Making loader in the shape of infinity symbol (∞) using clip : rect()
*Best supported in Chrome
Create Background circles
<div class="infinity-loader"> <div class="bg"><!--background circles--> <div class="left-bg"></div> <div class="right-bg"></div> </div> </div>
/*
width = height = 70px
border-width = 10px
*/
.infinity-loader .bg div{
width: 70px;/* width */
height: 70px;/* width */
border: 10px solid #aaa;/* border-width solid #aaa */
box-sizing: border-box;/* so that its border won't increase its width*/
border-radius: 50%;/* to make the div round*/
}
Align them horizontally :
.infinity-loader{
position: fixed;/*We have to use it as we are using absolute positioning on its children and we will align it in the center of the page*/
}
.infinity-loader .bg div{
/*..*/
position: absolute;
}
.infinity-loader .right-bg{
transform: translate(100%,0);
}
Make their borders overlap at their contact points :
.infinity-loader .right-bg{
/*..*/
left: -10px;/* -border-width */
}
Align at center :
.infinity-loader{
/*..*/
left: 50%;
top: 50%;
transform: translate(-50%,-50%);
/*yes, we have to define width and height, otherwise transformation won't work*/
width: 130px;/* 2 x width - border-width */
height: 70px;/* width */
}
Create foreground circles
First make top-left box in which our top-left circle will animate :
<div class="infinity-loader"> <!-- .. --> <div class="fg"><!--foreground circles--> <div class="top-left-rect"> <div></div> </div> </div> </div>
.infinity-loader .bg div, .infinity-loader > .fg > div > div{/*note this*/
/*no change below*/
width: 70px;/* width */
height: 70px;/* width */
border: 10px solid #aaa;/* border-width solid #aaa */
box-sizing: border-box;/* so that its border won't increase its width*/
border-radius: 50%;/* to make the div round*/
position: absolute;
}
/*..*/
.infinity-loader > .fg > div > div{
border-color: orangered;
}
We only need half circle :
.infinity-loader > .fg > div > div{
border-color: orangered orangered transparent transparent;
}
Set its initial state :
.infinity-loader > .fg > div > div{
/*..*/
transform: rotate(135deg);
}
Lets animate that half circle :
/*
width = height = 70px
border-width = 10px
time = 1s
*/
/*..*/
.infinity-loader > .fg > div > div{
/*..*/
animation: spin 1s linear infinite;/* spin time linear infinite */
}
@keyframes spin {
100%{transform: rotate(495deg)}/* (360 + 135)deg */
}
Make it visible on the upper half portion only :
.infinity-loader > .fg > div{
clip: rect(0,70px,35px,0);/* 0, width, width/2, 0*/
position: absolute;/* required for using clip: rect() */
}
Create Bottom Right Circle
<div class="fg"><!--foreground circles--> <div class="top-left-rect"> <div></div> </div> <!-- add the following --> <div class="bottom-right-rect"> <div></div> </div> </div>
Align it with following CSS :
.infinity-loader > .fg > div > div{
/*..*/
position: static;/*add this otherwise transformation in its parent won't work as expect*/
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-right-rect{
left:-10px;/* -border-width */
transform: translateX(100%) scale(1,-1);
}
We have to fix timings for continuity:
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-right-rect > div{
animation-delay: .5s;/* time/2 */
}
But now top-left and bottom-right circles won’t give time for top-right and bottom-left circles to animate. They should pause for a duration to give other circles to animate :
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-right-rect > div{
animation-delay: .25s;/* time/4, we have to change it as animation duration has been decreasesd by 50% */
}
@keyframes spin {
50%,100%{transform: rotate(495deg)}/* (360 + 135)deg , 50% time is for animation and other 50% for pause*/
}
Create Top Right Circle
<div class="fg"><!--foreground circles--> <div class="top-left-rect"> <div></div> </div> <div class="bottom-right-rect"> <div></div> </div> <!-- add the following --> <div class="top-right-rect"> <div></div> </div> </div>
Align it :
.infinity-loader > .fg > .top-right-rect{
left:-10px;/* -border-width */
transform: translateX(100%) scale(-1,1);
}
And yes, adjust the timings :
.infinity-loader > .fg > .top-right-rect > div{
animation-delay:.5s;/* (2 x time)/4 */
}
Create Bottom Left Circle
<div class="fg"><!--foreground circles--> <div class="top-left-rect"> <div></div> </div> <div class="bottom-right-rect"> <div></div> </div> <div class="top-right-rect"> <div></div> </div> <!-- add the following --> <div class="bottom-left-rect"> <div></div> </div> </div>
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-left-rect{
transform: scale(-1);
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-left-rect > div{
animation-delay: .75s;/* (3 x time)/4 */
}
Add glow
.infinity-loader > .fg {
filter:drop-shadow(0 0 6px orangered);
}
Whole code :
<div class="infinity-loader"> <div class="bg"><!--background circles--> <div class="left-bg"></div> <div class="right-bg"></div> </div> <div class="fg"><!--foreground circles--> <div class="top-left-rect"> <div></div> </div> <div class="bottom-right-rect"> <div></div> </div> <div class="top-right-rect"> <div></div> </div> <div class="bottom-left-rect"> <div></div> </div> </div> </div>
/*
width = height = 70px
border-width = 10px
time = 1s
*/
.infinity-loader{
position: fixed;/*We have to use it as we are using absolute positioning on its children and we will align it in the center of the page*/
left: 50%;
top: 50%;
transform: translate(-50%,-50%);
/*yes, we have to define width and height, otherwise transformation won't work*/
width: 130px;/* 2 x width - border-width */
height: 70px;/* width */
}
.infinity-loader .bg div, .infinity-loader > .fg > div > div{
width: 70px;/* width */
height: 70px;/* width */
border: 10px solid #aaa;/* border-width solid #aaa */
box-sizing: border-box;/* so that its border won't increase its width*/
border-radius: 50%;/* to make the div round*/
position: absolute;
}
.infinity-loader .right-bg{
transform: translate(100%,0);
left: -10px;/* -border-width */
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > div > div{
border-color: orangered orangered transparent transparent;
transform: rotate(135deg);
animation: spin 1s linear infinite;/* spin time linear infinite */
position: static;/*add this otherwise transformation in its parent won't work as expect*/
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > div{
clip: rect(0,70px,35px,0);/* 0, width, width/2, 0*/
position: absolute;/* required for using clip: rect() */
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-right-rect{
left:-10px;/* -border-width */
transform: translateX(100%) scale(1,-1);
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-right-rect > div{
animation-delay: .25s;/* time/4 */
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > .top-right-rect{
left:-10px;/* -border-width */
transform: translateX(100%) scale(-1,1);
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > .top-right-rect > div{
animation-delay:.5s;/* (2 x time)/4 */
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-left-rect{
transform: scale(-1);
}
.infinity-loader > .fg > .bottom-left-rect > div{
animation-delay: .75s;/* (3 x time)/4 */
}
.infinity-loader > .fg {
filter:drop-shadow(0 0 6px orangered);
}
@keyframes spin {
50%,100%{transform: rotate(495deg)}/* (360 + 135)deg*/
}
Code is also available here : https://codepen.io/zFunx/pen/VXmwbO. Useful links :
Issues :
- Glowing effect doesn’t work in Edge and IE
- Little mis-alignment in the circles in Firefox
