Yes. Layer a few oversized, blurred shapes over a textured surface and blend them into the background to suggest sunlight filtering through leaves. For a quick CSS-only starting point, text or emoji can supply the irregular shapes; for more organic silhouettes and controlled motion, use an SVG leaf with CSS gradients and filters.
How the effect works
Dappled light is the irregular pattern made when foliage interrupts sunlight. Soft edges make the patches feel diffused, and oblong or elliptical forms look more natural than a row of identical circles. The effect works best as a decorative layer over a photo, illustration, or other textured backdrop—not as a substitute for the underlying scene. CSS-Tricks’ tutorial describes the visual approach and its text-and-emoji technique.
Build a simple text-based overlay
1. Prepare the backdrop
Give the image or illustration a defined area and clip its overflow so the light and shadow shapes stay within the surface. Place the decorative shapes in the same grid cell, or otherwise layer them over the backdrop, so they overlap rather than pushing the content around.
2. Turn glyphs into soft patches
Use a handful of oversized, oblong characters or suitable emoji as shape sources. Make the glyph fill transparent, then add a translucent dark background and a broad, pale text shadow. The shadow supplies the soft, brighter edges; mix-blend-mode: multiply lets the darker areas merge into the texture beneath.
#1 Best Overall
- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
- Convert USB-A Ports to USB-C: Designed to connect USB-C earphones, cables, flash drives, card readers, and other USB-C accessories to standard USB-A ports. Plug-and-play with no drivers or software required.
- Aluminum Alloy Housing: Built with a sturdy aluminum alloy shell that aids in heat dissipation and protects against daily wear and scratches. Designed to maintain a stable and secure connection.
- Compact & Travel-Friendly: The ultra-compact design allows the adapter to stay plugged into your device without blocking adjacent ports or adding bulk, reducing wear and tear on your original USB ports.
- 12-Month Warranty: Backed by a 12-month manufacturer warranty for peace of mind. Designed to meet strict quality control standards for reliable everyday performance.
.scene {
position: relative;
overflow: hidden;
isolation: isolate;
}
.dapple {
color: transparent;
background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
text-shadow: 0 0 40px rgba(255, 245, 210, 0.8);
mix-blend-mode: multiply;
}These values are starting points, not a fixed recipe. CSS-Tricks’ example uses a 40px text-shadow blur, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3), and a large 320pt monospace font; the right scale and opacity depend on the image and display size. Adjust shape size, spacing, and overlap by eye until the result resembles broken light rather than a repeated pattern. The original example also explores brightness, background blending, blur, and small movements as tuning options.
Tune brightness, softness, and movement
If the backdrop looks too dark, CSS-Tricks demonstrates lifting it with filter: brightness(1.6). Treat that as an example value, not a universal setting: a bright source image may need little or no lift. You can also explore background-blend-mode when the layers to combine are backgrounds. It differs from mix-blend-mode, which blends an element with its backdrop within the same stacking context. isolation: isolate can keep that blending contained. See MDN’s mix-blend-mode reference for the property’s behavior and support details.
Rank #2
- 5-in-1 USB-C Hub: Experience comprehensive connectivity featuring a Power Delivery input, two USB-A 2.0 ports, a USB-A 3.0 port, and an HDMI port. (Note: The USB-C power delivery input port is only for connecting an external wall charger to power your laptop and cannot power peripheral devices.)
- 90W Pass-Through Charging: Achieve optimal charging with 90W pass-through power to your laptop, supported by a total input of 100W, with the hub reserving 10W for operational efficiency. (Note: Wall charger not included.)
- Quick Data Transfers: Accelerate your productivity with rapid data transfers using a high-speed 5Gbps USB 3.0 port and two 480Mbps USB 2.0 ports.
- 4K HDMI Display: Enhance your visual experience with a hub capable of delivering 4K resolution at 30Hz in both mirror and extend modes. Please note that this hub is compatible with MacBook (macOS 12 and newer), Windows 10 and 11, ChromeOS, and laptops equipped with DP Alt Mode and Power Delivery. Note: This device is not compatible with Linux.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (5-in-1, 4K HDMI), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
For motion, keep the change restrained. The CSS-Tricks tutorial shifts the shapes on hover by animating text-indent; a small offset is usually more convincing than fast or continuous movement. The source also notes using @supports to adjust blur in some browsers. Check the overlay on the actual backdrop and at the sizes where it will appear rather than relying on one set of numbers.
When to use SVG and gradients instead
Text and emoji are quick shape sources, but they offer less precise silhouette control. For a more organic ambient treatment, Ken Hawkins’ example combines an SVG leaf silhouette with an animated feDisplacementMap and blur, plus a repeating-linear-gradient to suggest angled blinds. That approach allows more control over the shape and motion, but animated filters can carry rendering costs.
