Ink Wash Text Mask
An ink-like fill sweeps through the letters of a headline or prominent text link.
An ink-like fill sweeps through the letters of a headline or prominent text link.
Live Demo
Hover over the element or use Tab to focus.
Source Code
Copy the HTML, CSS or JavaScript you need for your project.
HTML
<div class="tbx-1243"><a class="headline" href="#article"><small>EDITORIAL / 01</small><span class="words" data-text="Ideas in Motion">Ideas in Motion</span><span class="sub">Read the story <b aria-hidden="true">→</b></span></a></div>CSS
.tbx-1243{box-sizing:border-box;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;width:100%;max-width:100%;min-height:212px;overflow:hidden;padding:16px;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,"Segoe UI",sans-serif;color:#193647;}
.tbx-1243 *, .tbx-1243 *::before,.tbx-1243 *::after{box-sizing:border-box}
.tbx-1243{background:#f0ece7}.tbx-1243 .headline{display:grid;gap:9px;max-width:100%;color:#263c3d;text-decoration:none;padding:16px 6px}.tbx-1243 .headline small{font-size:10px;letter-spacing:.19em;color:#817469;font-weight:700}.tbx-1243 .words{font-size:clamp(23px,4vw,32px);font-weight:900;letter-spacing:-.055em;line-height:1.15;background:linear-gradient(90deg,#c66b4a 0%,#c66b4a 50%,#263c3d 50%,#263c3d 100%) 100% 0/200% 100%;-webkit-background-clip:text;background-clip:text;color:transparent;transition:background-position .6s cubic-bezier(.2,.8,.2,1)}.tbx-1243 .sub{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;padding-top:8px;border-top:1px solid #c7beb3;font-size:11px;color:#645c55}.tbx-1243 .sub b{transition:transform .35s}.tbx-1243 .headline:is(:hover,:focus-visible) .words{background-position:0 0}.tbx-1243 .headline:is(:hover,:focus-visible) .sub b{transform:translateX(8px)}
@media(prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){.tbx-1243 *, .tbx-1243 *::before, .tbx-1243 *::after{{transition-duration:0.01ms!important;animation-duration:0.01ms!important;scroll-behavior:auto!important}}}
How to Use
Insert the HTML and add the CSS to your stylesheet. Adjust colors and sizes and avoid class conflicts.
Use Case
Useful for editorial layouts and typography sections.
Technical Notes
Keep controls usable on touch devices. Test keyboard focus and reduced-motion preferences.
Mobile: Ensure the interactive content remains accessible without hover on touch devices.
Browser: Uses modern CSS. Check behavior in the browsers you support.
Reduced Motion: Check that prefers-reduced-motion is respected.