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Setting up the Structure

Our journey into the deep sea starts with a simple HTML structure: a div element with the class underwater, wrapping around an h1 tag.

<div class="underwater">
	<h1>1stWebDesigner</h1>
</div>

Achieving the Underwater Effect

For our underwater CSS text effect, we introduce a range of CSS properties such as background-image, animation, and -webkit-background-clip.

@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Maven+Pro:wght@700&display=swap');

body{
	/* Using a dark background color for optimal contrast */
	background-color: #000;
	font-family: 'Maven Pro', sans-serif;
}

.underwater h1{
	/* Font settings: sizing and a semi-transparent color */
	font-size: 2.5rem;
	color: #2c3e5010;
	
	/* Assigning an underwater image as the background */
	background-image: url('https://w7.pngwing.com/pngs/183/509/png-transparent-under-water-scenery-sunlight-underwater-ray-star-ocean-atmosphere-cloud-computer-wallpaper.png');
	
	/* Clipping the background image to the outline of the text */
	-webkit-background-clip:text;
	
	/* Setting a 10s infinite animation for a dynamic effect */
	animation: waterEffect 10s infinite;
}

/* Animation to simulate flowing water */
@keyframes waterEffect {
	0% { background-position: left 0 top 0; }
	100% { background-position: left 100% top 0; }
}

Explaining Key CSS Properties and Values

Breaking down our CSS code, the first point of interest is the background-image property. By setting an underwater image as the background, we immediately set the tone for our effect.

The -webkit-background-clip:text property clips the background image to the shape of the text. It allows the underwater image to fill the text, setting the stage for our effect.

The color property plays a vital role as well. We’re using a semi-transparent color (color: #2c3e5010;), where the last two digits 10 represent the alpha channel in hexadecimal format, controlling the transparency. This enables the background image to shine through, enhancing the underwater illusion.

The animation property sets our waterEffect animation into motion. Defined by the @keyframes rule, it continuously shifts the background-position from left 0 top 0 to left 100% top 0, creating the illusion of water flowing over the text.

The Result

See the Pen
Underwater Text Effect by 1stWebDesigner (@firstwebdesigner)
on CodePen.0

Exploring Other Methods

Different methods can achieve similar effects. An alternate approach involves utilizing the clip-path property with CSS animations, yielding a wavy text appearance akin to an underwater CSS text effect. This method manipulates the clip region of an element over time, evoking a dynamic sense of movement reminiscent of water’s rhythmic flow. In addition, the technique doesn’t necessitate a background image, instead, it transforms the appearance of the text directly. By turning to this method, you’re exposed to yet another aspect of CSS and its potential for dynamic text effects.

So, let’s demonstrate how a seemingly complex effect can be achieved with a few lines of code.

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Setting Up the Text in the HTML

We begin by defining our text element in HTML, which in this case is a simple heading:

<h1 class="animated-gradient">1stWebDesigner</h1>

Here, we create an <h1> element with a class called “animated-gradient”. This class becomes our anchor for creating the gradient animation in CSS.

Unfolding the Gradient Animation

The core part lies within our CSS. Let’s define the gradient and set it in motion with the following code:

/* Google Fonts for Open Sans */
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Open+Sans:wght@700&display=swap');

/* Define animation */
@keyframes gradient-shift {
  0% {background-position: 0%}
  100% {background-position: 100%}
}

/* Styling our animated gradient text */
.animated-gradient {
  font-family: 'Open Sans', sans-serif;
  font-size: 2em;
  background: linear-gradient(270deg, #ff4b59, #ff9057, #ffc764, #50e3c2, #4a90e2, #b8e986, #ff4b59);
  background-size: 200%;
  -webkit-background-clip: text;
  -webkit-text-fill-color: transparent;
  animation: gradient-shift 3s ease-in-out infinite;
}

Our CSS setup does the following:

• @import url: This directive fetches the Open Sans font from Google Fonts, noted for its modern and clean aesthetics.
• @keyframes: Here, we define an animation named gradient-shift. This animation creates the illusion of motion in the gradient by shifting the background’s position from 0% to 100%.
• font-family and font-size: These properties set our text’s font to Open Sans and its size to 2em.
• background: This property generates a linear gradient using a striking array of colors. The gradient direction is set to 270 degrees, providing a left-to-right color flow.
• background-size: This property, set to 200%, enlarges the background, contributing to the illusion of movement.
• -webkit-background-clip and -webkit-text-fill-color: These properties render the text transparent, allowing the animated gradient to shine through.
• animation: Lastly, we deploy our gradient-shift animation. It uses an ease-in-out timing function for smooth transitions and loops indefinitely, creating an ever-changing cascade of colors.

