Lighting system for a vehicle having mask layer with apertures disposed on a substrate layer

A lighting system for a vehicle includes an illumination source disposed within the vehicle, configured to emit a light output through a panel of the vehicle. The panel includes a first substrate layer and a mask layer defining light-absorbing properties. The mask layer defines an aperture in registration with the illumination source to allow a first portion of the light output to pass through the first substrate layer. The mask layer is configured to absorb a second portion of the light output that is at least one of reflected or refracted by the first substrate layer.