Vortex drain

Vortex drain catches an object in a whirlpool beneath it and drains it away. The object is drawn out onto an orbit, then spirals in and down the funnel, whirling faster and faster as the circle tightens, spinning about its own axis, leaning into the funnel and shrinking into a point below its base.

How it works

Like water going down a plughole, the turning speeds up as the orbit shrinks, so the last turns are a fast blur. The return is the same drain played backwards, like a fountain: it is flung up out of the point, slows as the orbit widens, and is set down exactly where it started.

Settings

• Turns: how many times it goes round the funnel.
• Orbit: the widest circle, as a share of its width.
• Depth: how far it sinks, as a share of its height.
• Lean: how far it tilts into the funnel.
• Clockwise: the direction of the whirl.
• Duration: the length of the drain, and of the return.

Use it for

Water and ocean scenes, "delete" or "discard" moments, magic and portal stories, and transitions where one object needs to leave with weight. It runs on click or hover, inside an action, or as an entrance and exit tied to the object being shown or hidden. Compare the lighter, rising Swirl away, or add a Bubble trail for an underwater feel.