The Result

And there we have it! Check out the vibrant, animated gradient text:

See the Pen
Animated Gradient Text by 1stWebDesigner (@firstwebdesigner)
on CodePen.0

Final Thoughts

The process of creating the animated gradient text effect is surprisingly straightforward, but the creative opportunities it unveils are far-reaching. With this foundational knowledge, you can experiment with different color schemes and gradient directions, apply the animation to various elements like buttons or headers, and even incorporate subtle animated accents into your design.

Remember, the real beauty of CSS is in its flexibility and power – it provides a vast canvas for creativity. You could also explore further with CSS keyframes to manipulate other properties and add more dynamic animations to your design. Feel free to dive deeper into the world of CSS animations with our guide on CSS keyframes.

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Understanding the Structure of CSS Keyframes

At the core of every CSS animation are keyframes, which define the stages of an animation sequence. Keyframes are declared using the @keyframes rule, followed by an animation name of your choice. The name we use in the example below, changeBackground, is arbitrary – you could name it anything that suits your needs.

Here’s an illustration:

/* Keyframe declaration */
@keyframes changeBackground {
  0%   { background: #ff0000; } /* Red at the start */
  50%  { background: #00ff00; } /* Green in the middle */
  100% { background: #0000ff; } /* Blue at the end */
}

The changeBackground keyframe dictates how the background color of an element will transition during the animation. At the start of the animation (0%), the background is red. At the midway point (50%), the background changes to green. Finally, at the end of the animation (100%), the background transitions to blue.

Applying CSS Keyframes to an Element

Now, let’s apply our keyframes to an HTML element using the animation shorthand property:

/* Applying keyframe to an element */
.myElement {
  animation: changeBackground 2s ease-in-out 1s infinite alternate;
}

In this case, we’ve applied the changeBackground keyframe to an element with the .myElement class. The animation alters the background color of this element over a defined period, according to the stages we set in the keyframe.

Dissecting the Animation Shorthand

The animation shorthand property encapsulates several animation-related properties:

/* The animation shorthand */
animation: changeBackground 2s ease-in-out 1s infinite alternate;

• changeBackground: The keyframe we defined earlier.
• 2s: One cycle of the animation will last 2 seconds.
• ease-in-out: The pace of the animation, starting slow, becoming fast in the middle, and then ending slow.
• 1s: The animation will start after a delay of 1 second.
• infinite: The animation will repeat indefinitely.
• alternate: The animation will alternate directions each cycle.

These are the most commonly used properties but remember that you can also specify animation-fill-mode, animation-play-state, and more. Each property can also be specified separately if you want more control over the animation.

Manipulating Animation Timeline with Percentages and Keywords

Keyframe animations allow changes in style to be dictated using either percentages or the from and to keywords. from represents the start (0%), and to represents the end (100%) of the animation:

/* Keyframe declaration using keywords */
@keyframes fadeInOut {
from { opacity: 0; } /* The element is fully transparent at the start */
to { opacity: 1; } /* The element is fully visible at the end */
}

.myElement {
  animation: fadeInOut 3s ease-in-out 1s infinite alternate;
}

In the fadeInOut keyframe above, we’re changing the element’s opacity. It starts with being fully transparent (opacity: 0) and transitions to being fully visible (opacity: 1). The from and to keywords can be used interchangeably with 0% and 100%, respectively.

So, when this animation is applied to .myElement, the element will gradually fade in over a 3-second duration, from being completely transparent to fully visible. After a 1-second delay, the process will reverse, causing the element to fade out, creating an ongoing cycle of fading in and out due to the infinite and alternate keywords.

