diff --git a/library-renderer/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/renderer/SpannableConfiguration.java b/library-renderer/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/renderer/SpannableConfiguration.java
index 079c3d5c..13f53f26 100644
--- a/library-renderer/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/renderer/SpannableConfiguration.java
+++ b/library-renderer/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/renderer/SpannableConfiguration.java
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import ru.noties.markwon.spans.BlockQuoteSpan;
 import ru.noties.markwon.spans.BulletListItemSpan;
 import ru.noties.markwon.spans.CodeSpan;
 import ru.noties.markwon.spans.HeadingSpan;
+import ru.noties.markwon.spans.ThematicBreakSpan;
 
 public class SpannableConfiguration {
 
@@ -23,12 +24,14 @@ public class SpannableConfiguration {
     private final CodeSpan.Config codeConfig;
     private final BulletListItemSpan.Config bulletListConfig;
     private final HeadingSpan.Config headingConfig;
+    private final ThematicBreakSpan.Config thematicConfig;
 
     private SpannableConfiguration(Builder builder) {
         this.blockQuoteConfig = builder.blockQuoteConfig;
         this.codeConfig = builder.codeConfig;
         this.bulletListConfig = builder.bulletListConfig;
         this.headingConfig = builder.headingConfig;
+        this.thematicConfig = builder.thematicConfig;
     }
 
     public BlockQuoteSpan.Config getBlockQuoteConfig() {
@@ -47,6 +50,10 @@ public class SpannableConfiguration {
         return headingConfig;
     }
 
+    public ThematicBreakSpan.Config getThematicConfig() {
+        return thematicConfig;
+    }
+
     public static class Builder {
 
         private final Context context;
@@ -54,6 +61,7 @@ public class SpannableConfiguration {
         private CodeSpan.Config codeConfig;
         private BulletListItemSpan.Config bulletListConfig;
         private HeadingSpan.Config headingConfig;
+        private ThematicBreakSpan.Config thematicConfig;
 
         public Builder(Context context) {
             this.context = context;
@@ -79,13 +87,18 @@ public class SpannableConfiguration {
             return this;
         }
 
+        public Builder setThematicConfig(@NonNull ThematicBreakSpan.Config thematicConfig) {
+            this.thematicConfig = thematicConfig;
+            return this;
+        }
+
         // todo, change to something more reliable
         public SpannableConfiguration build() {
             if (blockQuoteConfig == null) {
                 blockQuoteConfig = new BlockQuoteSpan.Config(
                         px(16),
-                        px(4),
-                        0xFFcccccc
+                        0,
+                        0
                 );
             }
             if (codeConfig == null) {
@@ -99,6 +112,9 @@ public class SpannableConfiguration {
             if (headingConfig == null) {
                 headingConfig = new HeadingSpan.Config(px(1), 0);
             }
+            if (thematicConfig == null) {
+                thematicConfig = new ThematicBreakSpan.Config(0, px(2));
+            }
             return new SpannableConfiguration(this);
         }
 
diff --git a/library-renderer/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/renderer/SpannableMarkdownVisitor.java b/library-renderer/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/renderer/SpannableMarkdownVisitor.java
index a9a01bf3..0e7507da 100644
--- a/library-renderer/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/renderer/SpannableMarkdownVisitor.java
+++ b/library-renderer/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/renderer/SpannableMarkdownVisitor.java
@@ -194,10 +194,9 @@ public class SpannableMarkdownVisitor extends AbstractVisitor {
 
         newLine();
 
