Pairing fonts is an essential process of any web design. If you want to create a good website design, you need to be able to make decisions such as choosing the right font, color scheme, even the right WordPress theme. For those seeking fonts, web typography tools are their go-to source. But for regular laypersons like us, maybe there is another easier way to attempt this seemingly impossible task.
Of course, there are a variety of font combinations readily available on the web which you can use. However, it’s also important to know how to create your own font pairs. There’s a whole science to applying heading, subheading and body copy to fit the type of content you produce and your brand identity.
To help you with this process, here are 13 of the best font-pairing websites which will help you to find your perfect font combination. These websites are extremely easy to use and wil help you make ideal typography decision in a few seconds. Let us know which ones you have used or if there are any you would like to suggest.
Monotype’s Font Pairing Tool is a user-friendly online resource designed to help users effortlessly find complementary font combinations. Whether you’re crafting a presentation, designing a website, or setting up marketing materials, this tool simplifies the process of selecting fonts that look good together.
Users can explore a variety of font pairings provided by Monotype’s extensive library, which includes both classic and contemporary styles. The tool also offers expert recommendations to ensure that your text is not only aesthetically pleasing but also impactful and readable. Ideal for designers, marketers, and anyone involved in visual content creation, Monotype’s Font Pairing Tool makes typography easy and accessible for everyone.
By simply clicking the “Generate” button, FontJoy presents a combination of three fonts that harmonize well together, making your design aesthetically pleasing. Users can fine-tune their choices by adjusting a slider to blend similarity and contrast in the font selections.
Additionally, there’s an option to lock in a preferred font and generate matching counterparts. Whether you’re designing a website, a poster, or any creative project, FontJoy’s tool simplifies the process of finding the perfect font pairings, saving you time and enhancing your designs with typography that pops.
Font Pair helps designers to combine Google Fonts. Just choose what kind of typeface pair you need between sans-serif, serif and cursive fonts. It also has a collection of font pairs in action.
Type Wolf is a collection of beautiful font combinations from around the web. There, you’ll find the most popular fonts, the site of the day and various font recommendations to find your ideal match.
Google web font directory accounts for over 600 fonts. Of course, most of them are not really nice, but there are also high-quality typefaces which deserve a closer look. Here you can see these fonts in action. Just scroll down the site and see for yourself.
Fonts in Use is a collection of different designs, such as websites, packaging, branding, business cards, posters, magazines along with a list of fonts which were used.
All the fonts on Typ.io are tagged with related words and will help you to pair even complementary fonts together. It also features examples of different fonts used on websites, and you can see these combinations and pick the one you like.
Typotheque is both a graphic design studio and a type foundry publishing and distributing original Latin and non-Latin fonts. Their Font Combinator will help you to pair Latin, Greek, and Cyrillic fonts.
Matcherator by Fontspring will help you to define what font is used on the image. You can download an image from your computer, or use a URL of the image and a tool that will find the exact font (or similar), so you can use it in your design.
Typespiration is an amazing site featuring designer-contributed examples of sample text from their designs. Below each sample you’ll find a list of fonts which were used, color combinations, and even CSS code which you can paste into your website.
It’s time for another edition of our collection of fresh tools and resources for our fellow designers and developers.
This time around, we’ve got a little bit of everything, from demos showcasing the latest CSS features to some nifty JavaScript libraries you won’t want to miss. So, let’s jump right in and explore what’s new!
Akin to CanIUse. CanIEmail provides a comprehensive reference for email client support of HTML and CSS features. It helps you understand which HTML and CSS features are supported across different email clients to create compatible and accessible email designs.
This tool makes it easy for you to create, edit, validate, and preview JSON data. It offers features like syntax highlighting, formatting, error checking, and even a structure preview in a chart format. A handy solution for anyone needing to work with and preview JSON data efficiently.
CSS Anchor Positioning, featuring the new CSS insert-area property, is soon to arrive in the browsers. This site shows a hands-on demonstration of this new specification in action. You can see various anchor positions and how surrounding elements dynamically adjust.
Developed by Atlassian, Pragmatic Drag-n-Drop is a JavaScript library to make adding drag-and-drop functionality on the web easy. It provides a range of features such as custom drag handles, support for touch devices, and compatibility with modern web frameworks including React, Vue, and Angular.
It’s a handy Composer package that you can use this package to read the readme.txt or readme.md file in a WordPress plugin and gather information about the plugin, like the plugin name, required PHP version, tested WordPress version, and description.
PhosphorIcons offers a flexible icon set with 1000+ icons in six weights: Thin, Light, Regular, Bold, Fill, and Duotone. Designed to look sharp at any size, these icons are available for various platforms and frameworks including React, Vue, Flutter, and Elm.
Cascade is a free open-source SaaS boilerplate, providing a minimal setup for starting your SaaS projects. It includes essential tech stack such as Next.js, Prisma, PostgreSQL, and TailwindCSS. It also includes authentication, payments, SEO enhancements, and analytics integration.
With Cascade, you can quickly build SaaS applications efficiently.
This site provides a curated collection of websites featuring dark-themed designs. It showcases websites from various industries and categories, including Education, Commerce, and Agency.
Whether you’re working on a website, app, or interface, this site could provide you with some inspiration.
Cloudflare AI Playground is a online Playground allows you to experiment with different LLM models like Mistral, Llama, OpenChat, and DeepSeek Coder. A handy tool if you plan to run your AI-based application on Cloudflare Workers AI, where you can run these models on its global network using serverless GPUs, bringing AI applications closer to your users.
RunJS is an online JavaScript playground where you can write and run code with instant live feedback. This makes it a convenient tool for quickly trying out ideas, testing algorithms, or debugging code.
Valkey is a high-performance key/value data structure, aiming to resume development on the previously open-source Redis project. Similarly, it supports various native structures and an extendable plugin system.
Elmo is a Chrome extension that can help you condense web content into concise summaries. It also provides instant answers to specific questions from the page, saving you time and effort. It seamlessly integrates into your browsing experience, making it ideal for research or learning without leaving your current webpage.
Banal provides an easy way to check the bundle size of NPM dependencies directly within VSCode. It allows you to identify and assess the impact of each dependency on the overall size of the project. This helps you make informed decisions about which dependencies to include or remove to optimize performance and resource usage.
Eloquent JavaScript is an online book that teaches you JavaScript programming from the basics to advanced topics like functional programming and asynchronous programming. Whether you’re new or want to sharpen your skills, this book is a valuable resource for learning JavaScript.
Firebolt is a React framework for building high-performance, full-stack web applications quickly. It provides a streamlined directory structure, first-class CSS-in-JS support, and an intuitive routing system for pages, assets, virtual files, APIs, and more.