Bringing It All Together

Let’s look at a slightly more detailed example:

/* Keyframe declaration */
@keyframes spin {
  0% { transform: rotate(0deg); } /* Element starts at its original position */
  50% { transform: rotate(180deg); } /* Rotates 180 degrees halfway through the animation */
  100% { transform: rotate(360deg); } /* Completes a full rotation at the end */
}

.box {
  width: 100px;
  height: 100px;
  background: #FF4B59; /* Specific shade of red */
  animation: spin 2s linear infinite; /* Applies the spin animation */
}

And here’s our HTML element:

<div class="box"></div>

In the above example, we define an animation named spin that rotates an element. We apply this animation to a <div> element with the class .box. This <div> is a square with a specific shade of red. It will continue to rotate, creating a loop because of the infinite keyword. The transform property with the rotate() function is used to alter the position of the element, providing the rotation effect. The linear keyword ensures that the rotation speed is consistent throughout the animation.

See the Pen CSS Text Embossing Effect by 1stWebDesigner (@firstwebdesigner) on CodePen.0

Conclusion

CSS keyframes form the foundation of most CSS animations. Naturally, there’s more to learn and experiment with beyond the aspects we covered. For instance, consider exploring the steps() function in CSS animations, which allows you to break your animation into segments, giving you “frame by frame” control.

When it comes to interactive animations, JavaScript can be combined with CSS keyframes to trigger animations based on user actions like clicks or scrolls. Meanwhile, SVG animations offer more complex graphical animations beyond standard HTML elements, allowing you to animate individual parts of an SVG image for intricate visual effects.

As your understanding of CSS keyframes deepens, you’ll be able to leverage them more effectively to improve your designs and their user experience. Consider using animations for user guidance, interaction feedback, or simply to elevate your designs.

However, remember that animations can be resource-intensive. Strive for a balance between the aesthetic appeal of animations and your website’s performance. Techniques such as reducing the number of animated properties or minimizing the number of keyframes can help you achieve this balance.

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Crafting a Loader with Pure CSS

We’ll first structure our spinner using HTML, then we’ll style and animate it using CSS.

HTML Structure for the CSS Loader

<div class="spinner"></div>

Our structure is lightweight, comprising a single div element with a class of “spinner”. This div will serve as the container for our loader.

Now that we’ve set the HTML structure, let’s proceed to craft the spinner using pure CSS.

CSS Styling and Animation for the Loader

/* Defining the Spinner */
.spinner {
  border: 14px solid #e8e8e8; /* Light grey */
  border-top: 14px solid #f65b5f; /* Our color */
  border-radius: 50%; /* Circle */
  width: 80px; 
  height: 80px; 
  animation: spin 1s ease infinite; /* Animation */
}

/* Animation for Spinning Effect */
@keyframes spin {
    to {
        transform: rotate(1turn); /* Full rotation */
    }
}

In the CSS, we define the .spinner class where we design the visual aspects and motion of our loader:

• The border is set to be 14px wide with a light grey color (#e8e8e8). This creates a circle, which becomes our loader’s base.
• The border-top is given a solid, visually appealing color (#f65b5f) to make it stand out against the lighter circle.
• We then make the border circular by setting the border-radius property to 50%.
• The dimensions of the spinner are set with the width and height properties, each set to 80px, giving our spinner a balanced size.
• The animation property defines our animation:
  • The animation’s name is “spin”, which we have defined in the @keyframes rule.
  • The duration is set to 1s, striking a balance between a fast and slow spin.
  • The animation-timing-function is set to ease, giving the animation a more natural feel.
  • The animation-iteration-count is set to infinite, meaning the animation will run indefinitely — perfect for a loader.

Finally, the @keyframes rule spin defines what the animation does — it rotates the spinner one full turn (1turn).

The Result

See the Pen
Spinner Loader with Pure CSS by 1stWebDesigner (@firstwebdesigner)
on CodePen.0

Wrapping Up

Crafting a neat loader isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a crucial tool that communicates system activity to users. When paired with effective UX writing and controlled with JavaScript, loaders can do more than indicate data-fetching; they can convey various states of processes in complex applications. Accompanying messages can offer insights like the operation type or completion time estimate.

Consider an e-commerce site using a small spinner on a “Buy Now” button to show a transaction is underway, with a note saying “Processing your purchase…”. For tasks with longer wait times, like report generation, a fullscreen loader might be suitable, potentially with a progress bar or comforting message such as “Compiling your custom report…”.

