Create a lightning bolt design (like The Flash)

Question

I am trying to re-create the lightning bolt symbol from The Flash (DC Comics) (or the

Answer 1

Disclaimer: I recommend SVG for these but that doesn't mean we shouldn't be having fun with CSS. Use this for learning but not production implementation.

Here is a method to achieve the shape with just a single element (+ a couple of pseudos) and some background linear-gradients. The shape can be scaled without any distortions.

Explanation on how the shape was achieved:

• The white circle with the black border is a normal CSS circle created using border-radius on a pseudo-element (:after).
• Another pseudo-element (:before) is added and is skewed along both X and Y axes to give the bolt's parts a skewed appearance.
• The bolt is actually created by stacking multiple linear-gradients on top of one another. It involves 6 gradient images where 3 are for the inside yellow part of the bolt and the other 3 are for the gray borders.
• The size of the background images (gradients) are determined by the size of the bolt and each of them is positioned in such a way that they produce the lightning bolt like appearance.
• The center part of the bolt actually has only one solid color but is still produced using a gradient because we can't control the size of solid color backgrounds.

^{Note: Scaling works pretty well if transform: scale(...) is used instead of a height/width change + transition.}

.lightning {
  position: relative;
  height: 200px;
  width: 200px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  margin: 50px auto;
}
.lightning:after,
.lightning:before {
  position: absolute;
  content: '';
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  top: 0%;
  left: 0%;
}
.lightning:after {
  background: white;
  border: 2px solid;
  border-radius: 50%;
  z-index: -1;
}
.lightning:before {
  background: linear-gradient(transparent 0%, yellow 0%), linear-gradient(to top left, yellow 43%, gray 43%, gray 44%, transparent 44%), linear-gradient(to top left, transparent 56%, gray 56%, gray 57%, yellow 57%), linear-gradient(transparent 0%, gray 0%), linear-gradient(to top left, gray 51%, transparent 51%), linear-gradient(to top left, transparent 49%, gray 49%);
  background-size: 20% 40%, 22% 42%, 22% 42%, 23% 42%, 23% 42%, 23% 42%;
  background-position: 50% 50%, 32% 5%, 70% 100%, 50% 50%, 33% 7%, 69% 98%;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  backface-visibility: hidden;
  transform: skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  z-index: 2;
}

/* Just for demo */

body {
  background-image: radial-gradient(circle, #3F9CBA 0%, #153346 100%);
}
.lightning {
  transition: all 1s;
}
.lightning:hover {
  transform: scale(1.5);
}

---

With Animation for Bolt:

.lightning {
  position: relative;
  height: 200px;
  width: 200px;
  border-radius: 50%;
  margin: 50px auto;
}
.lightning:after, .lightning:before {
  position: absolute;
  content: '';
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  top: 0%;
  left: 0%;
}
.lightning:after {
  background: white;
  border: 2px solid;
  border-radius: 50%;
  z-index: -1;
}
.lightning:before {
  background: linear-gradient(transparent 0%, yellow 0%), linear-gradient(to top left, yellow 43%, gray 43%, gray 44%, transparent 44%), linear-gradient(to top left, transparent 56%, gray 56%, gray 57%, yellow 57%), linear-gradient(transparent 0%, gray 0%), linear-gradient(to top left, gray 51%, transparent 51%), linear-gradient(to top left, transparent 49%, gray 49%);
  background-size: 20% 40%, 22% 42%, 22% 42%, 23% 42%, 23% 42%, 23% 42%;
  background-position: 50% 50%, 32% 5%, 70% 100%, 50% 50%, 33% 7%, 69% 98%;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  backface-visibility: hidden;
  transform: skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  z-index: 2;
}

/* Just for demo */

body {
  background-image: radial-gradient(circle, #3F9CBA 0%, #153346 100%);
}
.lightning {
  transition: all 1s;
}
.lightning:hover:before {
  animation: boltstrike 1s;
}
@-webkit-keyframes boltstrike {
  25% {
    transform: translateX(-5%) translateY(5%) skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  }
  50% {
    transform: translateX(7.5%) translateY(-7.5%) skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  }
  100% {
    transform: skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  }
}
@keyframes boltstrike {
  25% {
    transform: translateX(-5%) translateY(5%) skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  }
  50% {
    transform: translateX(5%) translateY(-5%) skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  }
  100% {
    transform: skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  }
}

Click here for a full demo with animation, color change on click etc.

---

Older version without border:

.lightning {
  position: relative;
  height: 200px;
  width: 200px;
  border-radius: 50%;
}
.lightning:after,
.lightning:before {
  position: absolute;
  content: '';
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  top: 0%;
  left: 0%;
}
.lightning:after {
  background: white;
  border: 2px solid;
  border-radius: 50%;
  z-index: -1;
}
.lightning:before {
  background: linear-gradient(transparent 0%, yellow 0%), linear-gradient(to top left, yellow 50%, transparent 50%), linear-gradient(to top left, transparent 50%, yellow 50%);
  background-size: 20% 40%, 20% 40%, 20% 40%;
  background-position: 50% 50%, 30% 5%, 70% 100%;
  background-repeat: no-repeat;
  backface-visibility: hidden;
  transform: skewY(-30deg) skewX(-30deg);
  z-index: 2;
}

/* Just for demo */

body {
  background-image: radial-gradient(circle, #3F9CBA 0%, #153346 100%);
}
.lightning {
  transition: all 1s;
}
.lightning:hover {
  height: 250px;
  width: 250px;
}

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