-        // todo, new lines...
         final int length = builder.length();
         builder.append(' '); // without space it won't render
-        builder.setSpan(new ThematicBreakSpan(), length, builder.length(), Spanned.SPAN_EXCLUSIVE_EXCLUSIVE);
+        setSpan(length, new ThematicBreakSpan(configuration.getThematicConfig()));
 
         newLine();
     }
diff --git a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/BlockQuoteSpan.java b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/BlockQuoteSpan.java
index 35f73e96..81a82b59 100644
--- a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/BlockQuoteSpan.java
+++ b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/BlockQuoteSpan.java
@@ -11,15 +11,17 @@ import android.text.style.LeadingMarginSpan;
 
 public class BlockQuoteSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
 
+    private static final int DEF_COLOR_ALPHA = 50;
+
     @SuppressWarnings("WeakerAccess")
     public static class Config {
 
         final int totalWidth;
-        final int quoteWidth;
-        final int quoteColor; // by default textColor with 0.1 alpha
+        final int quoteWidth; // by default 1/4 of width
+        final int quoteColor; // by default textColor with 0.2 alpha
 
         public Config(
-                @IntRange(from = 0) int totalWidth,
+                @IntRange(from = 1) int totalWidth,
                 @IntRange(from = 0) int quoteWidth,
                 @ColorInt int quoteColor) {
             this.totalWidth = totalWidth;
@@ -29,16 +31,13 @@ public class BlockQuoteSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
     }
 
     private final Config config;
-    private final Rect rect = new Rect();
-    private final Paint paint = new Paint();
+    private final Rect rect = ObjectsPool.rect();
+    private final Paint paint = ObjectsPool.paint();
     private final int indent;
 
     public BlockQuoteSpan(@NonNull Config config, int indent) {
         this.config = config;
         this.indent = indent;
-
-        paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.FILL);
-        paint.setColor(config.quoteColor);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -61,13 +60,25 @@ public class BlockQuoteSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
             boolean first,
             Layout layout) {
 
-        final int save = c.save();
-        try {
-            final int left = config.totalWidth * (indent - 1);
-            rect.set(left, top, left + config.quoteWidth, bottom);
-            c.drawRect(rect, paint);
-        } finally {
-            c.restoreToCount(save);
+        final int width;
+        if (config.quoteWidth == 0) {
+            width = (int) (config.totalWidth / 4.F + .5F);
+        } else {
+            width = config.quoteWidth;
         }
+
+        final int color;
+        if (config.quoteColor != 0) {
+            color = config.quoteColor;
+        } else {
+            color = ColorUtils.applyAlpha(p.getColor(), DEF_COLOR_ALPHA);
+        }
+        paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.FILL);
+        paint.setColor(color);
+
+        final int left = config.totalWidth * (indent - 1);
+        rect.set(left, top, left + width, bottom);
+
+        c.drawRect(rect, paint);
     }
 }
diff --git a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/BulletListItemSpan.java b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/BulletListItemSpan.java
index ba92f59d..f6c52b38 100644
--- a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/BulletListItemSpan.java
+++ b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/BulletListItemSpan.java
@@ -30,10 +30,10 @@ public class BulletListItemSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
     }
 
     private final Config config;
-    private final Paint paint = new Paint();
 
-    private RectF circle;
-    private Rect rectangle;
+    private final Paint paint = ObjectsPool.paint();
+    private final RectF circle = ObjectsPool.rectF();
+    private final Rect rectangle = ObjectsPool.rect();
 
     private final int blockIndent;
     private final int level;
@@ -101,11 +101,6 @@ public class BulletListItemSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
             if (level == 0
                     || level == 1) {
 
-                // ensure we have circle rectF
-                if (circle == null) {
-                    circle = new RectF();
-                }
-
                 circle.set(l, t, r, b);
 
                 final Paint.Style style = level == 0
@@ -116,11 +111,6 @@ public class BulletListItemSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
                 c.drawOval(circle, paint);
             } else {
 
-                // ensure rectangle
-                if (rectangle == null) {
-                    rectangle = new Rect();
-                }
-
                 rectangle.set(l, t, r, b);
 
                 paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.FILL);
diff --git a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/CodeSpan.java b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/CodeSpan.java
index b36d51b2..7bb29632 100644
--- a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/CodeSpan.java
+++ b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/CodeSpan.java
@@ -14,14 +14,7 @@ import android.text.style.MetricAffectingSpan;
 
 public class CodeSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
 
-    // the thing is.. we cannot use replacementSpan, because it won't let us create multiline code..
-    // and we want new lines when we do not fit the width
-    // plus it complicates the copying
-
-    // replacement span is great because we can have additional paddings & can actually get a hold
-    // of Canvas to draw background, but it implies a lot of manual text handling
-
-    // also, we can reuse Rect instance as long as we apply our dimensions in each draw call
+    private static final int DEF_COLOR_ALPHA = 25;
 
