Designing with CSS – CSS3 2D Transforms
CSS3 2D Transforms allow for various transformation to be applied to elements, such as scaling or rotating, in two-dimensional space. It is possible to apply one or many transforms to a single element. This allows for effects such as rotating text or images at an angle, and can be combined with transitions to apply interactive effects such as scaling up elements when the users interacts with them.
A two-dimensional transformation is applied to an element through the transform property. The value of the transform property is a list of transform-functions applied in the order provided. The individual transform functions are separated by whitespace.
The transform-origin property sets the point of origin from where the transform takes place.
CSS3 Generator
If you are not very comfortable with CSS, or would like to have CSS codes auto-generated for you to save time, here is a useful and handy tool called CSS3 Generator. This simple tool created by Randy Jensen could be used for most basic design elements like rounder corners, box-shadow, text-shadow, etc on your webpages. It will create some cross-browser CSS3 code based on whatever values you want.
You choose a value for scale between 0.1 and 2, how many degrees to rotate, how many pixels to move the X axis and the Y axis (translate), and how many degrees to skew the X axis and the Y axis. The code will be generated.
Your Code:
transform: scale(.5) rotate(5deg) translate(5px, 5px) skew(5deg, 5deg);
-moz-transform: scale(.5) rotate(5deg) translate(5px, 5px) skew(5deg, 5deg);
-webkit-transform: scale(.5) rotate(5deg) translate(5px, 5px) skew(5deg, 5deg);
-o-transform: scale(.5) rotate(5deg) translate(5px, 5px) skew(5deg, 5deg);
If your browser supports CSS3 transform property, I give you below a few examples to demonstrate rotation, scaling and translation.
In each of these examples there are two inner boxes, the box on the left side (blue in color) is without any transform, and the box on the right (red in color) is with transform applied. See the transformation rendered on the right box.
The initial transform-origin value is 50% 50% which is the centre of the element – 50% from the left of the element and 50% from the top of the element. The origin can be specified using either a length, a percentage or the keywords left, center or right (for the X co-ordinate) and top, center or bottom for the Y coordinate.
The first value specified is the X coordinate and the second value is the Y coordinate. The value of the X and Y coordinates are calculated from the top left-hand corner of the element.
Examples of CSS3 2D Transforms
Example1 (2D Transform: Scale)
CSS Code:
transform: scale(1.5);
-moz-transform: scale(1.5);
-webkit-transform: scale(1.5);
-o-transform: scale(1.5);
transform-origin: left top;
-moz-transform-origin: left top;
-webkit-transform-origin: left top;
-o-transform-origin: left top;The scale transform function scales (enlarges or shrinks) the element it is applied on by the value specified from the point of origin.
In this example, scales the right inner box 1.5 times from the top left of the element.
To scale an element smaller, a value less than 1 is used such as 0.5 for halving the size of the element.
Example2 (2D Transform: Translate)
CSS Code:
transform: translate(100px, -50px);
-moz-transform: translate(100px, -50px);
-webkit-transform: translate(100px, -50px);
-o-transform: translate(100px, -50px);The translate transform function moves the element from its original position in the document to the new location specified by the X and Y co-ordinates supplied.
In this example, moves the right inner box 100 pixels to the right and 50 pixels up from the centre of the element.
Example3 (2D Transform: Rotate)
CSS Code:
transform: rotate(30deg);
-moz-transform: rotate(30deg);
-webkit-transform: rotate(30deg);
-o-transform: rotate(30deg);The rotate transform function rotates the element around the point of origin and is specified in degrees.
In this example, rotates the right inner box 30 degrees clockwise.
A negative value will rotate the element anti-clockwise.
Example4 (2D Transform: Skew)
CSS Code:
transform: skew(20deg, 10deg);
-moz-transform: skew(20deg, 10deg);
-webkit-transform: skew(20deg, 10deg);
-o-transform: skew(20deg, 10deg);The skew transform function skews the element along the X or Y axis, or both.
In this example, skews the right inner box 20 degrees on the X axis, so that it is leaning to the left, and 10 degrees on the Y axis, so that it is sloping from top to bottom.
If a negative value is supplied the skew is performed in the opposite direction, i.e. leaning to the right for a negative skew on the X axis, and from bottom to top for a negative skew on the Y axis.
Example5 (2D Transform: Compound)
CSS Code:
transform: translate(100px, 50px) scale(1.5, 1.5) rotate(30deg);
-moz-transform: translate(100px, 50px) scale(1.5, 1.5) rotate(30deg);
-webkit-transform: translate(100px, 50px) scale(1.5, 1.5) rotate(30deg);
-o-transform: translate(100px, 50px) scale(1.5, 1.5) rotate(30deg);Multiple transforms can be applied to one transform property using a space-separated list. When compound transforms are used, they are applied one after another linearly from left to right.
In this example, moves the right inner box 100 pixels to the right and 50 pixels down from the centre of the element, then scales it by 150%, and then rotates it 30 degrees clockwise about the Z axis.
Note that the scale and rotate operate about the center of the element, since the element has the default transform-origin of 50% 50%.
Example6 (Transitions with Transformation)
CSS Code:
transition:all 5s 2s ease;-moz-transition:all 5s 2s ease;-webkit-transition:all 5s 2s ease;-o-transition:all 5s 2s ease;
width:100px;height:100px;background:blue;border:2px solid silver;CSS Code for Transition on Hover:
background:red;border:2px solid gold;
transform:translate(100px, 50px) scale(1.5) rotate(30deg);
-moz-transform:translate(100px, 50px) scale(1.5) rotate(30deg);
-webkit-transform:translate(100px, 50px) scale(1.5) rotate(30deg);
-o-transform:translate(100px, 50px) scale(1.5) rotate(30deg)In this example, we show you how you can animate the transformation with the transitions.
It is the same example as above but I have animated the transformation by applying transition.
Hover over the second inner box to see CSS transitions in action along with transformation.
Box outline offset is currently only supported in Firefox 3.5+ Chrome 3.0+ Safari 3.2+ Opera 10.5+
Check it out! Whether it works for you or not, please share with me by writing a comment, and mentioning your browser and version. Your feedback would be immensely helpful.
CSS3 Generator
CSS 2D Transforms allows elements rendered by CSS to be transformed in two-dimensional space.
CSS3 2D Transforms Property
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