diff --git a/tellur-renderer/examples/timeline_to_mp4.rs b/tellur-renderer/examples/timeline_to_mp4.rs
index f7a8c72..69f9640 100644
--- a/tellur-renderer/examples/timeline_to_mp4.rs
+++ b/tellur-renderer/examples/timeline_to_mp4.rs
@@ -7,9 +7,10 @@
 //! distributes the four tracks evenly inside a padded scene with
 //! `CrossAlign::Stretch`. The dot itself is purely a tree of layout
 //! containers — `Frame` declares its outer shape and anchors the
-//! shadowed circle inside it; `.padding(...)` keeps the dot off the
-//! track edges. The `DropShadow` is wrapped directly around the
-//! circle, where the shadow conceptually belongs.
+//! decorated circle inside it; `.padding(...)` keeps the dot off the
+//! track edges. The circle is wrapped in an `Outline` (white stroke)
+//! and then a `DropShadow`, so the shadow falls behind the combined
+//! stroked shape.
 
 use std::path::Path;
 
@@ -23,15 +24,16 @@ use tellur_core::shapes::Circle;
 use tellur_core::time::{LocalTime, Time};
 use tellur_core::timeline::timeline;
 use tellur_core::vector::Paint;
-use tellur_renderer::{DropShadow, FfmpegEncoder, Rasterizable};
+use tellur_renderer::{DropShadow, FfmpegEncoder, Outline, Rasterizable};
 
 /// A circle that triangle-wave scrubs left-to-right-to-left across the
 /// track's width. `Frame` declares the track's outer shape (fill the
 /// parent width, fix the height at 60) and anchors the circle so it
 /// stays fully inside: both `child_anchor` and `at` use the same
 /// bounce-driven ratio, so the dot's left edge touches the frame's
-/// left at `rx = 0` and its right edge touches at `rx = 1`. The whole
-/// track is wrapped in a `DropShadow`.
+/// left at `rx = 0` and its right edge touches at `rx = 1`. The circle
+/// itself is decorated with a white `Outline` and a `DropShadow` —
+/// `Outline` runs first so the shadow falls behind the stroked shape.
 #[raster_component]
 fn BouncingDot(t: LocalTime) -> impl RasterComponent {
     let (phase, _) = t.bounce(2.5);
@@ -44,14 +46,19 @@ fn BouncingDot(t: LocalTime) -> impl RasterComponent {
         at: Anchor::new(rx, 0.5),
         child: DropShadow {
             offset: Vec2(0.0, 8.0),
-            blur: 4.0,
-            color: Color::rgba_u8(255, 255, 255, 100),
-            child: Circle {
-                radius,
-                fill: Paint::Solid(Color::hsl(200.0, 0.7, 0.6)).into(),
-                stroke: None,
+            blur: 10.0,
+            color: Color::rgba_u8(0, 0, 0, 200),
+            child: Outline {
+                width: 4.0,
+                color: Color::rgb_u8(255, 255, 255),
+                child: Circle {
+                    radius,
+                    fill: Paint::Solid(Color::hsl(200.0, 0.7, 0.6)).into(),
+                    stroke: None,
+                }
+                .rasterize()
+                .boxed(),
             }
-            .rasterize()
             .boxed(),
         }
         .boxed(),
@@ -68,6 +75,7 @@ fn main() {
             main_align: MainAlign::SpaceEvenly,
             cross_align: CrossAlign::Stretch,
             children: vec![
+                BouncingDot { t: t.into() }.boxed(),
                 BouncingDot {
                     t: t.fps(60).into(),
                 }
diff --git a/tellur-renderer/src/lib.rs b/tellur-renderer/src/lib.rs
index c68490f..d875abf 100644
--- a/tellur-renderer/src/lib.rs
+++ b/tellur-renderer/src/lib.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
+pub mod outline;
 pub mod rasterize;
 pub mod render_context;
 pub mod shadow;
 pub mod video;
 
+pub use outline::Outline;
 pub use rasterize::{Rasterizable, Rasterize};
 pub use render_context::CachingRenderContext;
 pub use shadow::DropShadow;
diff --git a/tellur-renderer/src/outline.rs b/tellur-renderer/src/outline.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..589dcbe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tellur-renderer/src/outline.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,237 @@
+//! Outline (hard-edge stroke) effect for raster components.
+//!
+//! Wraps a `RasterComponent` and paints a solid-colored ring around the
+//! outside of the child's alpha shape. The ring is produced by dilating
+//! the child's alpha by the outline width and subtracting the original
+//! alpha, so the stroke never bleeds inside the child. `paint_bounds`
+//! expands by `width` so the surrounding `Layer` allocates enough
+//! pixels; `layout_box` is left unchanged so outlines do not disturb
+//! layout.
