What I am looking for:

A way to style one HALF of a character. (In this case, half the letter being transparent)

What I have currently searched for and tried (With no luck):

Methods for styling half of a character/letter
Styling part of a character with CSS or JavaScript
Apply CSS to 50% of a character

Below is an example of what i'm trying to obtain

Is there a solution for cssjavascript? I'd rather not go the image route as this text will be generated dynamically

UPDATE:

Since many have asked why i would ever want to style half of a character, this is why. My city had recently spent $250,000 to define a new "brand" for itself. This logo is what they came up with. Many people have complained and continue to do so about the simplicity and lack of creativity My goal was to come up with this website as a joke. Type in halifax and you'll understand what i mean

Best Answer

Now on GitHub as a Plugin!

enter image description here Feel free to fork and improve.

Demo | Download Zip | Half-Style.com (Redirects to GitHub)

Pure CSS for a Single Character
JavaScript used for automation across text or multiple characters
Preserves Text Accessibility for screen readers for the blind or visually impaired

Part 1: Basic Solution

Half Style on text

Demo: http://jsfiddle.net/arbel/pd9yB/1694/

This works on any dynamic text, or a single character, and is all automated. All you need to do is add a class to the target text and the rest will be taken care of

Also, the accessibility of the original text is preserved for screen readers for the blind or visually impaired.

Explanation for a single character:

Pure css. All you need to do is to apply .halfStyle class to each element that contains the character you want to be half-styled.

For each span element containing the character, you can create a data attribute, for example here data-content="X" , and on the pseudo element use content: attr(data-content); so the .halfStyle:before class will be dynamic and you won't need to hard code it for every instance.

Explanation for any text:

Simply add textToHalfStyle class to the element containing the text.

// jQuery for automated mode
jQuery(function($) {
    var text, chars, $el, i, output;

    // Iterate over all class occurences
    $('.textToHalfStyle').each(function(idx, el) {
    $el = $(el);
    text = $el.text();
    chars = text.split('');

    // Set the screen-reader text
    $el.html('<span style="position: absolute !important;clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px);clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);">' + text + '</span>');

    // Reset output for appending
    output = '';

    // Iterate over all chars in the text
    for (i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) {
        // Create a styled element for each character and append to container
        output += '<span aria-hidden="true" class="halfStyle" data-content="' + chars[i] + '">' + chars[i] + '</span>';
    }

    // Write to DOM only once
    $el.append(output);
  });
});

.halfStyle {
    position: relative;
    display: inline-block;
    font-size: 80px; /* or any font size will work */
    color: black; /* or transparent, any color */
    overflow: hidden;
    white-space: pre; /* to preserve the spaces from collapsing */
}

.halfStyle:before {
    display: block;
    z-index: 1;
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    left: 0;
    width: 50%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    overflow: hidden;
    color: #f00;
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

<p>Single Characters:</p>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="X">X</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Y">Y</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Z">Z</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="A">A</span>

<hr/>
<p>Automated:</p>

<span class="textToHalfStyle">Half-style, please.</span>

( JSFiddle demo )

Part 2: Advanced solution - Independent left and right parts

Half Style on text - advanced - With Text Shadow

With this solution you can style left and right parts, individually and independently .

Everything is the same, only more advanced css does the magic.

jQuery(function($) {
    var text, chars, $el, i, output;

    // Iterate over all class occurences
    $('.textToHalfStyle').each(function(idx, el) {
        $el = $(el);
        text = $el.text();
        chars = text.split('');

        // Set the screen-reader text
        $el.html('<span style="position: absolute !important;clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px);clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);">' + text + '</span>');

        // Reset output for appending
        output = '';

        // Iterate over all chars in the text
        for (i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) {
            // Create a styled element for each character and append to container
            output += '<span aria-hidden="true" class="halfStyle" data-content="' + chars[i] + '">' + chars[i] + '</span>';
        }

        // Write to DOM only once
        $el.append(output);
    });
});

.halfStyle {
    position: relative;
    display: inline-block;
    font-size: 80px; /* or any font size will work */
    color: transparent; /* hide the base character */
    overflow: hidden;
    white-space: pre; /* to preserve the spaces from collapsing */
}