But it’s vital that the loader and its messages fit your design language and meet user expectations. The goal is to reduce wait-time friction and create a smooth, intuitive user experience.

Crafting the Fire Animation Text Effect with CSS

Our first step is setting up the structure. Let’s breathe life into the phrase “Ignite your Design”. Here’s the HTML:

<div class="fire">Ignite your Design</div>

And now we’ll explore the corresponding CSS. We will apply a dark background for contrast, center-align the text, set the font and size, and apply a multi-layered text-shadow to give the text a fiery appearance:

body {
 background-color:#222; /* Setting dark background for visual contrast */
}

.fire {
 color: #f5f5f5; /* Light text color */
 text-align:center; /* Center alignment of text */
 font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; /* Monospace font */
 font-size: 80px; /* Text size */
 /* Multi-layered text-shadow for fire effect */
 text-shadow:
 0px -1px 3px #fff, /* Innermost layer - intense heat (white) */
 0px -2px 6px #FF3, /* Second layer - core of flame (yellow) */
 0px -6px 12px #F90, /* Middle layer - body of flame (orange) */
 0px -10px 20px #C33; /* Outermost layer - edges of flame (red) */
}

Let’s break this down further:

• background-color:#222; – Sets the entire body’s background to a dark shade for contrast.
• .fire – Targets the class of our element, which allows us to style our text.
• color: #f5f5f5; – Sets the color of our text to a light grey for better visibility against the dark background.
• text-align:center; – We align the text to the center of the page.
• font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; – We define the font and chose a monospace font for its uniformity and simplicity.
• font-size: 80px; – Sets the text size to be large and noticeable.
• Crucially, the text-shadow property is where the magic happens. It creates multiple layers of shadows in different colors, which we perceive as a flame effect. The colors range from white (the hottest part of a flame) to red (the coolest), simulating a realistic flame gradient.

Bringing the Fire Animation to Life

Next, we’ll animate the text using the @keyframes rule to vary the text-shadow, creating a flickering fire effect:

/* Define the animation named "flicker" */
@keyframes flicker {
    /* Initial state of animation */
    0%, 
    /* Final state of animation */
    100% { 
        text-shadow: 
            0 -1px 3px #fff, /* Innermost layer - intense heat (white) */
            0 -2px 6px #FF3, /* Second layer - core of flame (yellow) */
            0 -6px 12px #F90, /* Middle layer - body of flame (orange) */
            0 -10px 20px #C33; /* Outermost layer - edges of flame (red) */
    }
    /* Middle state of animation */
    50% { 
        text-shadow: 
            0 -2px 6px #fff, /* Innermost layer - intense heat (white) */
            0 -4px 12px #FF3, /* Second layer - core of flame (yellow) */
            0 -8px 16px #F90, /* Middle layer - body of flame (orange) */
            0 -12px 24px #C33; /* Outermost layer - edges of flame (red) */
    }
}

.fire {
    /* Apply the "flicker" animation to the .fire class */
    animation: flicker 2s infinite;
}

Here’s the explanation:

• @keyframes flicker – Here we declare the animation with the name “flicker”. Everything enclosed in the curly braces {} defines the progression of the animation.
• 0%, 100% {...} and 50% {...} – These are the keyframes of the animation. They specify the state of the animation at specific points in time. At the start and end of the animation (0% and 100%), the text-shadow has a smaller blur radius, and in the middle (50%), the blur radius is larger. This variance gives the illusion of a flickering flame.
• .fire { animation: flicker 2s infinite; } – This applies our animation to the .fire class. flicker is the name of the animation, 2s is the duration of one cycle, and infinite means it will repeat indefinitely.

See the Pen
Untitled by 1stWebDesigner (@firstwebdesigner)
on CodePen.0

Fire Animation – More than Just Aesthetic Appeal

We’ve just conjured up a fire animation text effect using simple CSS!

However, our guide isn’t just about crafting a visually pleasing effect. It’s an educational journey into CSS’s dynamic features like text-shadow and @keyframes, showcasing their ability to create captivating visuals. The goal is to illustrate how simple lines of code can birth engaging visual effects.

Keep pushing boundaries and ignite your web design journey!

The HTML and CSS Setup

We start with a straightforward HTML structure: a parent <div> with the class progress-container that houses the overall progress bar, a progress <div> that styles the progress bar’s container and a child <div> with the class <progress-bar> which represents the advancing progress.

