Apply exact Tailwind arbitrary shadow utilities for polished, layered neutral elevation. Use when compact cards, controls, panels, popovers, hero media, feature callouts, or modal-like containers need refined shadows without default Tailwind shadow scales or colored tinting.
Install
npx skills add https://github.com/mengto/skills --skill beautiful-shadowsSKILL.md
Beautiful Shadows
Use When
- A surface needs polished, layered elevation.
- Default Tailwind shadows feel too generic or blunt.
- The design needs neutral, refined depth without colored glow.
Shadow Utilities
Use these exact Tailwind classes.
Beautiful sm
Use for compact cards, form controls, pills, and quieter surfaces.
shadow-[0px_2px_3px_-1px_rgba(0,0,0,0.1),0px_1px_0px_0px_rgba(25,28,33,0.02),0px_0px_0px_1px_rgba(25,28,33,0.08)]
Beautiful md
Use for cards, panels, popovers, and the default elevated surface style.
shadow-[0px_0px_0px_1px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),0px_1px_1px_-0.5px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),0px_3px_3px_-1.5px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),_0px_6px_6px_-3px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),0px_12px_12px_-6px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),0px_24px_24px_-12px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06)]
Beautiful lg
Use for hero media, feature callouts, modal-like containers, and the strongest lift.
shadow-[0_2.8px_2.2px_rgba(0,_0,_0,_0.034),_0_6.7px_5.3px_rgba(0,_0,_0,_0.048),_0_12.5px_10px_rgba(0,_0,_0,_0.06),_0_22.3px_17.9px_rgba(0,_0,_0,_0.072),_0_41.8px_33.4px_rgba(0,_0,_0,_0.086),_0_100px_80px_rgba(0,_0,_0,_0.12)]
Examples
<div class="rounded-xl bg-white shadow-[0px_0px_0px_1px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),0px_1px_1px_-0.5px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),0px_3px_3px_-1.5px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),_0px_6px_6px_-3px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),0px_12px_12px_-6px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06),0px_24px_24px_-12px_rgba(0,0,0,0.06)]">
...
</div>
Usage Rules
- Use
Beautiful smfor compact cards, form controls, pills, and quieter surfaces. - Use
Beautiful mdfor cards, panels, popovers, and the default elevated surface style. - Use
Beautiful lgfor hero media, feature callouts, modal-like containers, and the strongest lift. - Pair with a clean surface fill and a consistent radius.
- Use one shadow strength per component state unless an interaction clearly changes elevation.
Avoid
- Mixing these with default Tailwind shadow scales on the same component.
- Tinting these shadows with strong colors; keep them neutral and refined.
- Applying
Beautiful lgto dense lists or tiny controls. - Stacking multiple shadow utilities on one element.
- Using these as a substitute for clear borders in very low-contrast layouts.
Related skills
frontend-designanthropics932KGuidance for distinctive, intentional visual design when building new UI or reshaping an existing one. Helps with aesthetic direction, typography, and making choices that don't read as templated defaults.prototypemattpocock852KBuild a throwaway prototype to answer a design question. Use when the user wants to sanity-check whether a state model or logic feels right, or explore what a UI should look like.hyperframes-animationheygen-com569KAll animation knowledge for HyperFrames — atomic motion rules, multi-phase scene blueprints, scene transitions, broader motion-design techniques, AND the seven runtime adapters (GSAP default, plus Lottie, Three.js, Anime.js, CSS keyframes, Web Animations API, TypeGPU). Use for any motion or animation task: pick 2-4 rules and compose, or load a blueprint, or look up runtime-specific API (e.g. GSAP eases / Lottie player / Three.js mixer). Also covers auditing an existing composition's choreographyhyperframes-creativeheygen-com539KNon-animation creative direction for HyperFrames videos. Use for design spec (frame.md / design.md) handling, palettes, typography, narration, beat planning, audio-reactive visuals, composition patterns, and brand / style decisions. For atomic motion patterns and scene blueprints, use `hyperframes-animation`.