“Grep by example” is an interactive guide for learning the grep CLI, the text search tool commonly found on Linux systems. It offers step-by-step tutorials and allows users to experiment with examples by modifying commands in real-time.
A11yMyths is a website that aims to debunk common misconceptions about web accessibility. It provides information and resources to help you build more inclusive and user-friendly experiences on the Web.
Analog is a meta-framework for building websites and apps with Angular; it’s similar to Next.js or Nuxt, but made for Angular. Key features include support for Vite, Vitest, Playwright, file-based routing, integration of markdown for content routes, API/server route handling, and hybrid SSR/SSG capabilities.
This Chrome extension will add WordPress.org profile links next to GitHub usernames. It helps you easily recognize WordPress users or contributors on Github and collaborate more efficiently. It is available on both Chrome and Firefox.
WordPress.com Studio is a new desktop app for WordPress users, simplifying local development. It allows you to easily share the local work to collaborate with team members or clients, creating patterns and templates, and customize the site with just a few clicks.
Envato Elements is a subscription-based platform offering a vast library of digital assets for various creative projects. This service includes graphic templates, fonts, photos, 3D content, and videos.
It is particularly beneficial for designers, marketers, and other creative professionals, providing unlimited access to these resources for a set monthly or annual fee. Envato Elements is renowned for its cost-effectiveness and extensive, continuously updated collection, making it an indispensable tool in the creative industry.
In this post, I’ll explore several methods to legally download content from Envato Elements at no cost.
Monthly Free Files
Envato Elements provides a selection of free files every month, including fonts, videos, graphics, templates, and more. Visit this page to discover what is available for free each month.
To download these files, you will need to create a free Envato Elements account.
Free Trials
Envato Elements offers a 7-day free trial, during which you can download unlimited files. To start the trial, you must create an account and provide your credit card details. Rest assured, you will not be charged if you cancel the trial before the seven days expire.
Discounts for Students
If you’re a student, you can enjoy a 30% discount on an Envato Elements subscription. While it’s not free, it is significantly cheaper. To qualify for the student discount, you will need to verify your student status with Envato.
Giveaways
Envato Elements occasionally hosts giveaways on social media and other platforms. To participate, follow Envato Elements and meet the entry requirements specified in the giveaway.
Alternative Free Resources
Beyond these options, there are additional sites where you can find free files similar to those offered on Envato Elements. For instance, to download free high-quality images, consider exploring these sites:
Apple introduced the Car Key feature at the WWDC 2020, which lets users unlock and start their cars using the Wallet app on their iPhone or Apple Watch. Here’s a complete list of cars that are compatible with Apple’s Car Key integration.
Apple Car Key is a feature distinct from Apple CarPlay. It is integrated within the Wallet app on your iPhone or Apple Watch, allowing you to add your car keys digitally. Once added, you can lock, unlock, and start your car by simply raising your device near the vehicle’s handle.
You can also share your car keys with friends or family via Messages, Mail, or AirDrop, enhancing convenience. Additionally, Car Key supports Express Mode, which lets you use your car key without needing to unlock your device or authenticate with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode.
How to Add Apple Car Key to iPhone
To use your iPhone or Apple Watch as your car key, you need to ensure compatibility with your vehicle. Check with your car manufacturer or dealership to see if your vehicle supports this feature.
You will need an iPhone XS or later, or an iPhone SE (2nd generation), running the latest version of iOS; or an Apple Watch Series 5 or later, or an Apple Watch SE, with the latest version of watchOS. Make sure you are signed into your device with your Apple ID.
Here’s how to set it up:
Ensure that your car is associated with the account provided by the car’s manufacturer.
Set up your key using the car manufacturer’s app or via your car’s display screen. Follow the instructions to set up your key.
When you are sent to the Wallet app, tap ‘Continue’.
When prompted with on-screen instructions, place your phone near the key reader while your phone and car pair.
Please note that when you pair your car key with your iPhone, it might also be automatically paired with your Apple Watch.
Car Models Supporting Apple Car Key
Brand
Model Years and Types
BMW
2021 – 2023 1 Series
2021 – 2023 2 Series
2021 – 2023 3 Series
2021 – 2023 4 Series
2021 – 2023 5 Series
2021 – 2023 6 Series
2021 – 2023 8 Series
2021 – 2023 X5
2021 – 2023 X6
2021 – 2023 X7
2021 – 2023 X5 M
2021 – 2023 X6 M
2021 – 2023 Z4
2022 – 2023 i4
2022 – 2023 iX
2022 – 2023 iX1
2022 – 2023 iX3
2023 i3
2023 i7
2024 i5
BYD
2022 – 2023 HAN
Genesis
2023 GV60
2023 G90
Hyundai
2023 Palisade
2023 IONIQ 6
2024 Kona EV
Kia
2023 Telluride
2023 Niro
2024 Seltos
2024 EV9
Lotus
Emeya EV
Mercedes-Benz
2024 E-Class
Is There an Official List?
There isn’t an official list of car models that support Apple Car Key by Apple yet, but here’s one that’s closest if you want to keep yourself updated. This is a list of cars that support CarPlay by Apple, and alongside each of the models that support Apple Car Key, a key icon is added.
Workplace communication is a living term with dynamic nuances.
At its worst, the absence of effective communication can lead to negative consequences such as absenteeism, employee turnover, increased conflicts, low morale, and compromised productivity.
Aside from the job scope itself, one factor that significantly influences how employees feel about work is the… Read more
According to David Grossman’s findings in ‘The Cost of Poor Communication,’ inadequate information in an organization results in an average loss of $62.4 million per year.
That’s absurd.
And yet, often, we simply allow poor communication to take the wheel.
If you are letting it happen, it’s high time you reconsider your communication strategy, no matter the scale and sector in which you operate.
So, without further ado, let’s find out why you should invest more heavily in workplace communication and how you can achieve it.
What Is Workplace Communication?
Workplace communication is the foundation of a strong work culture. Whether remote or hybrid, effective workplace communication serves as an insightful manual for how your teams interact with each other.
Whether synchronous or asynchronous, these concepts refer to the exchange of information, such as providing and receiving feedback, sharing project information, statuses, and updates, or presenting ideas. Defining your company goals, fostering teamwork, and coordinating various aspects of work are influential factors that drive effective workplace communication.
Some examples of workplace communication include:
1:1 sessions
Quick dial-ins
Quick messages
Team or group meetings
Project or task updates
Formal presentations
Written documents
Informative emails
Video conferences
Non-verbal communication
Why Do You Need to Focus on Improving Workplace Communication?
Effective workplace communication is the backbone of a successful organization.