<div class="progress-container">
  <div class="progress progress-moving">
    <div class="progress-bar"></div>
  </div>
</div>

In the CSS, we’ll specify the appearance and behavior of these div elements. We’ll also detail the animation, governed by the progress-moving class, that visually communicates the progress.

/* The .progress-container is a wrapper around the progress bar that sets its overall width. */
.progress-container {
  width: 400px;
}

/* The .progress class sets the background, shadow, and border properties of the bar's container. */
.progress {
  padding: 6px; /* Adds space around the progress bar */
  border-radius: 30px; /* Rounds the corners of the bar's container */
  background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25); /* Sets a semi-transparent black background */
  box-shadow: inset 0 1px 2px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25), 0 1px rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08); /* Adds inner shadow for 3D effect and slight outer highlight */
}

/* The .progress-bar class defines the appearance and the animation behavior of the actual progress bar. */
.progress-bar {
  height: 18px; /* Sets the height of the progress bar */
  border-radius: 30px; /* Ensures the progress bar has rounded corners */
  background-image: linear-gradient(to bottom, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05)); /* Adds a subtle gradient to the progress bar */
  transition: 0.4s linear; /* Smoothens the transition when properties change */
  transition-property: width, background-color; /* Specifies which properties the transition effect applies to */
}

/* The .progress-moving .progress-bar selector applies when the progress bar is moving. */
.progress-moving .progress-bar {
  width: 85%; /* Sets the final width the progress bar should reach */
  background-color: #EF476F; /* Sets the final color the bar should transition to */
  animation: progressAnimation 6s; /* Specifies the animation that will play */
}

/* Defines the start and end states of the progress bar during the animation. */
@keyframes progressAnimation {
  0%   { width: 5%; background-color: #F9BCCA; } /* The progress bar starts at 5% width and a light pink color */
  100% { width: 85%; background-color: #EF476F; } /* It ends at 85% width and a darker pink color */
}

In our setup, the progress bar is housed in a .progress-container, which controls the overall width of the progress bar. The .progress class gives styling to the progress bar’s container, adding padding, a rounded border, a semi-transparent black background, and a subtle shadow effect for depth.

• The .progress-bar class defines the visual characteristics and animation behavior of the progress bar itself. Its height, rounded corners, and background gradient are set, and it uses the transition property to ensure that changes in width and background color occur smoothly over time.
• The .progress-moving .progress-bar selector is used to specify the animation when the progress bar is in motion. This is where the final width and color of the progress bar are set, along with the details of the animation that will play.
• The @keyframes progressAnimation rule specifies the start and end states of the progress bar during the animation. At the start (0%), the progress bar has a width of 5% and a light pink color (#F9BCCA). At the end (100%), the progress bar expands to 85% of its container width and changes to a darker pink color (#EF476F).

Potential Improvements

In addition, here are some areas to consider for augmenting the progress bar:

• Dimensions: Adjusting the progress bar’s dimensions to harmonize with your page’s other elements can help enhance your user interface’s overall aesthetics. Ensuring the progress bar is not disproportionately large or small is crucial for maintaining a balanced display.
• Design Coherence: Aligning the progress bar’s visual elements, such as color and animation, with your website’s overall design can enhance the consistency of your user interface.
• Device Compatibility: Guaranteeing your progress bar’s functional and visual consistency across various devices and screen sizes is vital. This will cater to users regardless of their device preferences.

Final Thoughts

While we discussed the standalone design in this guide, such progress bars are typically paired with JavaScript to reflect real-time changes in data, enhancing user interaction further. The techniques shown here can also serve as a base for creating other interactive components on your site. We’ve only scratched the surface of what’s possible with CSS animations. We encourage you to explore, experiment, and create with your newfound knowledge!

The HTML Structure

Let’s start with the structure. Our journey begins with HTML. This is where we craft the skeleton of our tooltip, using a simple button with an embedded span tag. The button triggers the tooltip, and the span tag houses the tooltip text:

<button>Hover Over Me
    <span>Hey! A retro gaming-style tooltip.</span>
</button>

CSS Styling

Next, we move on to the CSS styling, the core of our tooltip’s appearance and animation. Our CSS styling is broken down into four stages: General Setup, Button Styling, Tooltip Styling, and Tooltip Animation.

