For anyone else wondering how to draw an inner shadow using Core Graphics as per Costique's suggestion, then this is how: (on iOS adjust as needed) In your drawRect: method... CGRect bounds = [self bounds]; CGContextRef context = UIGraphicsGetCurrentContext(); CGFloat radius = 0.5f * CGRectGetHeight(bounds); // Create the "visible" path, which will be the shape that gets the inner shadow // In thi