clip-path is a precision knife for layout. With a single property, you can carve any element into angles, notches, and polygons that would normally require SVG, images, or extra wrappers. In this project you will build a small gallery of 10 practical components that showcase creative ways to use clip-path in production: diagonal heroes, ticket notches, hex avatars, speech bubbles, ribbons, trapezoid buttons, diamond images, circular reveals, organic blobs, and notched tabs.
Why 10 Creative Ways to Use clip-path Matters
clip-path turns any box into a custom silhouette while preserving real text, real links, and real accessibility semantics. It beats image slices because it is resolution-independent and themeable with CSS variables. It beats many SVG-only approaches when you want to keep styles inline and reuse a single DOM node without external assets. It also improves hit testing. The clickable area matches the clipped shape, which lets you craft precise buttons and labels without invisible padding hacks.
Prerequisites
You will get more value if you are comfortable with basic layout and state. The gallery uses CSS variables for quick theming and pseudo-elements for tails and ribbons.
- Basic HTML
- CSS custom properties
- CSS pseudo-elements (::before / ::after)
Step 1: The HTML Structure
Here is a compact HTML scaffold with ten demo items. Each block is an article with a label. Some components add a button or a pseudo-element via CSS. Keep the DOM small; clip-path shines when you avoid extra markup.
<!-- HTML -->
<section class="wrap">
<h1>10 Creative Uses of clip-path</h1>
<div class="gallery">
<article class="demo hero-clip">
<h2>Diagonal Hero</h2>
<p>Angled bottom edge for a header band.</p>
</article>
<article class="demo ticket-notch">
<h2>Ticket Notch</h2>
<p>Right-side notch for tag-like cards.</p>
</article>
<article class="demo hex-avatar">
<h2>Hex Avatar</h2>
<p>Image or gradient masked to a hexagon.</p>
</article>
<article class="demo bubble">
<h2>Speech Bubble</h2>
<p>Rounded box with a tail.</p>
</article>
<article class="demo ribbon">
<h2>Ribbon Banner</h2>
<p>Pointed ends on a label strip.</p>
</article>
<article class="demo trapezoid-btn">
<h2>Trapezoid Button</h2>
<button class="btn-trap" type="button">Buy Now</button>
</article>
<article class="demo diamond-card">
<h2>Diamond Image</h2>
<div class="diamond-pic" aria-hidden="true"></div>
<p>Square image clipped to a diamond.</p>
</article>
<article class="demo circular-reveal">
<h2>Circular Reveal</h2>
<div class="reveal" role="img" aria-label="Colorful gradient reveal"></div>
<p>Hover to reveal with a circle mask.</p>
</article>
<article class="demo blob-section">
<h2>Organic Blob</h2>
<p>Asymmetrical hero or callout.</p>
</article>
<article class="demo notched-tab">
<h2>Notched Tab</h2>
<p>Subtle cuts on a tab component.</p>
</article>
</div>
</section>
Step 2: The Basic CSS & Styling
This baseline sets up a fluid grid, color variables, and accessible font sizing. Each demo block inherits a gradient background and spacing so you can focus on the clip-path itself.
/* CSS */
:root {
--bg: #0f1222;
--panel: #141833;
--ink: #e9ecf1;
--muted: #aab3c5;
--brand: #6e8dfb;
--brand-2: #c86dd7;
--accent: #19d3da;
--radius: 14px;
}
* { box-sizing: border-box; }
html, body {
margin: 0;
color: var(--ink);
background: var(--bg);
font: 16px/1.5 system-ui, -apple-system, Segoe UI, Roboto, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji";
}
.wrap {
max-width: 1100px;
margin: 48px auto;
padding: 0 20px;
}
h1 { font-size: 2rem; margin: 0 0 20px; }
h2 { font-size: 1.1rem; margin: 0 0 8px; }
p { margin: 0; color: var(--muted); }
.gallery {
display: grid;
grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fit, minmax(260px, 1fr));
gap: 20px;
}
.demo {
position: relative;
padding: 18px;
border-radius: var(--radius);
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #1a1f47, #131731 60%, #0f1222);
outline: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.06);
min-height: 170px;
overflow: hidden;
}
.btn-trap {
margin-top: 12px;
border: none;
color: white;
background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--brand), var(--accent));
padding: 12px 20px;
font-weight: 600;
cursor: pointer;
clip-path: polygon(8% 0, 100% 0, 92% 100%, 0 100%);
transition: filter .2s ease, transform .2s ease;
}
.btn-trap:hover { filter: brightness(1.1); transform: translateY(-1px); }
Advanced Tip: Store polygon points as CSS variables so you can theme angles per component. It keeps your math in one place and enables responsive morphs with media queries.
Step 3: Building the First Five clip-path Patterns
These five cover edges, notches, and tails. They rely on polygon() and circle() with percentages so shapes scale with the container.