It ensures smooth operations and synergy among team members, preventing misunderstandings and confusion from evolving into chaotic quagmires.
As a leader, you should not allow these disruptions to waste employees’ potential and efforts.
Investing time in refining your communication strategy yields both short-term and long-term benefits, empowering individuals and teams, and benefiting the organization as a whole.
Let’s explore other ways effective communication can elevate a company’s success standards.
Increases Productivity
According to Harris Poll’s The State of Business Communication in 2023, effective communication is trusted by 72% of business leaders to increase productivity, with 50% of workers agreeing. Improved communication strategies make employees feel empowered, understand their roles, fulfill duties efficiently, and seek collaboration opportunities, leading to smoother operations and faster achievement of results.
Enhanced Engagement
Effective communication fosters an environment where employees feel valued, heard, and respected, increasing trust in management and commitment to the organization. Transparent and regular communication across teams builds cohesion, motivating employees towards achieving company goals.
Reduces Conflict
Lack of communication or clashes of diverse perspectives, cultures, and beliefs can lead to conflicts, misinterpretation, and miscommunication, adversely impacting employee relationships and organizational environment. Refining communication styles prevents the workplace from becoming toxic and ensures information is conveyed and understood accurately.
Improves Retention
According to the Work Institute’s Retention report, the average replacement cost for an employee earning a median salary of $50,000 a year is $16,500. Promoting effective workplace communication is cost-effective as it enhances employee retention, reducing the need for frequent recruiting and training.
Better Collaboration
Effective communication is the basis for collaboration. When everyone is aware of each other’s needs, preferences, strengths, and weaknesses, it fosters a supportive environment. Tools like ProofHub enhance collaboration by providing a centralized platform for team communication, project management, file sharing, and task tracking, ensuring seamless teamwork and unified project progression.
5 Key Tips to Improve Workplace Communication
Now that you have a complete understanding of effective workplace communication and its importance, let’s move forward and examine practical tips to enhance communication within your organization.
1. Know What to Say and to Whom
Communication is an art that requires understanding of different communication styles. Being aware of your audience allows you to select your words carefully to be considerate. Consider the medium of communication that best suits the message and the audience, whether it be face-to-face interaction, email, or messaging. Establish clear communication guidelines to ensure messages align with the intended context and content, fostering a close-knit community.
2. Practice Two-Way Communication
Effective communication is bidirectional. It involves listening as much as talking. Keep an open perspective, understand the contributions of others, and provide a space for everyone to be heard without prejudice. Ensure that you reach out to acknowledge and consider every unique perspective, as not everyone will proactively share their thoughts.
3. Be Mindful of Your Non-Communicative Gestures
Non-verbal cues, such as facial expressions, body language, and voice tone, can unintentionally convey messages. Be mindful of these non-communicative gestures during conversations to avoid misunderstandings and project approachability, sincerity, and empathy, especially during challenging discussions.
4. Create a Collaborative Environment
Assess the quality of engagement within your team to ensure it’s genuine and not just superficial politeness. A healthy communicative environment prioritizes psychological safety, encouraging open exchange of ideas, feedback, and thoughts without fear of judgment. Modern workplaces benefit from enterprise communication solutions for internal collaboration, promoting an open dialogue exchange beyond traditional ideations.
5. Use Technological Applications
The adoption of remote and hybrid work setups globally has presented challenges in managing effective communication, especially in a distributed workforce. Utilizing technological tools like Chanty or Slack can streamline communication, serving as efficient alternatives for face-to-face interactions and ensuring everyone is aligned and informed.
Takeaway
Workplace communication has significantly evolved over the years, yet predicting its definitive future remains challenging. Remaining in the comfort zone is not conducive to progress.
Despite uncertainties, improving workplace communication is crucial to ongoing success, as its significance has grown beyond simply exchanging information.
In conclusion, continually enhancing your communication skills is essential to transforming your organization into a productivity powerhouse.
Automation is a hot topic in the technology sector today, and for good reason. It’s a key driver of productivity, enabling maximum efficiency in various tasks, particularly when it comes to web services. This is where Zapier comes into play – it’s one of the simplest tools for automation.
Zapier stands out as a highly popular automation tool. It’s compatible with hundreds of web services and even supports conditional workflows. Plus, you can start using it for free! While the free version does have some limitations (like missing out on conditional workflows), it’s definitely worth exploring. Intrigued yet?
From task automation to team collaboration, explore the top project management tools that cater to diverse needs. Streamline… Read more
How does Zapier function?
Zapier operates by establishing links between various web applications and services. These links are referred to as “Zaps”, which are based on the concept of cause and effect, or more specifically, triggers and actions. In Zapier’s terminology, a “Zap” is a connection that binds a trigger and an action together.
To illustrate, suppose you post an image on Twitter, which is set as a trigger. Zapier recognizes this activity and then executes the corresponding action. For instance, it might take the image from your tweet and save it to your Google Drive. Fascinating, isn’t it?
Integromat vs. Zapier: Features, Prices, Pros & Cons
Compare Integromat and Zapier for task automation with insights on features, pricing, and usability. Read more
How to create and use zaps?
Before talking about the useful zaps, let’s see how to create and use them:
First of all, open and log in to Zapier (or sign up if required).
You’ll see the home screen asking you to create your first zap. Type and search for the apps you wish to connect. Next, select a trigger and an action from their dropdown and click “Use Zap“.
Note: Alternatively, you can click the links given below to check out those zaps directly, and then, you can continue below to configure them.
In the zap editor, click “Connect an Account” to connect the trigger app or service first. Then, click the “Save + Continue” button.
Now, pick a sample (if asked) to test the zap and click Continue.
Then, select the app or service to carry out the action when the trigger happens. You need to select this again even if you picked it earlier.
Now, select an action to perform in the zap. Of course, if you selected it before, it will be pre-selected for you. So, just click Continue.
Then, press “Connect an Account” to connect the app or service you wish to perform an action. After you connect it, click Test to check its connection with Zapier, and finally, click “Save + Continue“.
Next, you must configure the options for the action. It will differ per the action in your zap, but it will be simple as shown here. For example, I am creating a zap for saving my tweets’ links to a text file in Dropbox.
Finally, on the next screen, test your zap before activating it. If you’re satisfied with it, click Finish to save and activate your zap.
Zaps for Google Apps & Services
Allow me to introduce you to the concept of “zaps”, a tool for automating Google apps and services. While Google Apps Scripts offer a more customizable approach to automation, Zapier provides a quick and easy alternative.
Let’s now explore the automation tools, often referred to as ‘zaps’, for social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. With these tools, you can conveniently share images and updates across multiple networks by simply forwarding them from one platform to another.