     @SuppressWarnings("WeakerAccess")
     public static class Config {
@@ -87,17 +80,14 @@ public class CodeSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
     }
 
     private final Config config;
-    private final Rect rect = new Rect();
-    private final Paint paint = new Paint();
+    private final Rect rect = ObjectsPool.rect();
+    private final Paint paint = ObjectsPool.paint();
 
     private final boolean multiline;
 
     public CodeSpan(@NonNull Config config, boolean multiline) {
         this.config = config;
         this.multiline = multiline;
-
-        paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.FILL);
-        paint.setTypeface(config.typeface);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -111,7 +101,7 @@ public class CodeSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
         if (!multiline) {
             final int color;
             if (config.backgroundColor == 0) {
-                color = applyAlpha(ds.getColor(), 25);
+                color = ColorUtils.applyAlpha(ds.getColor(), DEF_COLOR_ALPHA);
             } else {
                 color = config.backgroundColor;
             }
@@ -141,167 +131,16 @@ public class CodeSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
 
             final int color;
             if (config.backgroundColor == 0) {
-                color = applyAlpha(p.getColor(), 25);
+                color = ColorUtils.applyAlpha(p.getColor(), DEF_COLOR_ALPHA);
             } else {
                 color = config.backgroundColor;
             }
+            paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.FILL);
             paint.setColor(color);
 
             rect.set(x, top, c.getWidth(), bottom);
 
