Using custom CSS variables

HTML-CSS
1

I am attempting to modify CSS elements using a custom variable. I am supposed to add the custom variable (–penguin-skin) to a series of background properties. When I add the custom variable to each background it does not work.

What am I doing wrong?

Many thanks in advance!

<style>
  .penguin {
    --penguin-skin: gray;
    position: relative;
    margin: auto;
    display: block;
    margin-top: 5%;
    width: 300px;
    height: 300px;
  }
  
  .penguin-top {
    top: 10%;
    left: 25%;
    
    /* change code below */
    background: black(--penguin-skin);
    /* change code above */
    
    width: 50%;
    height: 45%;
    border-radius: 70% 70% 60% 60%;
  }
  
  .penguin-bottom {
    top: 40%;
    left: 23.5%;
    
    /* change code below */
    background: black(--penguin-skin);
    /* change code above */
    
    width: 53%;
    height: 45%;
    border-radius: 70% 70% 100% 100%;
  }
  
  .right-hand {
    top: 0%;
    left: -5%;
    
    /* change code below */
    background: black(--penguin-skin);
    /* change code above */
    
    width: 30%;
    height: 60%;
    border-radius: 30% 30% 120% 30%;
    transform: rotate(45deg);
    z-index: -1;
  }
  
  .left-hand {
    top: 0%;
    left: 75%;
    
    /* change code below */
    background: black(--penguin-skin);
    /* change code above */
    
    width: 30%;
    height: 60%;
    border-radius: 30% 30% 30% 120%;
    transform: rotate(-45deg);
    z-index: -1;
  }
  
  .right-cheek {
    top: 15%;
    left: 35%;
    background: white;
    width: 60%;
    height: 70%;
    border-radius: 70% 70% 60% 60%;
  }
  
  .left-cheek {
    top: 15%;
    left: 5%;
    background: white;
    width: 60%;
    height: 70%;
    border-radius: 70% 70% 60% 60%;
  }
  
  .belly {
    top: 60%;
    left: 2.5%;
    background: white;
    width: 95%;
    height: 100%;
    border-radius: 120% 120% 100% 100%;
  }
  
  .right-feet {
    top: 85%;
    left: 60%;
    background: orange;
    width: 15%;
    height: 30%;
    border-radius: 50% 50% 50% 50%;
    transform: rotate(-80deg);
    z-index: -2222;  
  }
  
  .left-feet {
    top: 85%;
    left: 25%;
    background: orange;
    width: 15%;
    height: 30%;
    border-radius: 50% 50% 50% 50%;
    transform: rotate(80deg);
    z-index: -2222;  
  }
  
  .right-eye {
    top: 45%;
    left: 60%;
    background: black;
    width: 15%;
    height: 17%;
    border-radius: 50%; 
  }
  
  .left-eye {
    top: 45%;
    left: 25%;
    background: black;
    width: 15%;
    height: 17%;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  
  .sparkle {
    top: 25%;
    left: 15%;
    background: white;
    width: 35%;
    height: 35%;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  
  .blush-right {
    top: 65%;
    left: 15%;
    background: pink;
    width: 15%;
    height: 10%;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  
  .blush-left {
    top: 65%;
    left: 70%;
    background: pink;
    width: 15%;
    height: 10%;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  
  .beak-top {
    top: 60%;
    left: 40%;
    background: orange;
    width: 20%;
    height: 10%;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  
  .beak-bottom {
    top: 65%;
    left: 42%;
    background: orange;
    width: 16%;
    height: 10%;
    border-radius: 50%;
  }
  
  body {
    background:#c6faf1;
  }
  
  .penguin * {
    position: absolute;
  }
</style>
<div class="penguin">
  <div class="penguin-bottom">
    <div class="right-hand"></div>
    <div class="left-hand"></div>
    <div class="right-feet"></div>
    <div class="left-feet"></div>
  </div>
  <div class="penguin-top">
    <div class="right-cheek"></div>
    <div class="left-cheek"></div>
    <div class="belly"></div>
    <div class="right-eye">
      <div class="sparkle"></div>
    </div>
    <div class="left-eye">
      <div class="sparkle"></div>
    </div>
    <div class="blush-right"></div>
    <div class="blush-left"></div>
    <div class="beak-top"></div>
    <div class="beak-bottom"></div>
  </div>
</div>
2

CSS variables are scoped. There is the global scope, which means that all variables defined in this scope are accessible within all the code block of all css rule sets. The make a variable global simply add it to the “:root” rulle set:

:root {
    --global-variable-name: val;
}

.myClass {
   
   /* even though we did not define the variable in this code block we can
       still use it here since this variable was defined in the global scope above */

    random-property: var(--global-variable-name);
}

.secondClass {
   /* we can also use this variable here, again since it was defined globally */
    second-property: var(--global-variable-name);
}

Then there are locally scoped variable. This means that the variable is only accessible within the code block of the defining code block. To make a variable local, simply add the variable to the rule set for any individual element, class, id, etc. Like this:

.myClass {
    --local-variable-name: value;

   /* perfectly legal to use it here */
    random-property: var(--local-variable-name);
}

.anotherClass {
    /* variable was not defined in this code block so it will not work here */
    another-random-property: var(--local-variable-name);
}

check out this article to help you understand it.

3

furthermore you used black(--penguin-skin) to invoke the variable. To invoke the variable us var(--penguin-skin)

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