/* CSS */
/* 1) Diagonal hero: angled bottom edge */
.hero-clip {
--cut: 85%;
background: linear-gradient(160deg, var(--brand), var(--brand-2));
min-height: 200px;
clip-path: polygon(0 0, 100% 0, 100% var(--cut), 0 100%);
}
/* 2) Ticket notch: a chevron bite on the right side */
.ticket-notch {
--notch: 20px;
background: linear-gradient(135deg, #2a2f62, #1a1f47);
clip-path: polygon(
0 0,
calc(100% - var(--notch)) 0,
100% 50%,
calc(100% - var(--notch)) 100%,
0 100%,
0 0
);
}
/* 3) Hex avatar: masked to a hexagon */
.hex-avatar {
--hex: polygon(
25% 0%, 75% 0%,
100% 50%,
75% 100%, 25% 100%,
0% 50%
);
background: conic-gradient(from 210deg at 50% 50%, var(--brand) 0 30%, var(--accent) 30% 70%, var(--brand-2) 70% 100%);
clip-path: var(--hex);
}
/* 4) Speech bubble: rounded box + triangular tail via ::after */
.bubble {
padding: 22px;
border-radius: 12px;
background: linear-gradient(140deg, #233, #1b203f);
}
.bubble::after {
content: "";
position: absolute; inset: auto auto 12px 24px;
width: 20px; height: 18px;
background: inherit;
clip-path: polygon(0 0, 100% 50%, 0 100%);
filter: drop-shadow(-2px 2px 0 rgba(0,0,0,.08));
}
/* 5) Ribbon banner: pointed ends using pseudo-elements */
.ribbon {
--bend: 10px;
background: linear-gradient(90deg, var(--brand), var(--accent));
border-radius: 8px;
padding-left: 32px; padding-right: 32px;
}
.ribbon::before,
.ribbon::after {
content: "";
position: absolute; top: 18px; bottom: 18px;
width: 22px;
background: inherit;
}
.ribbon::before {
left: -12px;
clip-path: polygon(100% 0, 0 50%, 100% 100%);
}
.ribbon::after {
right: -12px;
clip-path: polygon(0 0, 100% 50%, 0 100%);
}
How This Works (Code Breakdown)
The hero band sets clip-path to a four-point polygon. Two top corners remain square. The third point drops the right edge to a CSS variable –cut, and the fourth point lands at the bottom-left corner. This creates a diagonal across the bottom, which scales with the component height. Use a gradient background to show the angle clearly.
The ticket notch creates a concave bite by inserting a point at the center right edge. calc(100% – var(–notch)) pulls the right-side vertices inward so the middle point can extend to 100% 50%, forming a triangular wedge. This shape is handy for tags or price badges.
The hex avatar uses a six-point polygon that maps to a regular hexagon. If you want to compare that silhouette with a box model approach, see how you would make a hexagon with CSS using borders or transforms. clip-path gives a true mask on the element, which keeps text and image content inside the hex cleanly.
The speech bubble uses a normal rounded rectangle for the body and adds the tail with a pseudo-element. The tail reuses the parent background and clips to a simple triangular polygon. This keeps the tail visually fused to the body without extra markup or awkward overflow hacks.
The ribbon banner draws pointed ends by placing two pseudo-elements outside the left and right edges and clipping each into a small triangle. Because those triangles inherit the gradient, the ribbon looks continuous across the seam, which reads as a proper banner.
Step 4: Building Five More Patterns
These five cover buttons, image masks, reveals, blobs, and tabs. You will see polygon and circle in action, plus a few pseudo-elements where needed.
/* CSS */
/* 6) Trapezoid button: clickable area matches the silhouette */
.trapezoid-btn .btn-trap {
/* already styled in base CSS with clip-path */
}
/* 7) Diamond image: square masked to a rotated diamond */
.diamond-card .diamond-pic {
width: 100%;
aspect-ratio: 4 / 3;
border-radius: 12px;
background: linear-gradient(45deg, #353b78, #2c2f64);
clip-path: polygon(50% 0, 100% 50%, 50% 100%, 0 50%);
outline: 1px solid rgba(255,255,255,.06);
margin-bottom: 10px;
}
/* 8) Circular reveal: transition the radius on hover */
.circular-reveal .reveal {
--r: 0%;
height: 130px;
border-radius: 12px;
background:
radial-gradient(60% 60% at 30% 30%, rgba(255,255,255,.25), transparent 60%),
linear-gradient(135deg, var(--brand-2), var(--brand));
clip-path: circle(var(--r) at 50% 50%);
transition: clip-path .45s ease;
}
.circular-reveal:hover .reveal { --r: 75%; }
/* 9) Organic blob section: asymmetric polygon */
.blob-section {
min-height: 220px;
background: linear-gradient(120deg, #2e356f, #222751 60%, #1a1e44);
--p1: 0% 25%; --p2: 15% 10%; --p3: 45% 0%;
--p4: 85% 15%; --p5: 100% 55%;
--p6: 80% 100%; --p7: 35% 85%; --p8: 0% 60%;
clip-path: polygon(var(--p1), var(--p2), var(--p3), var(--p4), var(--p5), var(--p6), var(--p7), var(--p8));
}
/* 10) Notched tab: subtle cut corners on top */
.notched-tab {
--n: 12px;
background: linear-gradient(180deg, #2a2f62, #1a1f47);
clip-path: polygon(
var(--n) 0, calc(100% - var(--n)) 0,
100% var(--n), 100% 100%,
0 100%, 0 var(--n)
);
}
How This Works (Code Breakdown)
The trapezoid button shows one of the best parts of clip-path: hit testing follows the polygon. Your pointer will only activate inside the trapezoid, which gives precise affordance for angled buttons. The transition makes the button feel responsive without extra wrappers.
