1. Android: Shapes

2. Right click on res/drawable select New/Android XML

3. Supply a filename (small letters) Choose shape as the root element
Supply a filename (small letters) Choose shape as the root element. Click Finish.

4. Enter a gradient element, supply its startColor and endColor attributes.
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android=" >
<gradient android:startColor="#cccccc" android:endColor="#333333" />
</shape>

5. In your layout add a background attribute and set its value to the xml file you just placed in drawable

6. The result in Graphical Layout mode.

7. Add another Android XML file to drawable
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<shape xmlns:android="
android:shape="oval">
<solid android:color="#3399ff" />
</shape>

8. Set the TextView’s android:background attribute to &srawable/my_circle

9. Result of setting TextView’s background to shape (oval)