I believe in automation in spite of the debates going on around its issues as it boosts productivity. It helps me every day in my work, and I hope it will help you too.
Are you wondering why your iPad is displaying the “iPad Unavailable” message and not accepting your passcode? It’s likely that the passcode has been entered incorrectly too many times, triggering the device’s security lock.
This is a security feature designed by Apple to prevent unauthorized access. In this article, we’ll explore the “iPad Unavailable” message and provide several solutions to resolve it.
When your iPad displays an “iPad Unavailable” message, it typically results from multiple incorrect passcode entries. If you enter the wrong unlock code five times in succession, the device activates its Security Lock feature.
The duration of this security lock increases with each incorrect attempt: starting at 1 minute and extending to 5, 15, 30, and finally 60 minutes. If incorrect attempts reach 10, the message changes to “iPad unavailable” without a timer, indicating that the device is completely locked.
Under these conditions, remembering and entering the correct passcode may no longer unlock the device.
Try These Few Ways to Fix It
Method 1: Enter the Correct Passcode
This is the straightforward solution. If your device displays the message “iPad Unavailable/Security Lockout, try again in X minutes” on the lock screen, wait until it permits you to attempt entering the passcode again.
Make sure to enter the correct passcode to avoid further waiting times for subsequent attempts.
Method 2: Resolve ‘iPad Unavailable’ Using a Specialized Tool
If your iPad shows “iPad is unavailable” without a timer, or you prefer not to wait for the timer to expire, consider using a dedicated software solution to unlock it.
iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius is a tool designed to remove various types of security locks from iOS and iPadOS devices, including screen lock passwords, MDM restrictions, Screen Time passwords, and Apple IDs. It supports a wide range of Apple devices, such as the latest iPhones, iPads, and iPods.
To use iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius to solve the problem, follow these steps:
Download and install iSunshare iPhone Passcode Genius on your PC. Launch the software and select the “Unlock Lock Screen” option.
Connect your iPad to your computer using a USB cable and click “Next” to proceed.
The software will automatically detect your device and prompt you to choose a location to save the firmware package. Click “Download” and wait for the download to complete.
Once the firmware is downloaded, click “Unlock” to begin the unlocking process. The software will then immediately resolve the “iPad Unavailable” issue.
Wait for a few minutes, the software will notify you “Unlocked screen successfully“, your iPad will reboot and you can access it and restore data from backup.
Pros: This method has a high success rate for resolving “iPad Unavailable” messages and other passcode-related issues on both iPads and iPhones.
Cons: It requires access to a computer to use (download and install) the software for unlocking the device.
Method 3: Unlock an Unavailable iPad via Erase Option
No computer? No problem. Apple provides a solution for users who have accidentally triggered the iPad’s secure lock mode. The “Erase iPad” option on the iPad unavailable lock screen allows you to unlock your device without a computer.
However, this method will completely erase all content on your device and requires your Apple ID and credentials.
Enter the incorrect passcode seven times consecutively until the iPad displays “iPad unavailable“, try again in 15 minutes.” At this point, an “Erase iPad” button will appear in the bottom right corner of the screen.
Tap the “Erase iPad” button, then tap it again to confirm that you want to erase all content.
Enter your Apple ID password when prompted, and tap “Erase iPad” again to begin the erasure process.
Pros: This method allows you to unlock your iPad without the need for a computer or iTunes.
Cons: It is only effective on certain devices running specific versions of iOS and requires a valid internet connection to work.
Method 4: Erase an Unavailable iPad via iCloud
If the “Find My iPad” feature is enabled on your device, you can use iCloud to erase your iPad and when it’s erased, it’s automatically unlocked.
Here’s how to do it:
Visit iCloud.com/find on another device, and log in with your Apple ID associated with the iPad.
Click on “Find My” from the dashboard, and you’ll be prompted to re-enter your Apple ID and password for verification.
From the “All Devices” list, select the locked iPad, click on “Erase iPad,” confirm the operation, and wait for the process to complete. The iPad will then be unlocked.
Pros: This method does not require any software downloads.
Cons: You must have the Apple ID and password used on the locked iPad to perform this operation.
Method 5: Remove ‘iPad Unavailable’ Message via iTunes
You can also resolve the “iPad Unavailable” issue using iTunes, which does not require internet access, nor does it require your Apple ID and credentials. Here’s how you can do it:
Update iTunes on your Windows PC to the latest version, then connect the unavailable iPad to your computer.
Put the iPad into Recovery Mode.
Once in Recovery Mode, iTunes will automatically detect the iPad. You will be prompted to either “Restore” or “Update” the device. Select “Restore” and wait for the factory reset process to complete.
Pros: This method allows you to unlock an iPad without needing the Apple ID associated with it.
Cons: Entering Recovery Mode can be complex and may be challenging for some users.
Summary
Dealing with an “iPad Unavailable” message can be stressful, especially if you don’t remember your passcode or if the waiting time to retry is too long. So here’s a re-cap, depending on your situation, you can select the most convenient option:
Direct Passcode Entry: The simplest method, which involves entering the correct passcode after waiting for the designated lockout period to expire.
Erase via iPad Options: A viable option if no computer is available, though it results in the loss of all data on the iPad unless backed up.
iCloud Erasure: Effective if “Find My iPad” is enabled, allowing remote erasure and unlocking of the iPad. This method also erases all contents on the device.
iTunes Recovery: A method that doesn’t require internet or Apple ID credentials but involves complicated steps to enter Recovery Mode.
Each method serves different needs and comes with specific requirements and drawbacks. Whether you have immediate access to a computer, whether your device has “Find My iPad” enabled, and whether you know your Apple ID and passcode can all influence your choice of method.
Evaluate your circumstances and choose the approach that best fits your situation to efficiently restore access to your iPad.
If you are not comfortable using real photos to represent yourself in any online profiles and avatars, why not create a cartoon character of yourself? It’ll be fun and unique to others when you are representing yourself in a cartoonized way in your online profiles.
Thanks to many free web services, you don’t have to pay an artist for your cartoon illustrations. All you have to do is upload your photo or run some mix-and-match. Here are 13 websites that allow you to create a cartoon character of yourself.
Explore a variety of customizable body parts, backgrounds, and poses in three styles to create character illustrations for your projects. Sapiens Character Builder by UI8 provides a straightforward way to assemble unique characters.
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Cartoonify is a straightforward online tool for creating cartoon avatars. You can choose from 300 different graphic elements to add to your character and save your creation in PNG, SVG, or upload to Gravatar. There’s also a how-to guide to help you create your character on the site.