The diamond image is a four-point polygon that rotates the square visually without a transform. You get a diamond silhouette with a clean outline, and the mask scales perfectly with aspect-ratio.
The circular reveal demonstrates clip-path: circle(). clip-path accepts shape functions, so you can clip to a circle by controlling the radius and center. Compare that with the classic border-radius trick from a guide on how to make a circle with CSS. border-radius rounds the box; clip-path cuts a hole through a background stack, which is better for reveals and overlays.
The blob section uses an eight-point polygon that approximates an organic shape. You can push the control points with variables per breakpoint to keep it readable across widths. If you want a more freeform silhouette, check the approach in a CSS blob tutorial and translate the curve into a polygon or path().
The notched tab subtracts small triangles from the top corners by moving the first two points inward and then dropping into the normal rectangle path. The result feels tactile without complicated markup.
Advanced Techniques: Adding Animations & Hover Effects
clip-path values can animate when the function signature stays consistent. Polygon point counts must match between states. Use CSS variables to keep your transitions readable and to group changes behind hover, focus, or media queries.
/* CSS */
/* Animate the blob shape between two sets of control points */
@keyframes blob-morph {
0% {
clip-path: polygon(0% 25%, 15% 10%, 45% 0%, 85% 15%, 100% 55%, 80% 100%, 35% 85%, 0% 60%);
}
50% {
clip-path: polygon(0% 20%, 20% 5%, 50% 5%, 90% 20%, 100% 55%, 78% 100%, 30% 90%, 0% 65%);
}
100% {
clip-path: polygon(0% 25%, 15% 10%, 45% 0%, 85% 15%, 100% 55%, 80% 100%, 35% 85%, 0% 60%);
}
}
.blob-section {
animation: blob-morph 8s ease-in-out infinite;
}
/* Focus-visible support for trapezoid button with a matching clip */
.btn-trap:focus-visible {
outline: 2px solid white;
outline-offset: 3px;
/* Optional: match the outline to the same clip-path for perfect edges */
}
/* Circular reveal: reversible transition on focus too */
.circular-reveal .reveal { transition: clip-path .45s cubic-bezier(.22,.61,.36,1); }
.circular-reveal:focus-within .reveal { --r: 75%; }
/* Reduced motion preference */
@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
.blob-section { animation: none; }
.btn-trap, .circular-reveal .reveal { transition: none; }
}
Note: Keep polygon point counts identical across keyframes. A mismatch cancels animation. When you need fine curves, consider clip-path: path() with an SVG path string. Wrap it with @supports to provide polygon-based fallbacks.
Accessibility & Performance
Shapes should respect keyboard navigation and reduced motion. clip-path clips both paint and hit testing, so think about focus rings and target size. Use semantic elements and ARIA for any decorative parts.
Accessibility
Make any decorative element ignore assistive tech with aria-hidden=”true”. For elements that convey meaning, set an aria-label or provide visible text. The circular reveal uses a role=”img” with a label because it does not include actual text. For keyboard users, ensure focus styles are visible on shaped buttons; outline-offset gives the ring breathing room. Respect motion settings by disabling continuous morph animations when prefers-reduced-motion is on. If a triangle tail or polygon end changes the interaction area, test with keyboard and screen readers to confirm the control remains clear and reachable.
Performance
clip-path is GPU-accelerated on modern engines and handles static shapes very well. Polygon transitions are also smooth when point counts are small. Avoid animating dozens of complex points on many elements at once. Keep masks simple and reuse CSS variables for point sets to reduce cascade churn. Compared to box-shadow or filter animations, clip-path transitions generally cost less. For older engines, wrap advanced features in @supports (clip-path: polygon(0 0, 100% 0)) to keep a rectangular fallback in place if needed.
The last closing paragraph
These ten patterns show how clip-path can shape content, craft click areas, and add motion without extra wrappers. You now have diagonal bands, notches, tails, polygons, and reveals ready to drop into real UI. Keep pushing the curves and you will build a shape library that sits nicely next to your standard components.