diff --git a/lib/squib/api/image.rb b/lib/squib/api/image.rb
index 41a886d..7f68e16 100644
--- a/lib/squib/api/image.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/api/image.rb
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+require 'squib/args/paint'
+require 'squib/args/card_range'
 module Squib
   class Deck
 
@@ -21,7 +23,14 @@ module Squib
     # @return [nil] Returns nil
     # @api public
     def png(opts = {})
-      opts = needs(opts, [:range, :files, :x, :y, :width, :height, :alpha, :layout, :blend, :angle, :mask])
+      range = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
+      paint = Args::Paint.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout)
+      opts = needs(opts, [:range,
+                          :files,
+                          :x, :y, :width, :height,
+                          :angle,
+                          :alpha, :blend, :mask,
+                          :layout])
       Dir.chdir(img_dir) do
         @progress_bar.start('Loading PNG(s)', opts[:range].size) do |bar|
           opts[:range].each do |i|
diff --git a/lib/squib/api/shapes.rb b/lib/squib/api/shapes.rb
index b4d2193..7266212 100644
--- a/lib/squib/api/shapes.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/api/shapes.rb
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ module Squib
     def rect(opts = {})
       range = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
       box   = Args::Box.new(self).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
-      draw  = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      draw  = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       range.each { |i| @cards[i].rect(box[i], draw[i]) }
     end
 
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@ module Squib
     def circle(opts = {})
       range  = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
       coords = Args::Coords.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
-      draw   = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      draw   = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       range.each { |i| @cards[i].circle(coords[i], draw[i]) }
     end
 
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ module Squib
     # @api public
     def ellipse(opts = {})
       range = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
-      draw  = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      draw  = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       box   = Args::Box.new(self).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       range.each { |i| @cards[i].ellipse(box[i], draw[i]) }
     end
@@ -110,8 +110,8 @@ module Squib
     # @return [nil] intended to be void
     # @api public
     def triangle(opts = {})
-      range = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
-      draw  = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      range  = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
+      draw   = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       coords = Args::Coords.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       range.each { |i| @cards[i].triangle(coords[i], draw[i]) }
     end
@@ -135,8 +135,8 @@ module Squib
     # @api public
     def line(opts = {})
       range   = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
-      draw    = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
-      coords = Args::Coords.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      draw    = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      coords  = Args::Coords.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       range.each { |i| @cards[i].line(coords[i], draw[i]) }
     end
 
@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ module Squib
     # @return [nil] intended to be void
     # @api public
     def curve(opts = {})
-      range = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
-      draw = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      range  = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
+      draw   = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       coords = Args::Coords.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       range.each { |i| @cards[i].curve(coords[i], draw[i]) }
     end
@@ -185,10 +185,10 @@ module Squib
     # @return [nil] intended to be void
     # @api public
     def star(opts = {})
-      range = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
-      draw  = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      range  = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
+      draw   = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       coords = Args::Coords.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
-      trans = Args::Transform.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      trans  = Args::Transform.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       range.each { |i| @cards[i].star(coords[i], trans[i], draw[i]) }
     end
 
@@ -211,10 +211,10 @@ module Squib
     # @return [nil] intended to be void
     # @api public
     def polygon(opts = {})
-      range = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
-      draw  = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      range  = Args::CardRange.new(opts[:range], deck_size: size)
+      draw   = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       coords = Args::Coords.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
-      trans = Args::Transform.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      trans  = Args::Transform.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       range.each { |i| @cards[i].polygon(coords[i], trans[i], draw[i]) }
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/squib/api/text.rb b/lib/squib/api/text.rb
index 9092f67..9bf5be8 100644
--- a/lib/squib/api/text.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/api/text.rb
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ module Squib
       para  = Args::Paragraph.new(font).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout)
       box   = Args::Box.new(self).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       trans = Args::Transform.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
-      draw  = Args::Draw.new.load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
+      draw  = Args::Draw.new(custom_colors).load!(opts, expand_by: size, layout: layout, dpi: dpi)
       embed = TextEmbed.new
       yield(embed) if block_given? #store the opts for later use
       extents = Array.new(@cards.size)
diff --git a/lib/squib/args/draw.rb b/lib/squib/args/draw.rb
index 500ae84..15013ef 100644
--- a/lib/squib/args/draw.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/args/draw.rb
@@ -10,9 +10,9 @@ module Squib
       include ArgLoader
       include ColorValidator
 
-      def initialize(custom_colors = {})
+      def initialize(custom_colors)
         @custom_colors = custom_colors
-      end
+      end 
 
       def self.parameters
         { color: :black,
diff --git a/lib/squib/args/paint.rb b/lib/squib/args/paint.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ce4b26b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/squib/args/paint.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+require 'cairo'
+require 'squib/args/arg_loader'
+require 'squib/args/color_validator'
+
+module Squib
+  # @api private
+  module Args
+    class Paint
+      include ArgLoader
+      include ColorValidator
+
+      def self.parameters
+        { alpha: 1.0,
+          blend: :none,
+          mask:  nil,
+        }
+      end
+
+
+      def self.expanding_parameters
+        parameters.keys # all of them are expandable
+      end
+
+      def self.params_with_units
+        []
+      end
+
+      def initialize(custom_colors)
+        @custom_colors = custom_colors
+      end
+
+      def validate_alpha(arg, _i)
+        raise 'alpha must respond to to_f' unless arg.respond_to? :to_f
+        arg.to_f
+      end
+
+      def validate_mask(arg, _i)
+        colorify(arg, @custom_colors)
+      end
+
+
+    end
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/spec/args/paint_spec.rb b/spec/args/paint_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..15e98dc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/args/paint_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'squib/args/paint'
+
+describe Squib::Args::Draw do
+  let(:custom_colors) { {'foo' => 'abc'} }
+  subject(:paint)      {Squib::Args::Paint.new(custom_colors)}
+
+  context 'alpha' do
+
+    it 'can be a float' do
+      args = {alpha: 0.6}
+      paint.load!(args)
+      expect(paint.alpha).to eq [0.6]
+    end
+
+    it 'raises exception when not a float' do
+      args = {alpha: /6/}
+      expect { paint.load!(args) }.to raise_error('alpha must respond to to_f')
+    end
+
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file