.halfStyle:before { /* creates the left part */
    display: block;
    z-index: 1;
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    width: 50%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    overflow: hidden;
    pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
    color: #f00; /* for demo purposes */
    text-shadow: 2px -2px 0px #af0; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle:after { /* creates the right part */
    display: block;
    direction: rtl; /* very important, will make the width to start from right */
    position: absolute;
    z-index: 2;
    top: 0;
    left: 50%;
    width: 50%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    overflow: hidden;
    pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
    color: #000; /* for demo purposes */
    text-shadow: 2px 2px 0px #0af; /* for demo purposes */
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Single Characters:</p>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="X">X</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Y">Y</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Z">Z</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="A">A</span>

<hr/>
<p>Automated:</p>

<span class="textToHalfStyle">Half-style, please.</span>

( JSFiddle demo )

Part 3: Mix-Match and Improve

We can now define variations of what is possible

-Horizontal Half Parts

Without Text Shadow:
Possibility of Text Shadow for each half part independently:

// jQuery for automated mode
jQuery(function($) {
    var text, chars, $el, i, output;

    // Iterate over all class occurences
    $('.textToHalfStyle').each(function(idx, el) {
        $el = $(el);
        text = $el.text();
        chars = text.split('');

        // Set the screen-reader text
        $el.html('<span style="position: absolute !important;clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px);clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);">' + text + '</span>');

        // Reset output for appending
        output = '';

        // Iterate over all chars in the text
        for (i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) {
            // Create a styled element for each character and append to container
            output += '<span aria-hidden="true" class="halfStyle" data-content="' + chars[i] + '">' + chars[i] + '</span>';
        }

        // Write to DOM only once
        $el.append(output);
    });
});

.halfStyle {
  position: relative;
  display: inline-block;
  font-size: 80px; /* or any font size will work */
  color: transparent; /* hide the base character */
  overflow: hidden;
  white-space: pre; /* to preserve the spaces from collapsing */
}

.halfStyle:before { /* creates the top part */
  display: block;
  z-index: 2;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  height: 50%;
  content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
  overflow: hidden;
  pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
  color: #f00; /* for demo purposes */
  text-shadow: 2px -2px 0px #af0; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle:after { /* creates the bottom part */
  display: block;
  position: absolute;
  z-index: 1;
  top: 0;
  height: 100%;
  content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
  overflow: hidden;
  pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
  color: #000; /* for demo purposes */
  text-shadow: 2px 2px 0px #0af; /* for demo purposes */
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Single Characters:</p>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="X">X</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Y">Y</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Z">Z</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="A">A</span>

<hr/>
<p>Automated:</p>

<span class="textToHalfStyle">Half-style, please.</span>

( JSFiddle demo )

-Vertical 1/3 Parts

Without Text Shadow:
Possibility of Text Shadow for each 1/3 part independently:

// jQuery for automated mode
jQuery(function($) {
    var text, chars, $el, i, output;

    // Iterate over all class occurences
    $('.textToHalfStyle').each(function(idx, el) {
    $el = $(el);
    text = $el.text();
    chars = text.split('');

    // Set the screen-reader text
    $el.html('<span style="position: absolute !important;clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px);clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);">' + text + '</span>');

    // Reset output for appending
    output = '';

    // Iterate over all chars in the text
    for (i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) {
        // Create a styled element for each character and append to container
        output += '<span aria-hidden="true" class="halfStyle" data-content="' + chars[i] + '">' + chars[i] + '</span>';
    }

    // Write to DOM only once
    $el.append(output);
  });
});

