You can still make a NSBitmapImageRep manually and then get a NSGraphicsContext from it to draw into. The following code converts a PDF NSImage ([self image]) into a bitmap alternate image for drawing faster. Saving the graphics state, use setCurrentContext is roughly equivalent to lockFocus. Then draw. Then restoreGraphicsState which serves as unlockFocus I imagine you can adapt it to suit your needs. NSSize imgsize = [[self image] size]; NSBitmapImageRep* imageRep = [[NSBitmapImageRep alloc] initWithBitmapDataPlanes:NULL pixelsWide:imgsize.width pixelsHigh:imgsize.height bitsPerSample:8 samplesPerPixel:4 hasAlpha:YES isPlanar:NO colorSpaceName:NSDeviceRGBColorSpace bytesPerRow:4 * imgsize.width bitsPerPixel:0 ]; NSImage* aimage = [[NSImage alloc] initWithSize:imgsize]; [aimage addRepresentation:imageRep]; [imageRep autorelease]; // Draw into graphics context instead of using lockFocus NSGraphicsContext *g = [NSGraphicsContext graphicsContextWithBitmapImageRep:imageRep]; [NSGraphicsContext saveGraphicsState]; [NSGraphicsContext setCurrentContext:g]; //[aimage lockFocus]; //<- deprecated NSRect adr = NSMakeRect(0, 0, imgsize.width, imgsize.height); // ----- draw content here ----- //if ( [[self image] respondsToSelector:@selector(drawInRect:)] ) { //10.9+, so no longer needs alternate... [[self image] drawInRect:adr]; //} else { // [[self image] drawInRect:adr fromRect:adr operation: NSCompositingOperationSourceOver fraction:1.0]; //} //[aimage unlockFocus]; //<- deprecated [NSGraphicsContext restoreGraphicsState]; [aimage autorelease]; /* // ---------------- new method without lockFocus/unlockFocus ---------------- NSImage* aimage = [NSImage imageWithSize:imgsize flipped:NO drawingHandler:^BOOL(NSRect dstRect) { //draw here [[self image] drawInRect:dstRect]; NSLog(@"_draw code run"); return YES; }]; // IMPORTANT: this does not do what we want and create a bitmap for faster drawing // instead it replays vector paths which is NOT what we want, the image is as slow as the original PDF // if content is bitmaps, then imageWithSize:flipped:drawingHandler: is fine */ [self setAltImage:aimage];