General Setup

/* Importing custom font for retro gaming feel */
@import url("https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Press+Start+2P&display=swap");

body {
  /* Centring the button */
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  height: 100vh;
}

We import a custom gaming-style font Press Start 2P from Google Fonts for a retro gaming look. Then we style the body to center our button.

Button Styling

button {
  /* Making the button interactive and center aligned */
  display: flex;
  align-items: center;
  justify-content: center;
  position: relative;

  /* Styling the button */
  width: 16em;
  height: 3.2em;
  padding: 0 1em;
  border: none;
  border-radius: 3px;
  background-color: #f04e23;
  color: #fff;

  /* Applying custom font */
  font-family: "Press Start 2P", cursive;
  font-size: 1.8vw;

  cursor: pointer;
  outline: none;
  appearance: none;
}

We start by setting the button to flex and aligning the items to the center. The button is given a width and height, padding, and styled with a rounded border. We set the background color to red-orange (#f04e23), the text color to white, and apply the custom font. The cursor is set to pointer to indicate the button is interactive.

Tooltip Styling

span {
  /* Positioning tooltip relative to the button */
  position: absolute;
  left: 50%;
  bottom: 100%;
  opacity: 0; /* Initially hiding the tooltip */
  margin-bottom: 1em;
  padding: 1em;

  /* Styling tooltip */
  background-color: #303030;
  font-size: 0.6em;
  line-height: 1.6;
  text-align: left;
  white-space: nowrap;

  /* Setting initial state for animation */
  transform: translate(-50%, 1em);

  /* Making the changes smooth for animation */
  transition: all 0.15s ease-in-out;
}

span::before {
  /* Creating a triangle at the top of tooltip */
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  top: 100%;
  left: 50%;
  width: 0;
  height: 0;
  border: 0.5em solid transparent;
  border-top-color: #303030;
  transform: translate(-50%, 0);
}

The span, which contains the tooltip text, is given an absolute position to enable it to be positioned relative to the button. The tooltip is hidden initially with opacity: 0;. The tooltip color is set to dark gray (#303030) to contrast with the button. The span::before selector is used to create a triangle at the top of the tooltip.

Tooltip Animation

button:hover span {
  /* Making tooltip visible and moving it upwards */
  opacity: 1;
  transform: translate(-50%, 0);
}

When the button is hovered over, the tooltip’s opacity changes to 1, making it visible. The transform property also changes; it shifts the position of the tooltip from its initial state (1em below the button, out of sight) to a new state (aligned with the bottom of the button, but appearing above it because of the absolute positioning). The transition property that we defined in the Tooltip Styling section ensures these changes occur smoothly over time, creating an engaging animation effect.

And that’s it! This should give you a button with a cool retro gaming-themed tooltip.

You can play around with the text, colors, font sizes, and other parameters to customize the look and feel of your tooltips to match your taste and preference.

The Final Result

While this retro gaming-style tooltip is a fun addition, remember that it’s not an industry standard. However, it could prove great for personal websites or projects that allow for a more creative and playful interface. You should also consider the color contrast for visually impaired users and the tooltip’s mobile compatibility.

Constructing Neon Glow Text with CSS

In this section, we’ll illuminate how CSS can generate a neon glow text effect. We’re going to incorporate the Monoton font from Google Fonts. By using CSS text-shadow, we’ll create our neon glow, and add a sprinkle of animation for that flickering neon allure.

/* Import Monoton font from Google Fonts */
@import url('https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=Monoton&display=swap');

body {
    /* Create a dark background to enhance the neon effect */
    background-color: #000;
}

.neon {
    /* Apply the Monoton font and set color to white */
    font-family: 'Monoton', cursive;
    font-size: 70px;
    color: #ffffff;

    /* Create the neon effect using multiple text shadows */
    text-shadow:
        0 0 10px #ff4da6,
        0 0 20px #ff4da6,
        0 0 30px #ff4da6,
        0 0 40px #ff4da6;

    /* Add a glow animation for a flickering effect */
    animation: glow 1s infinite alternate;
}

/* Define the glow animation */
@keyframes glow {
    from {
        text-shadow:
            0 0 10px #ff4da6,
            0 0 20px #ff4da6,
            0 0 30px #ff4da6,
            0 0 40px #ff4da6;
    }
    to {
        text-shadow:
            0 0 20px #ff4da6,
            0 0 30px #ff4da6,
            0 0 40px #ff4da6,
            0 0 50px #ff4da6,
            0 0 60px #ff4da6;
    }
}

The text-shadow property acts as our magic tool here, infusing a radiant glow to the text. We stack multiple shadows with varying blur radii to build the glowing aura. The animation property adds dynamic behavior to our text, mimicking a flickering neon sign.