             c.drawRect(rect, paint);
         }
-
-//        paint.setTextSize(p.getTextSize());
-//
-//        final int left = (int) (x + .5F);
-//
-//        final int right;
-//        if (multiline) {
-//            right = c.getWidth();
-//        } else {
-//            final int width = (config.paddingHorizontal * 2) + (int) (paint.measureText(text, start, end) + .5F);
-//            right = left + width;
-//        }
-//
-//        rect.set(left, top, right, bottom);
-//
-//        // okay, draw background first
-//        drawBackground(c);
-
-        // then, if any, draw borders
-//        drawBorders(c, this.start == start, this.end == end);
-
-//        final int color;
-//        if (config.textColor == 0) {
-//            color = p.getColor();
-//        } else {
-//            color = config.textColor;
-//        }
-//        paint.setColor(color);
-//
-//        // draw text
-//        // y center position
-//        final int b = bottom - ((bottom - top) / 2) - (int) ((paint.descent() + paint.ascent()) / 2);
-//        canvas.drawText(text, start, end, x + config.paddingHorizontal, b, paint);
     }
-
-    private static int applyAlpha(int color, int alpha) {
-        return (color & 0x00FFFFFF) | (alpha << 24);
-    }
-
-
-//    @Override
-//    public int getSize(
-//            @NonNull Paint p,
-//            CharSequence text,
-//            @IntRange(from = 0) int start,
-//            @IntRange(from = 0) int end,
-//            @Nullable Paint.FontMetricsInt fm
-//    ) {
-//
-//        paint.setTextSize(p.getTextSize());
-//
-//        final int width = (config.paddingHorizontal * 2) + (int) (paint.measureText(text, start, end) + .5F);
-//
-//        if (fm != null) {
-//            // we add a padding top & bottom
-//            final float ratio = .62F; // golden ratio, there is no much point of moving this to config... it seems a bit `specific`...
-//            fm.ascent = fm.ascent - (config.paddingVertical);
-//            fm.descent = (int) (-fm.ascent * ratio);
-//            fm.top = fm.ascent;
-//            fm.bottom = fm.descent;
-//        }
-//
-//        return width;
-//    }
-
-//    @Override
-//    public void draw(
-//            @NonNull Canvas canvas,
-//            CharSequence text,
-//            @IntRange(from = 0) int start,
-//            @IntRange(from = 0) int end,
-//            float x,
-//            int top,
-//            int y,
-//            int bottom,
-//            @NonNull Paint p
-//    ) {
-//
-//        paint.setTextSize(p.getTextSize());
-//
-//        final int left = (int) (x + .5F);
-//
-//        final int right;
-//        if (multiline) {
-//            right = canvas.getWidth();
-//        } else {
-//            final int width = (config.paddingHorizontal * 2) + (int) (paint.measureText(text, start, end) + .5F);
-//            right = left + width;
-//        }
-//
-//        rect.set(left, top, right, bottom);
-//
-//        // okay, draw background first
-//        drawBackground(canvas);
-//
-//        // then, if any, draw borders
-//        drawBorders(canvas, this.start == start, this.end == end);
-//
-//        final int color;
-//        if (config.textColor == 0) {
-//            color = p.getColor();
-//        } else {
-//            color = config.textColor;
-//        }
-//        paint.setColor(color);
-//
-//        // draw text
-//        // y center position
-//        final int b = bottom - ((bottom - top) / 2) - (int) ((paint.descent() + paint.ascent()) / 2);
-//        canvas.drawText(text, start, end, x + config.paddingHorizontal, b, paint);
-//    }
-
-//    private void drawBackground(Canvas canvas) {
-//        final int color = config.backgroundColor;
-//        if (color != 0) {
-//            paint.setColor(color);
-//            canvas.drawRect(rect, paint);
-//        }
-//    }
-//
-//    private void drawBorders(Canvas canvas, boolean top, boolean bottom) {
-//
-//        final int color = config.borderColor;
-//        final int width = config.borderWidth;
-//        if (color == 0
-//                || width == 0) {
-//            return;
-//        }
-//
-//        paint.setColor(color);
-//
-//        // left and right are always drawn
-//
-//        // LEFT
-//        borderRect.set(rect.left, rect.top, rect.left + width, rect.bottom);
-//        canvas.drawRect(borderRect, paint);
-//
-//        // RIGHT
-//        borderRect.set(rect.right - width, rect.top, rect.right, rect.bottom);
-//        canvas.drawRect(borderRect, paint);
-//
-//        // TOP
-//        if (top) {
-//            borderRect.set(rect.left, rect.top, rect.right, rect.top + width);
-//            canvas.drawRect(borderRect, paint);
-//        }
-//
-//        // BOTTOM
-//        if (bottom) {
-//            borderRect.set(rect.left, rect.bottom - width, rect.right, rect.bottom);
-//            canvas.drawRect(borderRect, paint);
-//        }
-//    }
 }
diff --git a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ColorUtils.java b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ColorUtils.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c59b01fd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ColorUtils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package ru.noties.markwon.spans;
+
+class ColorUtils {
+
+    static int applyAlpha(int color, int alpha) {
+        return (color & 0x00FFFFFF) | (alpha << 24);
+    }
+
+    private ColorUtils() {
+    }
+}
diff --git a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/HeadingSpan.java b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/HeadingSpan.java
index 1ac74fb6..c0675d8f 100644
--- a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/HeadingSpan.java
+++ b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/HeadingSpan.java
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ public class HeadingSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpa
             2.F, 1.5F, 1.17F, 1.F, .83F, .67F,
     };
 
+    private static final int DEF_BREAK_COLOR_ALPHA = 127;
+
     public static class Config {
 
         final int breakHeight; // by default stroke width
-        final int breakColor; // by default -> textColor
+        final int breakColor; // by default -> textColor with 0.5 alpha
 
         public Config(@IntRange(from = 0) int breakHeight, @ColorInt int breakColor) {
             this.breakHeight = breakHeight;
@@ -30,8 +32,8 @@ public class HeadingSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpa
     }
 
     private final Config config;
-    private final Rect rect = new Rect();
-    private final Paint paint = new Paint();
+    private final Rect rect = ObjectsPool.rect();
+    private final Paint paint = ObjectsPool.paint();
     private final int level;
     private final int end;
 
