Private Sub Form1_Load(sender As Object, e As EventArgs) Handles Me.Load
  ...

    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(0).Text = "Text in Red"
    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(0).Icon = IconOne
    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(0).Tag = Color.Red

    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(1).Text = "Text in Blue"
    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(1).Icon = IconTwo
    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(1).Tag = Color.Blue

    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(2).Text = "Text in Green"
    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(2).Icon = IconThree
    Me.StatusBar1.Panels(2).Tag = Color.Green
  End Sub

  Private Sub StatusBar1_DrawItem(sender As Object, sbdevent As StatusBarDrawItemEventArgs) Handles StatusBar1.DrawItem
    ' Create a StringFormat object to align text in the panel.
    Dim sf As New StringFormat()
    ' Format the String of the StatusBarPanel to be left + vert.centered.
    sf.Alignment = StringAlignment.Near
    sf.LineAlignment = StringAlignment.Center

    '>=Vista: Segoe UI 9 ; XP/2003 Tahoma; 8,25pt + сдвиг вправо-вниз на 1px чтоб попасть в оригинал
    Dim DeltaX As Integer = IIf(sys_WinVista, 0, 1)
    Dim DeltaY As Integer = IIf(sys_WinVista, 0, 1)
    '+18 запас на картинку 16px+2 (используем .Net-овскую, она при ownerdraw все равно рисуется)

    sbdevent.Graphics.DrawString(sbdevent.Panel.Text, StatusBar1.Font, New SolidBrush(sbdevent.Panel.Tag), _
             New RectangleF(sbdevent.Bounds.X + 18 + DeltaX, sbdevent.Bounds.Y + DeltaY, _
             sbdevent.Bounds.Width, sbdevent.Bounds.Height), sf)
  End Sub

    sbdevent.Graphics.DrawString(sbdevent.Panel.Text, StatusBar1.Font, New SolidBrush(sbdevent.Panel.Tag), _
             New RectangleF(sbdevent.Bounds.X + 18 + DeltaX, sbdevent.Bounds.Y + DeltaY, _
             Me.Width, sbdevent.Bounds.Height), sf) ' + 1