We’re going to add this to the corresponding HTML:

<h1 class="neon">Neon Glow</h1>

Beyond the Showcase: Practical Applications

The neon glow text effect, while not a staple in traditional web design, opens up an array of intriguing possibilities. For instance, imagine infusing a bit of vibrancy into HTTP response status messages or error pages. A 404 error page with a neon, flickering glow could turn a frustrating user experience into an amusing one.

Similarly, you could use this effect to emphasize promotional elements on a website. A neon glow effect announcing a limited-time discount might serve as a unique attention-grabber.

Wrapping Up

CSS can be an immensely powerful tool in a web designer’s arsenal, offering numerous possibilities to let creativity shine. Our demonstration is a testament to that, a creative possibility where a simple text gets a vibrant, retro makeover. We encourage you to keep exploring and experimenting, for every line of code holds the potential to make your designs distinct and memorable.

Adding a CSS animation to your website is a great way to add some extra flair and personality. And, since they’re relatively easy to create, you can experiment with different animations until you find one that fits your site perfectly.

Check out these 14 CSS animations that will add a touch of autumn to your pages. From falling leaves to acorns dropping from trees, these animations are sure to get you in the mood for fall!

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CSS Falling Leaves

See the Pen
CSS falling leaves by Aaron Griffin (@uurrnn)
on CodePen.0

This CSS animation features falling leaves that slowly drift down the page. It’s a simple yet effective way to add a touch of fall to your website.

Only CSS – Autumn

See the Pen
Only CSS: 和嵐 -Autumn- by Yusuke Nakaya (@YusukeNakaya)
on CodePen.0

The Only CSS – Autumn animation features vibrant leaves that change color as they fall. It’s a great way to add some fall flavor to your site.

Autumn

See the Pen
Autumn by Nelson Rodrigues (@nelsonr)
on CodePen.0

The Autumn CSS animation features an orange tree that has leaves piled up around the base of the tree.

Hello Fall

See the Pen
Hello Fall by SalwaMugh (@salwamugh)
on CodePen.0

The Hello Fall CSS animation features falling leaves and a friendly message. It’s a great way to welcome visitors to your site this fall. The steaming cup of coffee or tea perched atop a pile of books sets the perfect autumnal tone, too.

Leaves Falling Animation on Scroll

See the Pen
Leaves Falling SVG GSAP animation with Scrollmagic by Lisa Folkerson (@lisafolkerson)
on CodePen.0

This CSS animation features falling leaves that are triggered when the user scrolls down the page. It’s a great way to add a touch of fall to your site without being too intrusive.

Colours of Autumn

See the Pen
Colours of Autumn | Changing Text Colour Character by Character by Jamie Brook (@sketchbrook)
on CodePen.0

The Colours of Autumn CSS animation features falling leaves in a variety of colors that pass across a festive seasonal message of your choice. It’s a great way to add some visual interest to your site while also sharing a message with your visitors.

Hello Autumn – Header

See the Pen
Header by Ruben Vardanyan (@ruben-vardanyan)
on CodePen.0

The Hello Autumn – Header Animation features falling leaves and a welcome message to happily greet site visitors. The leaves are large and prominent, which might be a good fit for those looking to make a real statement.

Fall – Tree with Falling Leaves

See the Pen
gsap fall by Yi Rui (@yrui)
on CodePen.0

The Fall – Tree with Falling Leaves CSS animation features a tree with leaves falling from the top of the screen. Once the animation loads completely, site visitors will be greeted by a bird that pops out of a nest in the tree. Then a welcome message fades into view.

