventListener("change", update)
}, [])
return reduced
}
export default function CursorExhibition({ active = true }: { active?: boolean }) {
const reduced = useReducedMotion()
const [instant, setInstant] = useState(false)
const [prints, setPrints] = useState<{ id: number; x: number; y: number; angle: number }[]>([
{ id: 1, x: 55, y: 42, angle: -11 },
{ id: 2, x: 68, y: 57, angle: 8 },
{ id: 3, x: 46, y: 65, angle: -5 },
])
const serial = useRef(3)
const last = useRef({ x: -100, y: -100 })
function place(x: number, y: number) {
if (Math.hypot(x - last.current.x, y - last.current.y) < 7) return
last.current = { x, y }
const id = ++serial.current
setPrints((v) => [...v.slice(-5), { id, x, y, angle: ((id * 17) % 30) - 15 }])
}
return (
<section
className="sf-cursor-exhibition"
data-still={!active || reduced || instant}
onKeyDownCapture={() => setInstant(true)}
onPointerDownCapture={() => setInstant(false)}
onPointerMove={(e) => {
if (e.pointerType !== "mouse" || reduced || !active) return
const r = e.currentTarget.getBoundingClientRect()
place(
Math.max(18, Math.min(82, ((e.clientX - r.left) / r.width) * 100)),
Math.max(22, Math.min(75, ((e.clientY - r.top) / r.height) * 100)),
)
}}
>
<div className="word" aria-hidden="true">
Field
<br />
<i>notes.</i>
</div>
{prints.map((p, i) => (
<div
className={`impression impression-${p.id % 3}`}
key={p.id}
style={{
left: `${p.x}%`,
top: `${p.y}%`,
transform: `translate(-50%,-50%) rotate(${p.angle}deg)`,
opacity: (i + 1) / prints.length,
}}
aria-hidden="true"
>
<i />
<b />
</div>
))}
<button
type="button"
className="place"
onClick={() => place(25 + ((serial.current * 13) % 50), 30 + ((serial.current * 9) % 35))}
>
Place a print <span>↗</span>
</button>
<style>{`.sf-cursor-exhibition{position:relative;container-type:inline-size;width:100%;height:100%;min-height:280px;overflow:hidden;isolation:isolate;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:#202020;background:#e9e7e1;box-sizing:border-box}.sf-cursor-exhibition *{box-sizing:border-box}.sf-cursor-exhibition button,.sf-cursor-exhibition input{font:inherit}.sf-cursor-exhibition button{cursor:pointer;touch-action:manipulation;min-width:44px;min-height:44px}.sf-cursor-exhibition button:focus-visible,.sf-cursor-exhibition input:focus-visible,.sf-cursor-exhibition [tabindex]:focus-visible{outline:2px solid currentColor;outline-offset:4px}.sf-cursor-exhibition[data-still=true] *{transition:none!important;animation-play-state:paused!important}@media(prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.sf-cursor-exhibition *{transition:none!important;animation:none!important}}.sf-cursor-exhibition .word{position:absolute;left:11%;top:15%;font:clamp(60px,15cqw,92px)/.83 Georgia,serif;letter-spacing:-6px;color:#888c7b}.sf-cursor-exhibition .word i{font-weight:normal}.sf-cursor-exhibition .impression{position:absolute;width:91px;height:112px;background:#f9f7ed;padding:8px;box-shadow:3px 7px 13px #43423833;pointer-events:none;animation:sf-impression-in .3s ease-out;transition:opacity .3s}.sf-cursor-exhibition .impression i{display:block;height:100%;background:repeating-linear-gradient(40deg,#caa264 0 9px,#996942 10px 12px)}.sf-cursor-exhibition .impression b{position:absolute;width:51px;height:51px;left:20px;top:30px;border-radius:50%;background:#254a43;box-shadow:4px 7px 5px #1113}.sf-cursor-exhibition .impression-1 i{background:#9fabaa}.sf-cursor-exhibition .impression-1 b{border-radius:0;background:#e1d4ae;transform:rotate(25deg)}.sf-cursor-exhibition .impression-2 i{background:#955f53}.sf-cursor-exhibition .impression-2 b{background:transparent;border:13px solid #ddd4bf}.sf-cursor-exhibition .place{position:absolute;bottom:20px;left:11%;right:11%;height:44px;display:flex;justify-content:space-between;align-items:center;border:0;border-top:1px solid #b8bbaf;background:none;color:#535a4b;text-align:left;font-size:12px}@keyframes sf-impression-in{from{scale:.85;opacity:0}to{scale:1}}`}</style>
</section>
)
}
Where it works well
Let a portfolio reveal a visual collection through exploration without taking over the page.
Reduced motion
Live reduced-motion preferences remove interpolation and decorative playback. All content and native controls remain available. Keyboard changes settle immediately.
Things to know
Original demonstration content; adapt labels and state to the host product.