.halfStyle { /* base char and also the right 1/3 */
    position: relative;
    display: inline-block;
    font-size: 80px; /* or any font size will work */
    color: transparent; /* hide the base character */
    overflow: hidden;
    white-space: pre; /* to preserve the spaces from collapsing */
    color: #f0f; /* for demo purposes */
    text-shadow: 2px 2px 0px #0af; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle:before { /* creates the left 1/3 */
    display: block;
    z-index: 2;
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    width: 33.33%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    overflow: hidden;
    pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
    color: #f00; /* for demo purposes */
    text-shadow: 2px -2px 0px #af0; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle:after { /* creates the middle 1/3 */
    display: block;
    z-index: 1;
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    width: 66.66%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    overflow: hidden;
    pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
    color: #000; /* for demo purposes */
    text-shadow: 2px 2px 0px #af0; /* for demo purposes */
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

<p>Single Characters:</p>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="X">X</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Y">Y</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Z">Z</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="A">A</span>

<hr/>
<p>Automated:</p>

<span class="textToHalfStyle">Half-style, please.</span>

( JSFiddle demo )

-Horizontal 1/3 Parts

Without Text Shadow:
Possibility of Text Shadow for each 1/3 part independently:

// jQuery for automated mode
jQuery(function($) {
    var text, chars, $el, i, output;

    // Iterate over all class occurences
    $('.textToHalfStyle').each(function(idx, el) {
    $el = $(el);
    text = $el.text();
    chars = text.split('');

    // Set the screen-reader text
    $el.html('<span style="position: absolute !important;clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px);clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);">' + text + '</span>');

    // Reset output for appending
    output = '';

    // Iterate over all chars in the text
    for (i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) {
        // Create a styled element for each character and append to container
        output += '<span aria-hidden="true" class="halfStyle" data-content="' + chars[i] + '">' + chars[i] + '</span>';
    }

    // Write to DOM only once
    $el.append(output);
  });
});

.halfStyle { /* base char and also the bottom 1/3 */
  position: relative;
  display: inline-block;
  font-size: 80px; /* or any font size will work */
  color: transparent;
  overflow: hidden;
  white-space: pre; /* to preserve the spaces from collapsing */
  color: #f0f;
  text-shadow: 2px 2px 0px #0af; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle:before { /* creates the top 1/3 */
  display: block;
  z-index: 2;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  height: 33.33%;
  content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
  overflow: hidden;
  pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
  color: #f00; /* for demo purposes */
  text-shadow: 2px -2px 0px #fa0; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle:after { /* creates the middle 1/3 */
  display: block;
  position: absolute;
  z-index: 1;
  top: 0;
  height: 66.66%;
  content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
  overflow: hidden;
  pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
  color: #000; /* for demo purposes */
  text-shadow: 2px 2px 0px #af0; /* for demo purposes */
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Single Characters:</p>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="X">X</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Y">Y</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Z">Z</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="A">A</span>

<hr/>
<p>Automated:</p>

<span class="textToHalfStyle">Half-style, please.</span>

( JSFiddle demo )

-HalfStyle Improvement By @KevinGranger

halfStyle - KevinGranger

// jQuery for automated mode
jQuery(function($) {
    var text, chars, $el, i, output;

    // Iterate over all class occurences
    $('.textToHalfStyle').each(function(idx, el) {
    $el = $(el);
    text = $el.text();
    chars = text.split('');

    // Set the screen-reader text
    $el.html('<span style="position: absolute !important;clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px);clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);">' + text + '</span>');

    // Reset output for appending
    output = '';

    // Iterate over all chars in the text
    for (i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) {
        // Create a styled element for each character and append to container
        output += '<span aria-hidden="true" class="halfStyle" data-content="' + chars[i] + '">' + chars[i] + '</span>';
    }

    // Write to DOM only once
    $el.append(output);
  });
});

body {
    background-color: black;
}

.textToHalfStyle {
    display: block;
    margin: 200px 0 0 0;
    text-align: center;
}

.halfStyle {
    font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;
    position: relative;
    display: inline-block;
    width: 1;
    font-size: 70px;
    color: black;
    overflow: hidden;
    white-space: pre;
    text-shadow: 1px 2px 0 white;
}

.halfStyle:before {
    display: block;
    z-index: 1;
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    width: 50%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    overflow: hidden;
    color: white;
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Single Characters:</p>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="X">X</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Y">Y</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Z">Z</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="A">A</span>

<hr/>
<p>Automated:</p>

<span class="textToHalfStyle">Half-style, please.</span>

( JSFiddle demo )