AI Cartoonizer can turn any photo into a cartoon-style image. It lets you turn your face into anime, caricature, or Disney-style characters within a few seconds. The tool is also available for Android and iOS. You can edit and tinker with the created characters and add text, frames, and additional effects.
Meda.io is an instant cartoon character maker that fast and free. Just upload your photo, start the process, and get an interesting image within seconds. You can give effects to your photos or turn them into caricatures and share the characters with friends or on social media. Plus, you don’t have to create an account to convert your photos.
VanceAI Toongineer is an AI-powered tool that turns your normal photos into cartoons in the quickest way possible. You can give your pictures some amazing effects and artistic touch. The created images are high-quality, so you can easily get them printed.
Image to Cartoon enables you to turn your photos into cartoon characters and avatars with just a few clicks. You can add any interesting body (batman, superman, aviator) to your characters and add your characters to a cool background and have fun with it. The best part is, the image you’ll create will be deleted from the app within 3 hours.
Create realistic and creative cartoon characters with Bitmoji. On the website, you need to create an account and start making a perfect bitmoji adding your peculiar features. Moreover, you can share the created bitmoji in any iOS or Android app and add them to iMessage, Gboard, or as a Chrome extension to your browser.
Claiming to be one of the best online photo editors in Japan, Photokako lets you turn your photos into different effects and characters. Interestingly, the site features hundreds of effects or editing samples so you can easily pick the best for your photos. Plus, its free and really easy to use.
Avatar maker can help you create an interesting avatar for yourself or for your projects. Through an interesting interface, you can add different elements to your avatar in terms of hair, face, eyes, clothes, and background. Once done, you can download your character in SVG or PNG format.
An AI-powered tool, Cutout.pro, can turn your portrait photos or selfies into 3D cartoon characters. You can drag-and-drop, upload, or paste the image URL and cartoonize it with one click. The website is also available as an Android and iOS app.
Befunky Photo to Cartoon lets you upload your photos on PNG, JPG, or BDF format and convert them into cartoon characters. There are different editing features for changing color, touchups and adding text, graphics, and frames etc. You can also choose from a number of pre-made effects and apply to your photos.
The site has detailed instructions how to create a drawing or cartoon of yourself in Photoshop or Illustrator. Note: you need to have Photoshop or Illustrator to follow the instructions and perhaps some drawing skills.
Portrait Illustration make is a free cartoon avatar generator. Just hit the “Randomizer” button and the site will automatically generate avatars randomly. You can save the Avatar image by right-clicking them and using the Save Image As option from the context menu.
This awesome site can not only turn your landscape photo into a watercolor drawing, but also make your face morph. Just upload your photo to the website and get numerous changes of facial expressions.
Whether you’re running a small online business or a large corporation, if your business revolves around customer service and interaction, adopting a ticketing system is a wise move, or at the very least, worth considering.
These systems are more than mere tools; they’re vital lifelines for businesses dedicated to exceptional customer service and efficient support processes. The ideal ticketing system can elevate your support strategy, transforming every customer interaction into a chance for growth and building loyalty. If your aim is to streamline and keep track of customer interactions, these systems are indispensable.
In this post, we’re excited to spotlight the best support ticketing systems available, both free and paid.
Overview:
Zendesk: Great when integrated with other Zendesk products. See details ↓
The first in our list is Zendesk. It is a great tool created to cater to the requirements of customers, service agents, and managers. It has a user-friendly interface that lets customers raise their concerns or issues through different platforms such as websites, emails, phone calls, and even Facebook. Service agents can view customer details and participate in group discussions, while managers have access to important data and reports for analysis.
Additionally, Zendesk can be used on Android and iOS devices.
Atera Helpdesk is an all-in-one IT platform that combines remote monitoring and management with professional service automation. This powerful tool simplifies IT operations by integrating various functions into a single, easy-to-use interface. IT professionals can efficiently manage support tickets, monitor client networks, and conduct remote troubleshooting.
Featuring real-time analytics and automated workflows, Atera optimizes efficiency and reduces response times. Its comprehensive set of tools supports everything from patch management to security monitoring, ensuring IT systems operate smoothly and securely. Atera’s predictive analytics enhance proactive maintenance and facilitate informed decision-making, improving customer satisfaction.
Ideal for small to medium-sized IT businesses, Atera Helpdesk offers a cost-effective, flat-rate pricing model that allows for unlimited scalability, helping IT teams reduce manual tasks and focus on more strategic initiatives.
Atera’s price:
Atera offers a free 30-day trial with no credit card required.
Its Pro paid plan starts at $99/month. Other paid plans include the Growth plan, starting at $129/month, and the Power plan at $169/month.
Formerly NinjaRMM, NinjaOne’s ticketing system enhances IT support efficiency with its feature-rich platform. Its standout customizable ticketing system allows detailed device information display and quick actions like remote access from the ticket, centralizing control and streamlining IT problem management.
NinjaOne also optimizes IT team workflows by auto-filling ticket details, minimizing errors and saving time. Intelligent ticket routing directs issues to the most qualified technicians, ensuring effective problem resolution. Additionally, features like messaging and activity feeds foster team collaboration, aiding in efficient problem-solving.
NinjaOne’s price:
NinjaOne does not publicly display their pricing options on their website. However, they offer a 14-day free trial for those interested in trying out their services. For detailed pricing information, potential customers can request a quote directly from their pricing page.
What we like:
Provides proactive security with effective patch management.
Features a modern, easy-to-use interface.
Offers strong product integrations.
Efficiently monitors IT assets and networks.
What we don’t like:
Challenging for users without advanced IT knowledge.
Lacks certain features like cross-organization accounts and SAML SSO.
Requires mandatory two-factor authentication for changes.
Hiver stands as a unique support ticket or helpdesk solution that is based on Gmail, specifically designed for businesses looking to optimize their customer support operations within their existing email environment.
It enables effective team collaboration and communication across multiple channels, including email, live chat, and voice communication, all integrated within the Gmail interface. This integration creates a unified inbox experience, which simplifies the handling of multi-channel support and boosts team productivity.
Hiver’s price:
Hiver starts at $15/user/month
What we like:
Integrates smoothly with Gmail, easing onboarding and use.
Improves handling of client emails and team communication.
Automatically sorts emails to the appropriate team member.
Organizes shared inboxes and monitors email flow efficiently.
Enables shared mailbox use with prioritization and task completion.
What we don’t like:
Occasional glitches with pending emails not auto-opening on replies.
SysAid is a flexible customer support software designed to help customer service and IT teams handle customer problems effectively. Rather than manually creating and sorting tickets, this tool automatically categorizes, directs, and prioritizes tickets to the appropriate teams.
Additionally, it provides features that allow your support staff to solve numerous customer issues via a self-service portal. They can also remotely connect to user computers and oversee IT resources through the service desk.