+
+use std::hash::{Hash, Hasher};
+
+use bytes::Bytes;
+use tellur_core::color::Color;
+use tellur_core::composite::composite_at;
+use tellur_core::dyn_compare::hash_f32;
+use tellur_core::geometry::{Constraints, Rect, Vec2};
+use tellur_core::raster::{PixelFormat, RasterComponent, RasterImage, Resolution};
+use tellur_core::render_context::RenderContext;
+
+pub struct Outline {
+    /// Stroke width on the outside of the child, in logical units.
+    pub width: f32,
+    /// Stroke color (its alpha is multiplied with the ring alpha).
+    pub color: Color,
+    pub child: Box<dyn RasterComponent>,
+}
+
+impl PartialEq for Outline {
+    fn eq(&self, other: &Self) -> bool {
+        self.width.to_bits() == other.width.to_bits()
+            && self.color == other.color
+            && *self.child == *other.child
+    }
+}
+
+impl Hash for Outline {
+    fn hash<H: Hasher>(&self, state: &mut H) {
+        hash_f32(self.width, state);
+        self.color.hash(state);
+        self.child.hash(state);
+    }
+}
+
+impl RasterComponent for Outline {
+    fn layout(&self, constraints: Constraints) -> Vec2 {
+        self.child.layout(constraints)
+    }
+
+    fn paint_bounds(&self, size: Vec2) -> Rect {
+        let inner = self.child.paint_bounds(size);
+        let extent = self.width.max(0.0);
+        Rect {
+            origin: Vec2(inner.origin.0 - extent, inner.origin.1 - extent),
+            size: Vec2(inner.size.0 + 2.0 * extent, inner.size.1 + 2.0 * extent),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn render(&self, size: Vec2, target: Resolution, ctx: &mut dyn RenderContext) -> RasterImage {
+        let paint = self.paint_bounds(size);
+        let child_paint = self.child.paint_bounds(size);
+        if paint.size.0 <= 0.0 || paint.size.1 <= 0.0 {
+            return blank_image(target);
+        }
+        let sx = target.width as f32 / paint.size.0;
+        let sy = target.height as f32 / paint.size.1;
+
+        // Render the child through the context so its output is memoized
+        // independently of the outline — matches the shadow component's
+        // strategy for static subtrees.
+        let child_px_w = (child_paint.size.0 * sx).round().max(1.0) as u32;
+        let child_px_h = (child_paint.size.1 * sy).round().max(1.0) as u32;
+        let child_image = ctx.render(
+            self.child.as_ref(),
+            size,
+            Resolution::new(child_px_w, child_px_h),
+        );
+
+        // Dilate the child alpha by `width` logical units and subtract
+        // the original alpha so only the ring outside the child
+        // remains. The dilation radius is computed independently along
+        // each axis so it stays exactly in lockstep with `paint_bounds`
+        // (which expands by `width` logical units in both directions);
+        // otherwise an anisotropic pixel ratio would push the outline
+        // past the buffer edge and get clipped.
+        let width_px_x = (self.width.max(0.0) * sx).round() as u32;
+        let width_px_y = (self.width.max(0.0) * sy).round() as u32;
+        let outline_image = make_outline(&child_image, width_px_x, width_px_y, self.color);
+
+        let mut accum = vec![0u8; (target.width as usize) * (target.height as usize) * 4];
+
+        let pad_lu_x = width_px_x as f32 / sx;
+        let pad_lu_y = width_px_y as f32 / sy;
+        let outline_local_x = (child_paint.origin.0 - pad_lu_x) - paint.origin.0;
+        let outline_local_y = (child_paint.origin.1 - pad_lu_y) - paint.origin.1;
+        let outline_px_x = (outline_local_x * sx).round() as i32;
+        let outline_px_y = (outline_local_y * sy).round() as i32;
+        composite_at(
+            &mut accum,
+            target,
+            &outline_image,
+            outline_px_x,
+            outline_px_y,
+        );
+
+        let child_local_x = child_paint.origin.0 - paint.origin.0;
+        let child_local_y = child_paint.origin.1 - paint.origin.1;
+        let child_px_x = (child_local_x * sx).round() as i32;
+        let child_px_y = (child_local_y * sy).round() as i32;
+        composite_at(&mut accum, target, &child_image, child_px_x, child_px_y);
+
+        RasterImage {
+            width: target.width,
