16 CSS Fade In Animation Designs 12 / 16

Radial Clip-Path Mask Reveal

A feature panel expands outward from the centre using clip-path: circle(0% → 100%) — a portal-opening radial mask reveal radiating from a single focal point.

Pure CSS MIT licensed
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The code

<div class="fi-12">
  <div class="fi-12__wrap">
    <div class="fi-12__glow"></div>
    <div class="fi-12__panel">
      <span class="fi-12__emoji">🌀</span>
      <h2 class="fi-12__title">Radial Mask Reveal</h2>
      <p class="fi-12__sub">Content expands outward from a central point using <code>clip-path: circle()</code> — like a portal opening or a spotlight growing to full brightness.</p>
      <div class="fi-12__orbs">
        <div class="fi-12__orb">clip-path</div>
        <div class="fi-12__orb">circle()</div>
        <div class="fi-12__orb">radial reveal</div>
      </div>
    </div>
  </div>
</div>
.fi-12{
  --bg:#07080e;--sky:#0ea5e9;--cobalt:#1d4ed8;--text:#f0f9ff;
  font-family:'Inter',sans-serif;
  min-height:340px;border-radius:20px;
  display:grid;place-items:center;
  padding:40px;overflow:hidden;
}
.fi-12 *,.fi-12 *::before,.fi-12 *::after{box-sizing:border-box;margin:0;padding:0}
.fi-12 ::selection{background:var(--sky);color:#000}

/* radial clip-path mask reveal: circle(0%) → circle(100%) */
.fi-12__wrap{position:relative;max-width:480px;width:100%}
.fi-12__panel{
  background:linear-gradient(135deg,rgba(14,165,233,.12),rgba(29,78,216,.08));
  border:1px solid rgba(14,165,233,.25);border-radius:20px;
  padding:36px;text-align:center;
  clip-path:circle(0% at 50% 50%);
  animation:fi-12-radial-reveal 1s cubic-bezier(.4,0,.2,1) .15s forwards;
}
.fi-12__glow{
  position:absolute;top:50%;left:50%;transform:translate(-50%,-50%);
  width:200px;height:200px;border-radius:50%;
  background:radial-gradient(circle,rgba(14,165,233,.15),transparent 70%);
  pointer-events:none;
}
.fi-12__emoji{font-size:2.5rem;display:block;margin-bottom:16px}
.fi-12__title{
  font-family:'Syne',sans-serif;font-size:clamp(1.4rem,3vw,2rem);
  font-weight:800;color:var(--text);margin-bottom:10px;
}
.fi-12__sub{font-size:.9rem;color:rgba(240,249,255,.5);line-height:1.6;margin-bottom:24px}
.fi-12__orbs{display:flex;gap:10px;justify-content:center;flex-wrap:wrap}
.fi-12__orb{
  padding:6px 14px;border-radius:20px;font-size:.72rem;font-weight:600;
  background:rgba(14,165,233,.12);border:1px solid rgba(14,165,233,.2);color:var(--sky);
}

@keyframes fi-12-radial-reveal{to{clip-path:circle(100% at 50% 50%)}}
@media(prefers-reduced-motion:reduce){
  .fi-12__panel{animation:none;clip-path:none}
}

How this works

The panel starts with clip-path: circle(0% at 50% 50%) — a zero-radius circle centred on the element, making it invisible. The keyframe transitions this to circle(100% at 50% 50%), expanding the visible circle outward until it covers all corners. The at 50% 50% origin is the element's centre; moving it to at 0% 50% would create a side-expanding portal.

The cubic-bezier(.4, 0, .2, 1) easing accelerates through the first half of the reveal then decelerates — the portal 'snaps open' and 'eases into position'. A radial gradient glow overlay behind the panel reinforces the impression of light expanding outward from the reveal origin. Unlike inset(), circle() cannot animate border-radius independently, so the panel border-radius must be baked into the element's own property.

Customize

  • Move the reveal origin to a corner: change at 50% 50% to at 0% 0% for top-left expansion.
  • Slow the reveal by changing the duration from 1s to 1.6s for a more dramatic portal effect.
  • Add a second delayed element inside the panel revealed via its own clip-path: inset() animation.
  • Change the easing to cubic-bezier(.34,1.2,.64,1) so the circle briefly overshoots 100% then settles.

Watch out for

  • clip-path: circle() cannot be combined with border-radius directly — the border-radius is overridden by the clip. Set border-radius on an inner wrapper element instead.
  • Animating clip-path on elements with box-shadow will clip the shadow too — the shadow grows with the circle, which can look unintended. Set box-shadow on a separate wrapper.
  • Safari 15 and earlier may not interpolate clip-path: circle() smoothly — test and add a @supports fallback: @supports not (clip-path: circle(0%)) { .fi-12__panel { opacity: 0; animation: fi-12-simple-fade 1s forwards } }.

Browser support

ChromeSafariFirefoxEdge
55+ 13.1+ 54+ 55+

clip-path: circle() animation requires -webkit prefix on Safari < 13.1; test on Safari 15

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