I...kinda hate Nott's bending trace, it's green fire with copper sparks, I thought of it months and months and months ago but only recently posted it cause it's... lame.

Anyone got any cooler suggestions?

Hmm...

Something with a broken chain collar maybe? I mean, it seems to me Nott strives for freedom in some sense.

lol if there was ever going to be a MLP storm that was going to be his cutie mark a key and a broken chain

Problem is I don't really know how the bending traces work, like does it just appear on one part of the bent object or does it cover the whole thing?

I think the bending mark is more like an aura that the Angelii can see superimposed over an object or area that's had Bending used on it.

I know for Sqwydd I did swirling ink with occasional green tentacles curling in and out of it

I'd say an aura is a good analogy for a bending trace