src/shared/styles/theme.css

@@ -69,17 +69,21 @@
   --space-20: 10rem;
 
   /* === BORDERS === */
-  --border-width: 3px;
-  --radius: 0px;
+  --border-width: 1.5px;
+  --radius: 5px;
 
-  /* === BRUTALIST SHADOWS === */
-  --shadow-brutal-xs: 1px 1px 0 var(--blue);
-  --shadow-brutal-sm: 3px 3px 0 var(--blue);
-  --shadow-brutal: 5px 5px 0 var(--blue);
-  --shadow-brutal-md: 7px 7px 0 var(--blue);
-  --shadow-brutal-lg: 8px 8px 0 var(--blue);
-  --shadow-brutal-xl: 10px 10px 0 var(--blue);
-  --shadow-brutal-2xl: 12px 12px 0 var(--blue);
+  /* Muted offset shadow — quieter than the old hard-blue brutalist stamp.
+   * Softer alpha + tighter offsets keep the offset-shadow feel, just lighter. */
+  --shadow-color: rgba(4, 28, 243, 0.25);
+
+  /* === OFFSET SHADOWS === */
+  --shadow-brutal-xs: 1px 1px 0 var(--shadow-color);
+  --shadow-brutal-sm: 2px 2px 0 var(--shadow-color);
+  --shadow-brutal: 3px 3px 0 var(--shadow-color);
+  --shadow-brutal-md: 3px 3px 0 var(--shadow-color);
+  --shadow-brutal-lg: 4px 4px 0 var(--shadow-color);
+  --shadow-brutal-xl: 5px 5px 0 var(--shadow-color);
+  --shadow-brutal-2xl: 6px 6px 0 var(--shadow-color);
 
   /* === GRID === */
   --grid-gap: var(--space-3);
@@ -237,9 +241,46 @@
   }
 }
 
-/* Button elevation transition — only transform animates; shadow snaps instantly */
-.btn-transition {
-  transition: transform 0.13s var(--ease-micro);
+/* Button elevation transition — transform + shadow animate together over 130ms
+ * on the micro easing curve; the spring feel comes from the curve, no keyframes. */
+@utility btn-transition {
+  transition: transform 130ms var(--ease-micro);
+}
+
+/* Offset "shadow" as a static pseudo-block instead of box-shadow. box-shadow
+ * swims because it repaints on the main thread while the button's translate
+ * runs on the compositor — the two desync per frame. Here both the button and
+ * its ::before are transforms, so they stay frame-synced. The ::before counter-
+ * translates to hold a fixed 3px world offset while the button lifts/presses,
+ * so the shadow appears frozen and only the button moves. */
+.btn-shadow {
+  position: relative;
+  z-index: 0;
+  transition: transform 130ms var(--ease-micro);
+}
+.btn-shadow::before {
+  content: "";
+  position: absolute;
+  /* ponytail: inset:0 tracks the padding box, ~1.5px shy of the border box;
+   * imperceptible on a hard offset block. Widen with negative inset if it shows. */
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: -1;
+  border-radius: inherit;
+  background: var(--shadow-color);
+  transform: translate(3px, 3px);
+  transition: transform 130ms var(--ease-micro);
+}
+.btn-shadow:hover {
+  transform: translate(-2px, -2px);
+}
+.btn-shadow:hover::before {
+  transform: translate(5px, 5px);
+}
+.btn-shadow:active {
+  transform: translate(2px, 2px);
+}
+.btn-shadow:active::before {
+  transform: translate(1px, 1px);
 }
 
 /* Brutalist utility classes */
@@ -254,6 +295,7 @@
 }
 @utility brutal-border {
   border: var(--border-width) solid var(--blue);
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
 }
 @utility brutal-border-top {
   border-top: var(--border-width) solid var(--blue);
@@ -272,6 +314,7 @@
  * ancestor must not have overflow:hidden or the outline gets clipped. */
 @utility brutal-outline {
   outline: var(--border-width) solid var(--blue);
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
 }
 /* Tiled blue dot pattern — applied to body::before (page-wide) and reusable
  * on any surface that should share the same paper-grain texture. The SVG
@@ -479,6 +522,9 @@ dialog.lightbox {
   box-sizing: content-box;
   max-width: calc(100vw - 2rem);
   max-height: calc(100vh - 10rem);
+  /* Match the wrapper's brutal-outline radius so image corners sit flush
+   * inside the rounded outline instead of poking past it. */
+  border-radius: var(--radius);
 }
 
 /* Disable transition animation for Firefox

src/shared/ui/Button/ui/Button.tsx

@@ -41,14 +41,12 @@ function isAnchorProps(props: RestButton | RestAnchor): props is RestAnchor {
 }
 
 const VARIANTS = {
-  primary:
-    'brutal-border bg-blue text-cream shadow-[5px_5px_0_rgba(4,28,243,0.35)] hover:-translate-x-0.5 hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:shadow-[7px_7px_0_rgba(4,28,243,0.35)] active:translate-x-0.5 active:translate-y-0.5 active:shadow-[1px_1px_0_rgba(4,28,243,0.35)]',
-  secondary:
-    'brutal-border bg-blue text-cream shadow-brutal hover:-translate-x-0.5 hover:-translate-y-0.5 hover:shadow-brutal-md active:translate-x-0.5 active:translate-y-0.5 active:shadow-brutal-xs',
+  primary: 'brutal-border bg-blue text-cream btn-shadow',
+  secondary: 'brutal-border bg-blue text-cream btn-shadow',
   outline:
     'brutal-border border-blue/35 bg-cream text-blue hover:border-blue hover:bg-blue/10 active:bg-blue active:text-cream',
   ghost:
-    'brutal-border bg-transparent text-blue hover:-translate-x-0.5 hover:-translate-y-0.5 active:translate-x-0.5 active:translate-y-0.5',
+    'brutal-border bg-transparent text-blue btn-transition hover:-translate-x-0.5 hover:-translate-y-0.5 active:translate-x-0.5 active:translate-y-0.5',
 } as const satisfies Record<ButtonVariant, string>;
 
 const SIZES = {
@@ -57,9 +55,9 @@ const SIZES = {
   lg: 'px-8 py-4 text-lg',
 } as const satisfies Record<ButtonSize, string>;
 
-/* box-shadow excluded from transition intentionally — snaps instantly so the
- * eye follows the 130ms button movement, not the shadow change. */
-const BASE = 'cursor-pointer btn-transition uppercase tracking-wider';
+/* Elevation lives per-variant: primary/secondary use btn-shadow (static offset
+ * block, button moves), ghost uses btn-transition + translate. */
+const BASE = 'cursor-pointer uppercase tracking-wider';
 
 /**
  * Brutalist button with variants and sizes.

src/shared/ui/TechStack/ui/TechStack.tsx

@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export function TechStackBrick({ name, className }: TechStackBrickProps) {
     <div
       className={cn(
         'brutal-border brutal-shadow bg-cream px-4 py-3 text-center',
-        'transition-all duration-200 hover:shadow-none hover:translate-x-[2px] hover:translate-y-[2px]',
+        'transition-all duration-200 hover:shadow-none hover:translate-x-[3px] hover:translate-y-[3px]',
         className,
       )}
     >