-PeelingStyle improvement of HalfStyle by @SamTremaine

halfStyle - SamTremaine

// jQuery for automated mode
jQuery(function($) {
    var text, chars, $el, i, output;

    // Iterate over all class occurences
    $('.textToHalfStyle').each(function(idx, el) {
    $el = $(el);
    text = $el.text();
    chars = text.split('');

    // Set the screen-reader text
    $el.html('<span style="position: absolute !important;clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px);clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);">' + text + '</span>');

    // Reset output for appending
    output = '';

    // Iterate over all chars in the text
    for (i = 0; i < chars.length; i++) {
        // Create a styled element for each character and append to container
        output += '<span aria-hidden="true" class="halfStyle" data-content="' + chars[i] + '">' + chars[i] + '</span>';
    }

    // Write to DOM only once
    $el.append(output);
  });
});

.halfStyle {
    position: relative;
    display: inline-block;
    font-size: 68px;
    color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
    overflow: hidden;
    white-space: pre;
    transform: rotate(4deg);
    text-shadow: 2px 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
}

.halfStyle:before { /* creates the left part */
    display: block;
    z-index: 1;
    position: absolute;
    top: -0.5px;
    left: -3px;
    width: 100%;
    content: attr(data-content);
    overflow: hidden;
    pointer-events: none;
    color: #FFF;
    transform: rotate(-4deg);
    text-shadow: 0px 0px 1px #000;
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Single Characters:</p>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="X">X</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Y">Y</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="Z">Z</span>
<span class="halfStyle" data-content="A">A</span>

<hr/>
<p>Automated:</p>

<span class="textToHalfStyle">Half-style, please.</span>

( JSFiddle demo and on samtremaine.co.uk )

Part 4: Ready for Production

Customized different Half-Style style-sets can be used on desired elements on the same page. You can define multiple style-sets and tell the plugin which one to use.

The plugin uses data attribute data-halfstyle="[-CustomClassName-]" on the target .textToHalfStyle elements and makes all the necessary changes automatically.

So, simply on the element containing the text add textToHalfStyle class and data attribute data-halfstyle="[-CustomClassName-]" . The plugin will do the rest of the work

halfStyle - Multiple on Same Page

Also the CSS style-sets' class definitions match the [-CustomClassName-] part mentioned above and is chained to .halfStyle , so we will have .halfStyle.[-CustomClassName-]

jQuery(function($) {
    var halfstyle_text, halfstyle_chars, $halfstyle_el, halfstyle_i, halfstyle_output, halfstyle_style;

    // Iterate over all class occurrences
    $('.textToHalfStyle').each(function(idx, halfstyle_el) {
        $halfstyle_el = $(halfstyle_el);
        halfstyle_style = $halfstyle_el.data('halfstyle') || 'hs-base';
        halfstyle_text = $halfstyle_el.text();
        halfstyle_chars = halfstyle_text.split('');

        // Set the screen-reader text
        $halfstyle_el.html('<span style="position: absolute !important;clip: rect(1px 1px 1px 1px);clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);">' + halfstyle_text + '</span>');

        // Reset output for appending
        halfstyle_output = '';

        // Iterate over all chars in the text
        for (halfstyle_i = 0; halfstyle_i < halfstyle_chars.length; halfstyle_i++) {
            // Create a styled element for each character and append to container
            halfstyle_output += '<span aria-hidden="true" class="halfStyle ' + halfstyle_style + '" data-content="' + halfstyle_chars[halfstyle_i] + '">' + halfstyle_chars[halfstyle_i] + '</span>';
        }

        // Write to DOM only once
        $halfstyle_el.append(halfstyle_output);
    });
});

/* start half-style hs-base */

.halfStyle.hs-base {
    position: relative;
    display: inline-block;
    font-size: 80px; /* or any font size will work */
    overflow: hidden;
    white-space: pre; /* to preserve the spaces from collapsing */
    color: #000; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle.hs-base:before {
    display: block;
    z-index: 1;
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    width: 50%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
    overflow: hidden;
    color: #f00; /* for demo purposes */
}