+            height: target.height,
+            format: PixelFormat::Rgba8,
+            pixels: Bytes::from(accum),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+fn blank_image(target: Resolution) -> RasterImage {
+    let bytes = (target.width as usize) * (target.height as usize) * 4;
+    RasterImage {
+        width: target.width,
+        height: target.height,
+        format: PixelFormat::Rgba8,
+        pixels: Bytes::from(vec![0u8; bytes]),
+    }
+}
+
+fn make_outline(
+    image: &RasterImage,
+    width_px_x: u32,
+    width_px_y: u32,
+    color: Color,
+) -> RasterImage {
+    assert_eq!(image.format, PixelFormat::Rgba8);
+    let pad_x = width_px_x as usize;
+    let pad_y = width_px_y as usize;
+    let in_w = image.width as usize;
+    let in_h = image.height as usize;
+    let out_w = in_w + 2 * pad_x;
+    let out_h = in_h + 2 * pad_y;
+
+    let mut alpha = vec![0u8; out_w * out_h];
+    let pixels = image.pixels.as_ref();
+    for y in 0..in_h {
+        for x in 0..in_w {
+            let src_idx = (y * in_w + x) * 4 + 3;
+            let dst_idx = (y + pad_y) * out_w + (x + pad_x);
+            alpha[dst_idx] = pixels[src_idx];
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Dilate the alpha by an elliptical structuring element so the
+    // outline tracks the shape's curvature. A separable square SE is
+    // cheaper but visibly flattens curved tips (the top/bottom of a
+    // circle becomes a horizontal cap); the ellipse keeps the contour
+    // following the original shape, even when sx ≠ sy.
+    let dilated = if pad_x > 0 || pad_y > 0 {
+        dilate_ellipse(&alpha, out_w, out_h, pad_x, pad_y)
+    } else {
+        alpha.clone()
+    };
+
+    let r = (color.r * 255.0).round().clamp(0.0, 255.0) as u8;
+    let g = (color.g * 255.0).round().clamp(0.0, 255.0) as u8;
+    let b = (color.b * 255.0).round().clamp(0.0, 255.0) as u8;
+    let alpha_scale = color.a.clamp(0.0, 1.0);
+
+    let mut out = Vec::with_capacity(out_w * out_h * 4);
+    for i in 0..dilated.len() {
+        // Ring = dilated - original. Saturating sub means pixels fully
+        // inside the child contribute zero, leaving only the outside
+        // band.
+        let ring = dilated[i].saturating_sub(alpha[i]);
+        let a = ((ring as f32) * alpha_scale).round().clamp(0.0, 255.0) as u8;
+        out.push(r);
+        out.push(g);
+        out.push(b);
+        out.push(a);
+    }
+
+    RasterImage {
+        width: out_w as u32,
+        height: out_h as u32,
+        format: PixelFormat::Rgba8,
+        pixels: Bytes::from(out),
+    }
+}
+
+/// Morphological dilation by an axis-aligned ellipse with semi-axes
+/// `rx` and `ry` (in pixels). For each output pixel, the result is the
+/// max of all source pixels `(x+dx, y+dy)` whose offset satisfies
+/// `(dx/rx)^2 + (dy/ry)^2 <= 1`.
+///
+/// Not separable: the ellipse SE has to be applied as a 2-D
+/// neighborhood. Cost is O(W·H·|SE|) ≈ O(W·H·π·rx·ry), which is fine
+/// here because the outline is memoized on a per-subtree basis.
+fn dilate_ellipse(src: &[u8], w: usize, h: usize, rx: usize, ry: usize) -> Vec<u8> {
+    let mut dst = vec![0u8; w * h];
+    if w == 0 || h == 0 || (rx == 0 && ry == 0) {
+        dst.copy_from_slice(src);
+        return dst;
+    }
+    let rx_i = rx as i64;
+    let ry_i = ry as i64;
+    let rx2 = (rx_i * rx_i).max(1);
+    let ry2 = (ry_i * ry_i).max(1);
+    let mut offsets: Vec<(i64, i64)> = Vec::new();
+    for dy in -ry_i..=ry_i {
+        for dx in -rx_i..=rx_i {
+            if dx * dx * ry2 + dy * dy * rx2 <= rx2 * ry2 {
+                offsets.push((dx, dy));
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    let w_i = w as i64;
+    let h_i = h as i64;
+    for y in 0..h {
+        for x in 0..w {
+            let mut m: u8 = 0;
+            for &(dx, dy) in &offsets {
+                let nx = x as i64 + dx;
+                let ny = y as i64 + dy;
+                if nx >= 0 && nx < w_i && ny >= 0 && ny < h_i {
+                    let v = src[(ny as usize) * w + (nx as usize)];
+                    if v > m {
+                        m = v;
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+            dst[y * w + x] = m;
+        }
+    }
+    dst
+}