How to make CSS clip-path show background and only apply animation inside the clipped partion?

Question

I have this CSS. I tried to make it so the clipped circle path expands in a circle, but I want it to not mask the background. I want it to show the background and show the clipped circle also. It should show both the background and the clipped portion.

Once that's done I need it so that the clipped portion has the melt keyframes animation on it so that only the portion inside the clip-path has the melt animation outside there is no animation.

@keyframes expandCircle {
    0% {clip-path: circle(0% at center);}
    100% {clip-path: circle(100% at center);}}
    
@keyframes melt {
    0% {
        filter: blur(20px) contrast(400%) saturate(250%) brightness(125%);
        pointer-events: none;}
    100% {
        filter: none;
        pointer-events: all;}}

#screen-container {
    position: absolute;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    background-image: url("system/wallpaper/paint.bmp");
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-size: cover;
    background-color: #000000;
    animation: expandCircle 3s forwards;
    clip-path: inset(0 0 0 0 round 8px); /* contain the blur */
    overflow: hidden;
}

#screen-container::after {
    content: "";
    position: absolute;
    top: 0;
    left: 0;
    right: 0;
    bottom: 0;
    background: inherit;
    clip-path: circle(0% at center); 
    animation: melt 2s forwards;
}

Answer 1

You can use the

::after pseudo-element to apply the animation only inside the frame, ensuring that #screen-container's clip-path works correctly. Try the following code:

@keyframes expandCircle {
    0% {
        clip-path: circle(0% at center);
    }
    100% {
        clip-path: circle(100% at center);
    }
}

@keyframes melt {
    0% {
        filter: blur(20px) contrast(400%) saturate(250%) brightness(125%);
        pointer-events: none;
    }
    100% {
        filter: none;
        pointer-events: all;
    }
}

#screen-container {
    position: absolute;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    background-image: url("system/wallpaper/paint.bmp");
    background-repeat: no-repeat;
    background-size: cover;
    background-color: #000000;
}

#clip-circle {
    position: absolute;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    clip-path: circle(0% at center);
    animation: expandCircle 3s forwards;
    overflow: hidden;
}

#clip-circle::after {
    content: "";
    position: absolute;
    width: 100%;
    height: 100%;
    background-image: inherit;
    background-size: cover;
    clip-path: inherit; 
    animation: melt 2s forwards;
}