Autumn Leaves Blowing

See the Pen
Autumn Leaves by mauspace (@mauspace)
on CodePen.0

The Autumn Leaves Blowing In The Wind CSS animation features leaves that blow across the screen while fingers clamp onto a single leaf. This would be a great choice for those looking to add a touch of fall without being too on-the-nose, while also adding some visual interest.

CSS Little Witch

See the Pen
CSS Little Witch by agathaco (@agathaco)
on CodePen.0

The CSS Little Witch animation features a witch pouring something from a beaker into a bubbling cauldron. The background is delightfully festive and features a spider, cat, full moon, broomstick, and many other Halloween-related items.

Vampire and Pumpkins

See the Pen
Vampire and Pumpkins (CSS Image) by Michael Zhigulin (@michael-zhigulin)
on CodePen.0

The Vampire and Pumpkins CSS animation features a vampire that slowly blinks while holding two pumpkins that have a lot to say. This would make for a great site loading screen around Halloween.

CSS Spooky Halloween Pumpkin

See the Pen
CSS Spooky Halloween Pumpkin by Jaume Sanchez (@spite)
on CodePen.0

This CSS Spooky Halloween Pumpkin features a pumpkin that shifts and changes shape upon hover.

Happy Halloween

See the Pen
Happy Halloween by Mohan Khadka (@khadkamhn)
on CodePen.0

The Happy Halloween CSS animation features tombstones, skulls, a full moon, and some jack-o-lanterns that jump when a message that reads “Happy Halloween” appears. And a ghost appears from time to time, too.

CSSpooky Halloween!

See the Pen
CSSpooky Halloween ! by Fehrenbach Baptiste (@medrupaloscil)
on CodePen.0

If you want to keep your site on the cute side, the CSSpooky Halloween! animation is a great choice. This one features a cat that occasionally blinks while sitting in a carved jack-o-lantern.

Bring a Touch of the Fall Season to Your Website

These CSS animations are a great way to add a touch of fall to your website. Whether you want to make a statement or just add a little bit of festive flair, these animations will help you do just that.

SVG Loader Animation

Here are 10 different examples, from the simple to the more complex.

See the Pen
SVG Loader Animation by Nikhil Krishnan (@nikhil8krishnan)
on CodePen.0

Animated – SVG Loader

A clever change of pace from the rotating circle, this animation combines multiple circles rotating back and forth.

See the Pen
Animated – SVG Loader by Steven Roberts (@matchboxhero)
on CodePen.0

SVG Page Load Animations

Three of the more typical, simple loading animations.

See the Pen
SVG Page Load Animations by Bridget Reed (@BridgetCReed)
on CodePen.0

SVG Loader

Here’s a complex, very specific loader that you could use all or parts of to make it your own.

See the Pen
SVG Loader by Swarup Kumar Kuila (@uiswarup)
on CodePen.0

Animated SVG Loader

This is a fun, somewhat mesmerizing loader with several moving parts.

See the Pen
Animated SVG Loader by Tony (@thgaskell)
on CodePen.0

Electric SVG Loader

Very different from the flatter animations, here’s an electric rotating ring.

See the Pen
Electric SVG Loader by Shaw (@shshaw)
on CodePen.0

CSS3 + SVG loader animation

A cute cartoon plane flying through the clouds while the page loads.

See the Pen
CSS3 + SVG loader animation by lionelB (@lionelB)
on CodePen.0

SVG ∞ loader (no JS, cross-browser, minimal code)

A literally infinite animation.

See the Pen
SVG ∞ loader (no JS, cross-browser, minimal code) by Ana Tudor (@thebabydino)
on CodePen.0

UXBOX pencil loader

Here’s another change of pace from the norm – a rotating pencil!

See the Pen
UXBOX pencil loader by elhombretecla (@elhombretecla)
on CodePen.0

SVG Spinner / Loader

A clever combination of the word loading and a circle spinner.

See the Pen
SVG Spinner / Loader by Marcus Hall (@flurrd)
on CodePen.0

Animated Gradient SVG Loader

Another very specific animation that you can use for inspiration or edit to make it your own.

See the Pen
Animated Gradient SVG Loader by Paul Thomas (@motionimaging)
on CodePen.0

Triangle SVG Loader (pure css)

For our last example we have a simple single line triangle loader.

See the Pen
Triangle SVG Loader (pure css) by Dominic Kolbe (@dominickolbe)
on CodePen.0