Partial "X" shape over image on hover

Question

I need a sort of X shape over an image on hover. But not the whole "X", just the outer bits. This is the image from my designer:

I've got a nice "X" shape on hover here:

#xdiv {
  width: 200px;
  height: 200px;
  border: 1px solid #999;
  background-image: url('http://placehold.it/200x200');
}
#xdiv:hover {
  cursor: pointer;
  opacity: .4;
}
#xdiv:hover .xdiv1 {
  height: 200px;
  width: 1px;
  margin-left: 100px;
  background-color: #333;
  transform: rotate(45deg);
  -ms-transform: rotate(45deg);
  /* IE 9 */
  -webkit-transform: rotate(45deg);
  /* Safari and Chrome */
  z-index: 1;
}
#xdiv:hover .xdiv2 {
  height: 200px;
  width: 1px;
  background-color: #333;
  transform: rotate(90deg);
  -ms-transform: rotate(90deg);
  /* IE 9 */
  -webkit-transform: rotate(90deg);
  /* Safari and Chrome */
  z-index: 2;
}

<div id="xdiv">
  <div class="xdiv1">
    <div class="xdiv2"></div>
  </div>
</div>

That I modified from this answer.

Going by my designer's example, is this possible using CSS and not using another image on hover?

Answer 1

EDIT:

You can achieve the partial X shape with:

• 2 pseudo elements instead of divs to reduce markup
• top/bottom borders and no background so the middle part of the shape is transparent

DEMO

NOTE : you should also declare non prefixed properties after the prefixed ones (transforms in your snippet)

#xdiv {
  position: relative;
  width: 200px;
  height: 200px;
  border: 1px solid #999;
  background-image: url('http://placehold.it/200x200');
}
#xdiv:hover {
  cursor: pointer;
  opacity: .4;
}
#xdiv:before, #xdiv:after {
  content: '';
  position: absolute;
  display: none;
  left: 50%; top: 0;
  width: 1px; height: 100px;
  border-top: 50px solid #333;
  border-bottom: 50px solid #333;
  -ms-transform: rotate(45deg);
  -webkit-transform: rotate(45deg);
  transform: rotate(45deg);
}
#xdiv:hover:before {
  display: block;
}
#xdiv:hover:after {
  display: block;
  -ms-transform: rotate(-45deg);
  -webkit-transform: rotate(-45deg);
  transform: rotate(-45deg);
}

<div id="xdiv"></div>

---

Previous answer :

DEMO

#xdiv {
    width: 200px;
    height: 200px;
    border: 1px solid #999;
    background-image: url('http://placehold.it/200x200');
}
#xdiv:hover {
    cursor: pointer;
    opacity: .4;
}
#xdiv:hover .xdiv1 {
    height: 100px;
    width: 1px;
    margin-left: 100px;
    border-top: 50px solid #333;
    border-bottom: 50px solid #333;
    transform: rotate(45deg);
    -ms-transform: rotate(45deg); /* IE 9 */
    -webkit-transform: rotate(45deg); /* Safari and Chrome */
    z-index: 1;
}
#xdiv:hover .xdiv2 {
    position:relative;
    top:-50px;
    height: 100px;
    width: 1px;
    border-top: 50px solid #333;
    border-bottom: 50px solid #333;
    transform: rotate(90deg);
    -ms-transform: rotate(90deg); /* IE 9 */
    -webkit-transform: rotate(90deg); /* Safari and Chrome */
    z-index: 2;
}

<div id="xdiv" >
<div class="xdiv1">
    <div class="xdiv2"></div>
</div>
</div>

Answer 2

Approach using Gradients:

1. Using a div and background color, I've created the square div

+-------------+
|             |
|             |
|             |
|             |
|             |
|             |
|             |
+-------------+

2. Then, using a pseudo element rotated 45 degrees, and another at -45 degrees, You could generate the 'X' shape (currently setting a solid background color for help with positioning):

+-------------+
|\           /|
|  \       /  |
|    \   /    |
|      \      |
|     /  \    |
|   /      \  |
| /          \|
+-------------+

3. Now, rather than using a solid black colour, you could use a gradient background, with 'color stops' to make the center transparent. (note: for gradients, I would recommend this generator )

4. This leaves something like:

+-------------+
|\           /|
|  \       /  |
|             |
|             |
|             |
|   /      \  |
| /          \|
+-------------+

depending on your positioning of the color stops.

DEMO

div {
  height: 300px;
  width: 300px;
  background: url(http://placekitten.com/g/300/300);
  position: relative;
  transform-origin: center center;
  overflow: hidden;
}
div:before {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  top: -50%;
  left: calc(50% - 1px);
  height: 200%;
  width: 2px;
  transform: rotate(45deg);
}
div:after {
  content: "";
  position: absolute;
  top: -50%;
  left: calc(50% - 1px);
  height: 200%;
  width: 2px;
  transform: rotate(-45deg);
}
div:hover:before, div:hover:after{
 background: -moz-linear-gradient(top,  rgba(0,0,0,1) 0%, rgba(0,0,0,1) 30%, rgba(0,0,0,0) 31%, rgba(0,0,0,0) 69%, rgba(0,0,0,1) 70%, rgba(0,0,0,1) 100%); /* FF3.6+ */
background: -webkit-gradient(linear, left top, left bottom, color-stop(0%,rgba(0,0,0,1)), color-stop(30%,rgba(0,0,0,1)), color-stop(31%,rgba(0,0,0,0)), color-stop(69%,rgba(0,0,0,0)), color-stop(70%,rgba(0,0,0,1)), color-stop(100%,rgba(0,0,0,1))); /* Chrome,Safari4+ */
background: -webkit-linear-gradient(top,  rgba(0,0,0,1) 0%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 30%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 31%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 69%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 70%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 100%); /* Chrome10+,Safari5.1+ */
background: -o-linear-gradient(top,  rgba(0,0,0,1) 0%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 30%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 31%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 69%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 70%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 100%); /* Opera 11.10+ */
background: -ms-linear-gradient(top,  rgba(0,0,0,1) 0%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 30%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 31%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 69%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 70%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 100%); /* IE10+ */
background: linear-gradient(to bottom,  rgba(0,0,0,1) 0%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 30%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 31%,rgba(0,0,0,0) 69%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 70%,rgba(0,0,0,1) 100%); /* W3C */
filter: progid:DXImageTransform.Microsoft.gradient( startColorstr='#000000', endColorstr='#000000',GradientType=0 ); /* IE6-9 */


  

<div></div>