Further Reading & Resources

Whether you're designing or developing, understanding how to use effects on the web can help you create more engaging, accessible, and performant products. Below are some recommended resources:

Articles & Documentation

CSS Box-Shadow Guide (MDN)
Detailed documentation on using CSS box-shadow for adding depth and elevation.
CSS Filter Effects (MDN)
Learn how to use blur, brightness, drop-shadow, and other effects.
A Complete Guide to CSS Gradients (CSS-Tricks)
Understand how to create and use gradients for overlays and effects.
Accessible Shadows (Adrian Roselli)
Discussion of how shadows affect accessibility and how to use them responsibly.

Design Systems & Best Practices

Material Design Elevation
See how Google’s Material Design uses shadow and elevation across components.
Apple Human Interface Guidelines: Visual Effects
Apple’s approach to blurs, vibrancy, and shadows in interface design.
Inclusive Design Principles
Principles and guidance for making visual effects and designs accessible.

Tools

CSS Box-Shadow Generator
Create complex box-shadow values visually.
CSS Filter Generator
An interactive playground for building and previewing CSS filters.
Haikei
Generate unique SVG shapes, blobs, gradients, and grainy effects for backgrounds and overlays.

Videos

Designing Shadows (Google Design)
Explains why and how to use drop shadows in modern design.
Effective Visual Effects for Web UIs (Google Chrome Developers)
Tips for using effects that are performant and accessible.

Community & Inspiration

CodePen 'CSS Shadows' Collection
Explore creative use cases and techniques for web shadows.
Dribbble: Web Effects Inspiration
Real-world design inspiration for overlays, shadows, blurs, and gradients.

Keep in mind: Effects should enhance, not distract from, content and should always be implemented with accessibility and performance in mind.