SysAid Helpdesk Software provides a free trial. The Basic or Full Edition starts at $1211 per year, which includes 500 assets and 5 users, or $1611 per year for 1000 assets.
What we like:
Easy setup and configuration without the need for coding.
Efficient automation for sorting and directing tickets to the appropriate help desk.
On-premise delivery mode, enabling employees to respond to customer requests more quickly.
The ability to remotely access user machines to resolve issues promptly.
What we don’t like:
The free version has limited options. For more advanced features, a paid subscription is necessary.
While configuration is straightforward, the multitude of options can overwhelm users.
Managing software licenses can be somewhat complicated.
Freshdesk, a product of Freshworks, is among the top support ticketing software available. It even offers a lifetime free plan for three support staff members. In terms of features and simplicity, it is on par with Zendesk, and it is also quite user-friendly and easy to manage.
Freshdesk allows your customers to submit complaint tickets with ease and equips your support staff with the necessary tools to handle these complaints efficiently.
Freshdesk’s price:
Freshdesk can be used for free, with plans ranging from $15/month to $79/month.
What we like:
Modern and feature-rich interface.
Availability across various platforms.
Workflow automation and multiple integrations.
What we don’t like
Lack of SMS integration.
The free plan is available but lacks many advanced features.
Zoho Desk provides a multi-channel customer service tool that enables you to respond to and follow up with your customers. This tool utilizes AI technology to proactively sort support tickets, and you can incorporate workflow automation to handle repetitive tasks.
Furthermore, you can address customer inquiries via email, social media, chat, phone, and your website.
You also have the option to link your account with third-party tools using REST APIs.
Zoho Desk’s price:
Zoho Desk is free for up to 3 agents, albeit with limited functionalities. Paid plans commence at $14/month.
What we like:
The ability to integrate with any website through a simple widget.
The capability to monitor your tickets and agents directly from the intuitive dashboard.
The option to interact with your customers across various platforms.
What we don’t like:
The lack of easy scalability in response to increased demand.
The absence of a desktop app.
The necessity for extensive customization before initial use.
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus is an intuitive tool for IT and customer management. It boasts a plethora of advanced features, including multi-channel support compatible with nearly all platforms, customer account and contact management, a self-service portal for customers, and a help desk that provides comprehensive information.
To obtain pricing information, you can input your specific details and requirements to receive a personalized quote. However, you have the option to test the service via a limited free trial before subscribing.
ServiceDesk Plus’s price:
ManageEngine ServiceDesk Plus offers a free trial. After the trial period, you can request a pricing quote.
What we like:
Ticket logging for end users, enabling them to track the progress of their queries.
Comprehensive management of incidents, problems, and changes.
Automated responses and a history of requests.
What we don’t like:
The setup process can be somewhat confusing due to insufficient documentation.
Deskpro is an all-in-one helpdesk software that delivers exceptional support experiences for your customers or internal users. It offers the flexibility to host your helpdesk in the Cloud or On-Premise.
With Deskpro’s workflow-driven automation and prioritization tools, you’ll never lose track of tickets. Its comprehensive ticketing support software streamlines communication with your customers and/or internal teams by providing efficient and effective solutions for routing and automating your daily communication processes. Deskpro allows you to connect through multiple channels and manage all support interactions in one intuitive interface, whether it’s for one brand or multiple.
Deskpro’s price:
Deskpro pricing begins at $29 per agent per month.
What we like:
Highly customizable and versatile to meet the specific needs of any organization
Ability to manage multiple brands and departments from the same interface.
Intelligent automation tools are included.
Offers 24/7 self-service support through the Help Center.
Real-time reporting with customizable reports for valuable insights
What we don’t like:
No free version available, although a 14-day free trial is offered.
The extensive customization capabilities can be overwhelming for some users.
Salesforce’s Service Cloud enables you to deliver an efficient and personalized customer experience. Customer agents can access all customer data through a unified dashboard. Additionally, managers can optimize their sales team’s performance using apps and AI-powered insights.
Some of the most impressive features of Salesforce’s Service Cloud include a service console with keyboard shortcuts and templates, efficient case management with access to comprehensive customer interaction data, service automation, analytics, and an extensive knowledge base for agents.
The Essential plan starts at $25/user/month; the Professional plan at $75/user/month; the Enterprise plan at $150/user/month, and the Unlimited plan at $300/user/month.
Salesforce Service Cloud does not offer a free plan, but all plans include a 30-day trial.
What we like:
The ability to add or remove features according to your requirements.
Efficient management of the sales team and optimization of agent performance.
Easy implementation and scalability to suit your needs with minimal coding requirements.
What we don’t like:
The tool is costly. You must pay for add-ons to maximize the platform’s utility.
The interface is somewhat cluttered, with somewhat complex navigation.
It relies entirely on the Salesforce database, which gives you less control over CRM upgrades.
Hesk is a free help desk software that can be utilized for customer support or as an IT help desk.
Its features encompass the submission of support tickets via a web form or email integration (including OAuth for Microsoft 365), organization of tickets by category and urgency, automatic assignment to users, response templates, customization, and reporting.
Hesk is equipped with a fully-integrated knowledge base that can offer self-help guides to users either through a search function or by automatically suggesting relevant articles when a ticket is submitted.
Hesk’s price:
The self-hosted version of Hesk is available at no cost. The cloud-based version commences at $29.99 per month for 10 support agents.
What we like:
It’s simple to set up, customize, and operate.
Integrated knowledge base (can be activated/deactivated or used independently).
Tidio is a comprehensive customer communication tool that incorporates a live chat, chatbots, email marketing templates, and a proprietary ticketing system. It enables the management of all support requests in a single, organized, and efficient location.
With Tidio, you can establish priorities, delegate tasks, and revisit older conversations without the need for any third-party tools. This streamlines the process, making it more straightforward and enjoyable for both support agents and clients.
Tidio’s price:
Tidio’s ticketing system is available for free. However, paid plans that offer additional features start at $17 per month.
What we like:
No coding required for easy setup.
Simple organization and customization of support conversations.
Efficient handling of requests.
A tool optimized for teamwork.
Availability of a free plan.
What we don’t like:
The features of the free plan are limited. To access more advanced options, you must subscribe to a paid plan.
The multitude of features and customization options might be overwhelming for a new user.
osTicket, the most popular open-source ticket system, is available in two versions: downloadable and hosted. The downloadable version is free and requires hosting on your own server. The hosted version, marketed as SupportSystem, is a paid ticketing service that offers the reliability and security of managed cloud hosting.
osTicket’s price:
osTicket’s downloadable version is free.
What we like:
Easy setup process.