Rank #3
- Sleek 7-in-1 USB-C Hub: Features an HDMI port, two USB-A 3.0 ports, and a USB-C data port, each providing 5Gbps transfer speeds. It also includes a USB-C PD input port for charging up to 100W and dual SD and TF card slots, all in a compact design.
- Flawless 4K@60Hz Video with HDMI: Delivers exceptional clarity and smoothness with its 4K@60Hz HDMI port, making it ideal for high-definition presentations and entertainment. (Note: Only the HDMI port supports video projection; the USB-C port is for data transfer only.)
- Double Up on Efficiency: The two USB-A 3.0 ports and a USB-C port support a fast 5Gbps data rate, significantly boosting your transfer speeds and improving productivity.
- Fast and Reliable 85W Charging: Offers high-capacity, speedy charging for laptops up to 85W, so you spend less time tethered to an outlet and more time being productive.
- What You Get: Anker USB-C Hub (7-in-1), welcome guide, 18-month warranty, and our friendly customer service.
Hawkins reported that the scroll-driven implementation worked in Chrome 115+, Edge 115+, Opera 101+, and Safari 26+, while Firefox used static values; he also reported disabling the displacement filter in Firefox because of CPU cost. These are the author’s observations for that implementation when the article was published on November 8, 2025, not a guarantee of current or future browser behavior. Test the effect in the browsers and devices your site supports. Details and implementation are in Hawkins’ article.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Keep the effect accessible and contained
- Keep decoration out of the accessibility tree. Mark a purely decorative overlay
aria-hidden="true". - Do not block interaction. Set
pointer-events: noneon the decorative layer so links and controls underneath remain usable. - Respect motion preferences. Honor
prefers-reduced-motion; avoid or stop animation for users who request reduced motion. The later example also hides its effect underprefers-contrast: high. - Check contrast on the finished page. Light and shadow can change how readable text is against a surface. Hawkins reports that early amber versions of his implementation reduced body-text contrast below WCAG AA; that is an observation about his implementation, so measure contrast on your own final colors and content.
- Contain blending. If the decoration sits near other page content, use an appropriate stacking context—such as
isolation: isolate—and verify the blend does not affect unrelated layers.
For the SVG-based accessibility and layering choices, see Hawkins’ implementation notes; MDN explains the blending context behavior in its mix-blend-mode reference.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 5-in-1 Connectivity: Equipped with a 4K HDMI port, a 5 Gbps USB-C data port, two 5 Gbps USB-A ports, and a USB C 100W PD-IN port. Note: The USB C 100W PD-IN port supports only charging and does not support data transfer devices such as headphones or speakers.
- Powerful Pass-Through Charging: Supports up to 85W pass-through charging so you can power up your laptop while you use the hub. Note: Pass-through charging requires a charger (not included). Note: To achieve full power for iPad, we recommend using a 45W wall charger.
- Transfer Files in Seconds: Move files to and from your laptop at speeds of up to 5 Gbps via the USB-C and USB-A data ports. Note: The USB C 5Gbps Data port does not support video output.
- HD Display: Connect to the HDMI port to stream or mirror content to an external monitor in resolutions of up to 4K@30Hz. Note: The USB-C ports do not support video output.
- What You Get: Anker 332 USB-C Hub (5-in-1), welcome guide, our worry-free 18-month warranty, and friendly customer service.
Rank #4
- Dual Converters, Infinite Potential：Includes 2× USB C male to USB A female adapters and 2× USB A male to USB C female adapters. Perfect for a wide range of uses—tablets with Bluetooth keyboards, expand USB ports on macbook, and more. Two different converters for all your daily needs
- Next-Level 10Gbps & 3A Charging: No more slow 480Mbps, this usb to usb c adapter has a transfer speed of up to 10Gbps, allowing you to do more transferring in less time. This usb adapter fits both USB A and USB C charger, supporting up to 3A fast charging
- Upgraded Exquisite Craftsmanship: With an aluminum alloy housing and metal connector, the usbc to usb adapter is extremely durable and sturdy. Rigorously tested to withstand more than 10,000 times of plugging and unplugging, ensuring long-lasting performance
- Broad Compatible: The usb c to usb adapter widely supports all USB C/ USB A devices like laptops, tablets, cellphones, car chargers, and phone chargers. Such as compatible with MacBook Pro/Air 2023/2022, Thunderbolt 4/3 Devices,Apple MagSafe Watch 9/8/7/SE/Ultra, iPad Pro 2022/2021, Samsung Galaxy S23/S20/S10, and iPhone 17/16/15 Pro. Plug and play
- Please Note: To reach 10Gbps speed, keep the cable under 3.3 ft. For USB A Male to USB C adapters, try flipping the USB C connector. USB C Male to USB A adapters support bidirectional 10Gbps transfer within 3.3 ft
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
