\rotatebox{180}{ \begin{tikzpicture}[baseline=1ex] \foreach \x / \label in {0/left, 1.5/middle, 3/right} { \node(\label)[fill=white,draw,rectangle] at (\x,0) {\rotatebox{180}{$\JW{2}$}}; } % now the shading \begin{pgfonlayer}{background} \draw[fill=black!20] ($(left.250)+(0,-0.5)$) -- (left.110) to [bend left=90] (right.70) -- ($(right.290)+(0,-0.5)$) ($(right.250)+(0,-0.5)$) -- (right.110) to [bend right=90] (middle.70) -- ($(middle.290)+(0,-0.5)$) ($(middle.250)+(0,-0.5)$) -- (middle.110) to [bend right=90] (left.70) -- ($(left.290)+(0,-0.5)$); \end{pgfonlayer} \end{tikzpicture} }