Comprehensive documentation.
Features for merging duplicate tickets and setting reminders for stale tickets.
Spiceworks is a free software suite designed for IT professionals and businesses. It provides a variety of tools that streamline IT tasks, such as a network manager, help desk software, and a question-and-answer forum. The help desk software is furnished with features like ticket submission through a web portal or email, ticket organization, automated ticketing tasks, and a knowledge base.
What we like:
The ability to generate tickets from multiple sources.
Comprehensive documentation and an extensive knowledge base.
The provision of a seamless workflow with excellent customization options.
What we don’t like:
The desktop application is missing many core functionalities.
Integrations with third-party apps are not very smooth.
Request Tracker, developed by BestPractical.com, is a free (when self-hosted) and open-source issue tracking system. It boasts a plethora of features such as a dashboard, relationship graphs, a mobile-optimized interface, time-tracking and reporting, PGP support for emails, branding and custom theming, and a knowledge base, among others.
What we like:
The web-based tool is accessible from anywhere.
It is suitable for both large and small businesses.
The customer support offers a variety of support plans.
Vision Helpdesk is a multi-channel, web-based helpdesk software. It distinguishes itself with unique features such as a Satellite helpdesk, Ticket billing, and Blabby. It also connects separate helpdesks to a central helpdesk. Its functionality can be expanded with modules and app integrations, and it also offers a mobile version.
Vision Helpdesk provides a free 30-day trial, with plans starting at $12/month.
What we like:
It offers multi-layered customization options.
Emails are well-organized and professionally structured.
It is quite affordable for businesses of all sizes.
What we don’t like:
Third-party integrations are not seamlessly incorporated.
There are very few ready-to-use configurations; most of the setup must be done manually.
HelpSpot is a comprehensive, web-based help desk software. It offers a wide range of features such as a centralized help desk portal, ticket management, filtering, automation, a mobile-optimized interface, customer management, time tracking, benchmarking and performance reporting, and multi-brand support.
HelpSpot offers a free 21-day trial, with plans starting at $14/agent/month.
What we like:
Easy reporting through custom categories and sub-categories.
Efficient workflow automation through multiple rules.
It allows for organized customer conversations and quick retrieval of ticket history.
What we don’t like:
The UI is somewhat outdated and occasionally buggy.
JitBit Helpdesk is available in two versions: Web-Based Help Desk and SaaS Help Desk. The former can be downloaded (upon purchase) and hosted on your server, while the latter is hosted remotely in JitBit’s cloud and can be accessed via the web. It offers features such as a knowledge base, reporting, asset-tracking, a customizable interface, unlimited agent allowance, email integration, and more.
Plans for JitBit Helpdesk start at $1699/year.
What we like:
Efficient filtering for email notifications.
Clean and uncluttered interface.
Detailed analytics and metric tracking.
What we don’t like:
It is quite expensive and does not offer a free version.
Kayako provides unified help desk support and multiple channels to over 30,000 organizations. Some of its features include ticketing through the helpdesk or email, ticket routing and prioritization, reports, feedback, and ratings.
Plans for Kayako start at $30/month.
What we like:
User-friendly interface with an intuitive UI.
An impressive ticketing system.
Visibility and SLA management.
What we don’t like:
Generating reports can be challenging.
Customer support could be improved.
It is quite expensive for small to medium-sized businesses.
If your objective is to enhance customer support directly from your WordPress dashboard, Support Genix is the ideal choice. With its robust WordPress ticketing system plugin, you can swiftly generate and manage support tickets. The transfer feature facilitates easy movement of issues between departments or teams as needed.
For businesses with a rapidly expanding customer base, the Genix Support ticket plugin is ideal for managing all customer inquiries. Consequently, this remarkable WordPress Support Ticket Plugin can manage everything from a single location.
Support Genix offers both a free and a pro version, with the pro version providing additional features and support. The most economical Personal package is priced at just $29/year, which includes unlimited tickets and business email piping. Alternatively, a one-time payment of $59 grants access to similar features with lifetime updates and support.
This ticket system is feature-rich and comes in two versions. The free version provides basic ticketing features, while the premium version offers more features for handling customer tickets more efficiently. Features can be expanded using plugins.
This is a ticketing system designed for Drupal. It offers basic ticketing features such as ticket creation, ticket assignment to users, email integration and notifications, ticket overviews, and ticketing activity charts.
RSTickets’s help desk ticketing system for Joomla. It includes features like ticket creation and management, automatic ticket assignment, performance management, an integrated knowledge base, customized email messages, and a dashboard for quick access to all customer support areas.
In a previous article, we played with CSS masks to create cool hover effects where the main challenge was to rely only on the <img> tag as our markup. In this article, pick up where we left off by “revealing” the image from behind a sliding door sort of thing — like opening up a box and finding a photograph in it.
See the Pen [Image gift box (hover to reveal)](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/LYaPPPo) by Temani Afif.
Pretty neat, right? You might think this is an easy thing to pull off. All we really need is an overlay above the image that we translate, and, boom, we’re done, right?
That’s true. But if you check the code, you won’t find any additional elements in the markup other than the exact same <img> tag we used last time. Plus, we cannot even use pseudo-elements to make this work. This is what makes such an effect a bit more challenging.
Don’t look at the code right now. Let’s build it together by breaking the demo into isolated little CSS tricks.
The Image And Sliding Overlay
You would be correct in thinking it’s impossible to add an overlay to an image without an extra element. Instead, we are going to fake it and create the illusion of an overlay.
We have defined the width as a CSS variable (--s) and repurposed it to apply padding along the right side of the element. Combined with box-sizing: border-box, this will make the size of the content box equal to 0. In other words, we don’t see the image, but we see the background color since it covers the padding area.
On hover, let’s make the padding equal to 0:
See the Pen [Padding animation to reveal the image](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/jOJrqXo) by Temani Afif.
Nothing surprising, right? By decreasing the padding, we increase the size of the content box and it slowly reveals the image. We’re basically squishing it vertically and allowing to widen back into place on hover.
Let’s add two more properties to the mix:
img {
object-fit: cover;
object-position: left;
}
See the Pen [Adding object-* properties](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/oNVLLdM) by Temani Afif.
Tada! The effect looks much better now, and we have an overlay reveal animation even if, in reality, the overlay you see is the background, which is behind the image! The illusion is perfect.
Why does it behave like that? The logic is explained nicely over at MDN:
“The replaced content is sized to maintain its aspect ratio while filling the element’s entire content box. If the object’s aspect ratio does not match the aspect ratio of its box, then the object will be clipped to fit.”
