--- title: "8 CSS & JavaScript Snippets for Creating Hand-Drawn Elements" id: "130868" type: "post" slug: "css-javascript-snippets-hand-drawn-elements" published_at: "2026-04-07T06:07:30+00:00" modified_at: "2026-06-12T17:18:46+00:00" url: "https://speckyboy.com/css-javascript-snippets-hand-drawn-elements/" markdown_url: "https://speckyboy.com/css-javascript-snippets-hand-drawn-elements.md" excerpt: "A collection of CSS and JavaScript code snippets for giving a hand-drawn style to elements and typography." taxonomy_category: - "CSS" - "JavaScript" - "UI Design" taxonomy_post_tag: - "CSS Animation" - "CSS Snippets" - "Illustration" - "JavaScript Snippets" - "UI Components" --- # 8 CSS & JavaScript Snippets for Creating Hand-Drawn Elements Last Update: June 12, 2026 By Eric Karkovack [CSS](https://speckyboy.com/category/css/) / [JavaScript](https://speckyboy.com/category/javascript/) / [UI Design](https://speckyboy.com/category/ui/) We often see code used to create high-tech design elements. That makes sense, as there is a natural correlation between the latest CSS/JavaScript techniques and a futuristic vision. But what if we wanted to create something with a more traditional, hand-drawn look? As it turns out, you can accomplish some pretty amazing things when combining code and hand-drawn elements. For instance, you might use [SVG animation](https://speckyboy.com/logos-css-js-svg/) to make it appear that the element is being “drawn” in real-time. Or you can add a touch of sketch art to something more modern. The sky is the limit. Today, we’ll show you some examples of how hand-drawn elements (authentic or simulated) can be enhanced through code. Enjoy! ## Crowd Watching Watching this animation is reminiscent of sitting on a bench in the middle of a crowded city. Various quirky characters walk about at a healthy pace. The use of JavaScript turns this collection of illustrations into a moving piece of art. See the Pen [Crowd Simulator](https://codepen.io/zadvorsky/pen/xxwbBQV) by Szenia Zadvornykh ## Outstanding Flow Flow fields are a type of [generative](https://tylerxhobbs.com/essays/2020/flow-fields) , grid-based art that allows for some stunning creations. Highly-detailed works that look as though someone spent hours drawing each and every stroke by hand. This snippet features a control panel that enables you to tweak background color, speed, and more. See the Pen [Flow Field Drawing](https://codepen.io/scorch/pen/OJmBMMm) by Daniel ## Not-so-Useless Sketches Here’s a fun animated drawing that uses everyday objects to spell out the word “Useless.” It’s a bit of a misnomer, as this snippet is a great example of how the GSAP library can be used to enhance artwork. See the Pen [A Tribute to the Useless Web](https://codepen.io/sdras/pen/mdJRyBx) by Sarah Drasner ## Chalkboard Menu If you have a favorite coffee shop or café, chances are you’ve witnessed the casual elegance of a chalkboard menu. Sometimes a bit messy, but always filled with good stuff. This snippet brings a similar charm to your screen, complete with [hand-drawn fonts](https://speckyboy.com/free-hand-drawn-fonts/) and funky borders. See the Pen [Cafe Menu Layout](https://codepen.io/josetxu/pen/oNWgEZV) by Josetxu ## Write Your Name in Style Handwritten text animations are among the more popular use cases for adding character to a design. This tool makes it even more fun by adding a hand icon (which can be turned off), along with a number of settings to tweak. See the Pen [Animated handwriting with DrawSVG (GSAP3)](https://codepen.io/PointC/pen/MpLVvO) by Craig Roblewsky ## A Moving Mural This virtual mural is like a [Yellow Submarine](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2uTFF_3MaA) cartoon for the modern age. With bright colors and gentle animations, it’s definitely an attention-getter. Even more impressive is that it’s built with pure CSS. See the Pen [Multi-Screen Mural for JSConf EU 2019](https://codepen.io/ilithya/pen/zXRXbM) by ilithya ## Hand-Drawn 404 As this snippet proves, there’s nothing wrong with having a little fun on your 404 page. A silly alien character is drawn with crayon-like strokes. From there, it features a choppy [CSS animation](https://speckyboy.com/css-animation/) that brings a bit of a homemade vibe. See the Pen [404:Players Not Found](https://codepen.io/sfrisk/pen/Kxvbdy) by Sarah Frisk ## Draw It Yourself Nothing says “hand-drawn” quite like the Etch a Sketch. Master the classic toy’s unorthodox knobs, and you can draw something incredible. Here, an online version works by using your keyboard’s arrow keys. Oh, and you’ll hit the “CLEAR” button instead of shaking to start over. Even if you’re not a great artist, you should be able to create some fun block lettering. See the Pen [Etch A Sketch 🖌](https://codepen.io/GemmaStiles/pen/GRoKYwP) by Gemma Stiles ## Two Diverse Artforms Coming Together Whether you’re into drawing, coding, or both – you’re an artist. After all, each allows you to express your creativity in exciting ways. And, even though these two artforms require vastly different skillsets, they go together quite well. The snippets above are proof that code can bring a new dimension to hand-drawn elements. Movement, interactivity, and other special effects work to enhance the experience. ## Related Articles - [8 CSS Code Snippets for Creating Stunning Border Effects](https://speckyboy.com/css-border-effects/) We share a collection of pure CSS border effects that prove that web designers should no longer have to settle for a basic design. - [8 CSS & JavaScript Snippets for Background Noise Effects](https://speckyboy.com/css-javascript-snippets-noise-effects/) Items such as text, images, and backgrounds can all be beautifully enhanced with these CSS & JavaScript noise effect code snippets. - [8 Stunning CSS & JavaScript Animated Code Snippets for Enhancing Illustrations](https://speckyboy.com/stunning-css-javascript-snippets-enhance-illustration/) We have a collection of CSS & JS snippets that take illustrations to the next level. Each one is editable, so feel free to play around with the code. - [Fantastic Examples of Variable Fonts in Action](https://speckyboy.com/variable-font-examples/) Variable fonts are the best thing to happen to typography since web fonts. And we've some variable font code snippets that prove just that! - [8 Code Snippets for Creating Animated Paths](https://speckyboy.com/animation-snippets/) A collection of code snippets for creating animated CSS paths that will allow you to achieve a number of exciting effects. ## Related Topics - [CSS Animation](https://speckyboy.com/topic/css-animation/) - [CSS Snippets](https://speckyboy.com/topic/css-snippet/) - [Illustration](https://speckyboy.com/topic/illustration/) - [JavaScript Snippets](https://speckyboy.com/topic/javascript-snippet/) - [UI Components](https://speckyboy.com/topic/ui-components/) ## Written by Eric Karkovack Eric Karkovack is a web designer and WordPress expert with over two decades of experience. You can visit his business site [here](https://www.karks.com/) . He recently started a writing service for WordPress products: [WP Product Writeup](https://wpproductwriteup.com/) . He also has an opinion on just about every subject. You can follow his rants on Bluesky [@karks.com](https://bsky.app/profile/karks.com) . [Read more articles by Eric Karkovack](https://speckyboy.com/author/erickarkovack/) --- Top This page may contain affiliate links. At no extra cost to you, we may earn a commission from any purchase via the links on our site. You can [read our Disclosure Policy](https://speckyboy.com/affiliate-disclosure/) at any time.