This chapter covers
- Linear and radial gradients
- Box shadows and text shadows
- Sizing and positioning background images
- Using blend modes to combine backgrounds and content
We’ve covered a lot of ground by this point. You’ve deepened your understanding of the fundamental workings of CSS. You’ve learned multiple aspects of layout. And, you’ve taken time to make sure your code is organized and maintainable. We’ve covered the essentials needed to build a site from the ground up. You could take this knowledge, apply it to your projects, and be in fairly good shape. But don’t stop there.
The difference between a site that looks good and one that looks great is attention to detail. After you lay out and style a component of your page, train yourself to slow down and look at it with a critical eye. Does it look better if you increase, or decrease, paddings? Adjust the colors a bit—do they look better a little darker or little lighter, or a little less vivid? If you’re working from a detailed mockup by the designer, does your implementation match everything as closely as possible? Your designer spent a lot of time on those details. Make sure you’re doing the design justice.