@@ -39,8 +41,6 @@ public class HeadingSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpa
         this.config = config;
         this.level = level - 1;
         this.end = end;
-
-        paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.FILL);
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ public class HeadingSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpa
                 final int color;
                 final int breakHeight;
                 if (config.breakColor == 0) {
-                    color = p.getColor();
+                    color = ColorUtils.applyAlpha(p.getColor(), DEF_BREAK_COLOR_ALPHA);
                 } else {
                     color = config.breakColor;
                 }
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ public class HeadingSpan extends MetricAffectingSpan implements LeadingMarginSpa
                 } else {
                     breakHeight = config.breakHeight;
                 }
+                paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.FILL);
                 paint.setColor(color);
 
                 rect.set(x, bottom - breakHeight, c.getWidth(), bottom);
diff --git a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ObjectsPool.java b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ObjectsPool.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..089abbea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ObjectsPool.java
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+package ru.noties.markwon.spans;
+
+import android.graphics.Paint;
+import android.graphics.Rect;
+import android.graphics.RectF;
+
+class ObjectsPool {
+
+    // maybe it's premature optimization, but as all the drawing is done in one thread
+    // and we apply needed values before actual drawing it's (I assume) safe to reuse some frequently used objects
+
+    // if one of the spans need some really specific handling for Paint object (like colorFilters, masks, etc)
+    // it should instantiate own instance of it
+
+    private static final Rect RECT = new Rect();
+    private static final RectF RECT_F = new RectF();
+    private static final Paint PAINT = new Paint(Paint.ANTI_ALIAS_FLAG);
+
+    static Rect rect() {
+        return RECT;
+    }
+
+    static RectF rectF() {
+        return RECT_F;
+    }
+
+    static Paint paint() {
+        return PAINT;
+    }
+
+    private ObjectsPool() {
+    }
+}
diff --git a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ThematicBreakSpan.java b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ThematicBreakSpan.java
index a110078f..27e99271 100644
--- a/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ThematicBreakSpan.java
+++ b/library-spans/src/main/java/ru/noties/markwon/spans/ThematicBreakSpan.java
@@ -3,23 +3,62 @@ package ru.noties.markwon.spans;
 import android.graphics.Canvas;
 import android.graphics.Paint;
 import android.graphics.Rect;
+import android.support.annotation.ColorInt;
+import android.support.annotation.IntRange;
 import android.text.Layout;
 import android.text.style.LeadingMarginSpan;
 
 public class ThematicBreakSpan implements LeadingMarginSpan {
 
+    private static final int DEF_COLOR_ALPHA = 127;
+
+    public static class Config {
+
+        final int color; // by default textColor with 0.5 alpha
+        final int height; // by default strokeWidth of paint
+
+        public Config(@ColorInt int color, @IntRange(from = 0) int height) {
+            this.color = color;
+            this.height = height;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private final Config config;
+    private final Rect rect = ObjectsPool.rect();
+    private final Paint paint = ObjectsPool.paint();
+
+    public ThematicBreakSpan(Config config) {
+        this.config = config;
+    }
+
     @Override
     public int getLeadingMargin(boolean first) {
-        return 1;
+        return 0;
     }
 
     @Override
     public void drawLeadingMargin(Canvas c, Paint p, int x, int dir, int top, int baseline, int bottom, CharSequence text, int start, int end, boolean first, Layout layout) {
-        final int middle = (bottom - top) / 2;
-        final Rect rect = new Rect(0, top + middle - 2, c.getWidth(), top + middle + 2);
-        final Paint paint = new Paint();
+
+        final int middle = top + ((bottom - top) / 2);
+
+        final int color;
+        if (config.color == 0) {
+            color = ColorUtils.applyAlpha(p.getColor(), DEF_COLOR_ALPHA);
+        } else {
+            color = config.color;
+        }
+        paint.setColor(color);
         paint.setStyle(Paint.Style.FILL);
-        paint.setColor(0x80000000);
+
+        final int height;
+        if (config.height == 0) {
+            height = (int) (p.getStrokeWidth() + .5F);
+        } else {
+            height = config.height;
+        }
+        final int halfHeight = (int) (height / 2.F + .5F);
+
+        rect.set(x, middle - halfHeight, c.getWidth(), middle + halfHeight);
         c.drawRect(rect, paint);
     }
 }