In other words, the image will maintain its ratio while filling the content box. As a result, the image does not get distorted by the padding as we saw in the first demo — instead, it is clipped. Then, object-position: left aligns the position of the image to the left so it doesn’t move while the size of the content box increases as a result of the decreased padding on hover.
If we change the position to right, you get a different effect:
See the Pen [Using object-position: right](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/xxBOOJW) by Temani Afif.
Instead of an overlay animation, we have a kind of sliding effect where the image enters from the left. This is directly related to another cool CSS trick that I used in a previous article to create a “pop-out” hover effect:
See the Pen [Fancy Pop Out Reveal hover effect!](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/VwqWRyj) by Temani Afif.
You will notice that it’s pretty easy to switch between the different variations by toggling a couple of values in the CSS.
Sliding The Overlay Outside The Image
Now that we have our overlay, let’s try to slide it outside of the image. Instead of decreasing its size like we did previously, we want it to maintain its size and move it.
Cool, right? We have an overlay above our image that slides over to reveal the image — without using any extra elements in the markup or pseudo-elements in the styles!
We can do the same effect using a clip-path animation as well.
We define a box-shadow as having a widespread radius, but we won’t actually see it because it’s clipped. On hover, though, we update the inset() value to reveal the box-shadow on the right side of the image.
See the Pen [Using clip-path instead of box-shadow](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/YzgWxxK) by Temani Afif.
Using the same technique, we can slide the overlay in whatever direction we want. Can you figure out how? Give it a shot by forking the Pen above and changing directions as an exercise before we move to the next part of our work.
Adding Borders
Borders can help create space around the image and get it close to a square box shape. Don’t forget that we want to create a 3D box in the end. But let’s see what happens when we add borders.
See the Pen [Adding border](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/YzgWrvQ) by Temani Afif.
Hmm, not good. The border sits above the overlay, and the image isn’t a perfect square, at least initially. Even if that seems glitchy at first, it’s a logical outcome since the border is painted above the background, and its thickness adds up to the element’s total size.
What we need to do is adjust the padding to account for the border’s size. Then, let’s make the border transparent so that we can see the background color behind it.
First off, note that we’ve added the color-mix() function that allows us to define a new color variation from the original color value (--c:#8A9B0F) by mixing it with white to get a brighter shade. Then, we use that new color to create a gradient above the element’s background color, which is declared right after the gradient. The same color is also used for the box-shadow.
The idea is to decrease the size of the gradient the same way we do with the padding so that the background-color behind the gradient is revealed.
See the Pen [Adding gradient animation](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/rNRLJpB) by Temani Afif.
That’s really nice! But did you catch the subtle visual issue? If you look closely, you can notice that the overlay is slightly out of alignment with the border.
This is because the padding has a transition that goes from s - 2*b to 0. Meanwhile, the background transitions from 100% (equivalent to --s) to 0. There’s a difference equal to 2*b. The background covers the entire area, while the padding covers less of it. We need to account for this.
Ideally, the padding transition would take less time to complete and have a small delay at the beginning to sync things up, but finding the correct timing won’t be an easy task. Instead, let’s increase the padding transition’s range to make it equal to the background.
The new variable, --h, transitions from s - b to -b on hover, so we have the needed range since the difference is equal to --s, making it equal to the background and clip-path transitions.
The trick is the min() function. When --h transitions from s - b to s - 2*b, the padding is equal to s - 2*b. No padding changes during that brief transition. Then, when --h reaches 0 and transitions from 0 to -b, the padding remains equal to 0 since, by default, it cannot be a negative value.
It would be more intuitive to use clamp() instead:
That said, we don’t need to specify the lower parameter since padding cannot be negative and will, by default, be clamped to 0 if you give it a negative value.
We are getting much closer to the final result!
See the Pen [Fixing the padding issue](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/ExMgZbW) by Temani Afif.
Worth noting that we need to use @property to be able to apply a transition to the --h variable. The transition won’t work in Firefox at the time of this writing.
The 3D Effect
The last step is to add a touch of 3D to the effect. To better understand how we’re going to approach this, let’s temporarily remove the box-shadow, clip-path, and the linear-gradient() with the image in its revealed state.
See the Pen [The revealed image with border](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/QWoKpyE) by Temani Afif.
Notice the semi-transparent black color values (e.g., #0008 and #0004). The slight bit of transparency blends with the colors behind it to create the illusion of a dark variation of the main color since the gradient is placed above the background color.
And lastly, we apply a clip-path to cut out the corners that establish the 3D box.
Let’s do the same thing with the linear gradient. We need to decrease its size so it covers the same area as it did before we introduced the depth so that it doesn’t overlap with the conic gradient:
See the Pen [Putting back the gradient animation](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/VwRKpzN) by Temani Afif.
We are getting closer! The last piece we need to add back in from earlier is the clip-path transition that is combined with the box-shadow. We cannot reuse the same code we used before since we changed the clip-path value to create the 3D box shape. But we can still transition it to get the sliding result we want.
The idea is to have two points at the top that move up and down to reveal and hide the box-shadow while the other points remain fixed. Here is a small video to illustrate the movement of the points.
See that? We have five fixed points. The two at the top move to increase the area of the polygon and reveal the box shadow.
And we’re done! We’re left with a nice 3D frame around the image element with a cover that slides up and down on hover. And we did it with zero extra markup or reaching for pseudo-elements!
See the Pen [3D image with reveal effect](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/GRejXMK) by Temani Afif.
This last demo is an optimized version of what we did together. I have written most of the formulas using the variable --h so that I only update one value on hover. It also includes another variation. Can you reverse-engineer it and see how its code differs from the one we did together?
One More 3D Example
Want another fancy effect that uses 3D effects and sliding overlays? Here’s one I put together using a different 3D perspective where the overlay splits open rather than sliding from one side to the other.
See the Pen [Image gift box II (hover to reveal)](https://codepen.io/smashingmag/pen/yLwBVGQ) by Temani Afif.
Your homework is to dissect the code. It may look complex, but if you trace the steps we completed for the original demo, I think you’ll find that it’s not a terribly different approach. The sliding effect still combines the padding, the object-* properties, and clip-path but with different values to produce this new effect.
Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed this little 3D image experiment and the fancy effect we applied to it. I know that adding an extra element (i.e., a parent <div> as a wrapper) to the markup would have made the effect a lot easier to achieve, as would pseudo-elements and translations. But we are here for the challenge and learning opportunity, right?
Limiting the HTML to only a single element allows us to push the limits of CSS to discover new techniques that can save us time and bytes, especially in those situations where you might not have direct access to modify HTML, like when you’re working in a CMS template. Don’t look at this as an over-complicated exercise. It’s an exercise that challenges us to leverage the power and flexibility of CSS.