/* end half-style hs-base */


/* start half-style hs-horizontal-third */

.halfStyle.hs-horizontal-third { /* base char and also the bottom 1/3 */
    position: relative;
    display: inline-block;
    font-size: 80px; /* or any font size will work */
    color: transparent;
    overflow: hidden;
    white-space: pre; /* to preserve the spaces from collapsing */
    color: #f0f;
    text-shadow: 2px 2px 0px #0af; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle.hs-horizontal-third:before { /* creates the top 1/3 */
    display: block;
    z-index: 2;
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    height: 33.33%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    overflow: hidden;
    pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
    color: #f00; /* for demo purposes */
    text-shadow: 2px -2px 0px #fa0; /* for demo purposes */
}

.halfStyle.hs-horizontal-third:after { /* creates the middle 1/3 */
    display: block;
    position: absolute;
    z-index: 1;
    top: 0;
    height: 66.66%;
    content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
    overflow: hidden;
    pointer-events: none; /* so the base char is selectable by mouse */
    color: #000; /* for demo purposes */
    text-shadow: 2px 2px 0px #af0; /* for demo purposes */
}

/* end half-style hs-horizontal-third */


/* start half-style hs-PeelingStyle, by user SamTremaine on Stackoverflow.com */

.halfStyle.hs-PeelingStyle {
  position: relative;
  display: inline-block;
  font-size: 68px;
  color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.8);
  overflow: hidden;
  white-space: pre;
  transform: rotate(4deg);
  text-shadow: 2px 1px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
}

.halfStyle.hs-PeelingStyle:before { /* creates the left part */
  display: block;
  z-index: 1;
  position: absolute;
  top: -0.5px;
  left: -3px;
  width: 100%;
  content: attr(data-content);
  overflow: hidden;
  pointer-events: none;
  color: #FFF;
  transform: rotate(-4deg);
  text-shadow: 0px 0px 1px #000;
}

/* end half-style hs-PeelingStyle */


/* start half-style hs-KevinGranger, by user KevinGranger on StackOverflow.com*/

.textToHalfStyle.hs-KevinGranger {
  display: block;
  margin: 200px 0 0 0;
  text-align: center;
}

.halfStyle.hs-KevinGranger {
  font-family: 'Libre Baskerville', serif;
  position: relative;
  display: inline-block;
  width: 1;
  font-size: 70px;
  color: black;
  overflow: hidden;
  white-space: pre;
  text-shadow: 1px 2px 0 white;
}

.halfStyle.hs-KevinGranger:before {
  display: block;
  z-index: 1;
  position: absolute;
  top: 0;
  width: 50%;
  content: attr(data-content); /* dynamic content for the pseudo element */
  overflow: hidden;
  color: white;
}

/* end half-style hs-KevinGranger

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.11.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>
    <span class="textToHalfStyle" data-halfstyle="hs-base">Half-style, please.</span>
</p>
<p>
    <span class="textToHalfStyle" data-halfstyle="hs-horizontal-third">Half-style, please.</span>
</p>
<p>
    <span class="textToHalfStyle" data-halfstyle="hs-PeelingStyle">Half-style, please.</span>
</p>
<p style="background-color:#000;">
    <span class="textToHalfStyle" data-halfstyle="hs-KevinGranger">Half-style, please.</span>
</p>

( JSFiddle demo )

Now on GitHub as a Plugin!

Demo | Download Zip | Half-Style.com (Redirects to GitHub)

Part 1: Basic Solution

Part 2: Advanced solution - Independent left and right parts

Part 3: Mix-Match and Improve

-Horizontal Half Parts

Without Text Shadow:

Possibility of Text Shadow for each half part independently:

-Vertical 1/3 Parts

Without Text Shadow:

Possibility of Text Shadow for each 1/3 part independently:

-Horizontal 1/3 Parts

Without Text Shadow:

Possibility of Text Shadow for each 1/3 part independently:

-HalfStyle Improvement By @KevinGranger

-PeelingStyle improvement of HalfStyle by @SamTremaine

Part 4: Ready for Production