diff --git a/lib/squib/api/image.rb b/lib/squib/api/image.rb
index 36ae0f0..380460a 100644
--- a/lib/squib/api/image.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/api/image.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 module Squib
   class Deck
-    
+
     # Renders a png file at the given location.
     #
     # See {file:samples/image.rb samples/image.rb} and {file:samples/tgc-overlay.rb samples/tgc-overlay.rb} as examples.
@@ -18,8 +18,11 @@ module Squib
     # @api public
     def png(opts = {})
       opts = needs(opts, [:range, :files, :x, :y, :alpha, :layout])
-      opts[:range].each do |i| 
-        @cards[i].png(opts[:file][i], opts[:x], opts[:y], opts[:alpha]) 
+      @progress_bar.start("Loading PNGs #{location(opts)}", opts[:range].size) do |bar|
+        opts[:range].each do |i| 
+          @cards[i].png(opts[:file][i], opts[:x], opts[:y], opts[:alpha]) 
+          bar.increment
+        end
       end
     end
 
@@ -40,8 +43,11 @@ module Squib
     # @api public
     def svg(opts = {})
       p = needs(opts,[:range, :files, :svgid, :x, :y, :width, :height, :layout])
-      p[:range].each do |i| 
-        @cards[i].svg(p[:file][i], p[:id], p[:x], p[:y], p[:width], p[:height]) 
+      @progress_bar.start("Loading SVGs #{location(opts)}", p[:range].size) do |bar|
+        p[:range].each do |i| 
+          @cards[i].svg(p[:file][i], p[:id], p[:x], p[:y], p[:width], p[:height]) 
+          bar.increment
+        end
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/squib/api/save.rb b/lib/squib/api/save.rb
index 782fa1f..a91a924 100644
--- a/lib/squib/api/save.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/api/save.rb
@@ -24,20 +24,15 @@ module Squib
     # @option opts [Enumerable] range (:all) the range of cards over which this will be rendered. See {file:API.md#label-Specifying+Ranges Specifying Ranges}
     # @option opts [String] dir (_output) the directory for the output to be sent to. Will be created if it doesn't exist.
     # @option opts [String] prefix (card_) the prefix of the file name to be printed.
-    # @option opts [Boolean] progress_bar (false) if true, show a progress bar on stdout while saving
     # @return [nil] Returns nothing
     # @api public
     def save_png(opts = {})
-      opts = needs(opts,[:range, :creatable_dir, :prefix, :progress_bar])
-      if opts[:progress_bar] 
-        require 'ruby-progressbar'
-        bar = ProgressBar.create(title: "Saving to PNGs", 
-                                 starting_at: 0, total: opts[:range].size,
-                                 format: '%t <%B> %p%% %a')
-      end
-      opts[:range].each do |i| 
-        @cards[i].save_png(i, opts[:dir], opts[:prefix])
-        bar.increment if opts[:progress_bar]
+      opts = needs(opts,[:range, :creatable_dir, :prefix])
+      @progress_bar.start("Saving PNGs to #{opts[:dir]}/#{opts[:prefix]}*") do |bar|
+        opts[:range].each do |i| 
+          @cards[i].save_png(i, opts[:dir], opts[:prefix])
+          bar.increment
+        end
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/squib/api/settings.rb b/lib/squib/api/settings.rb
index f4643e6..5967222 100644
--- a/lib/squib/api/settings.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/api/settings.rb
@@ -6,14 +6,17 @@ module Squib
     # Text hints are rectangles around where the text will be laid out. They are intended to be temporary.
     # Setting a hint to nil or to :off will disable hints. @see samples/text.rb
     # @example
-    #   hint text:cyan
+    #   hint text: :cyan
+    #   hint text: :cyan, progress_bar: true
     #
     # @param [String] text the color of the text hint. To turn off use nil or :off. @see API.md 
+    # @param [Boolean] progress_bar enable progress bars on long-running operations
     # @return [nil] Returns nothing
     # @api public
-    def hint(text: nil)
+    def hint(text: nil, progress_bar: false)
       text = nil if text == :off
       @text_hint = text
+      @progress_bar.enabled = progress_bar
     end
 
     # Sets various defaults for this deck. Defaults can be overriden by the commands themselves
diff --git a/lib/squib/constants.rb b/lib/squib/constants.rb
index f0c64b5..88df517 100644
--- a/lib/squib/constants.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/constants.rb
@@ -38,4 +38,13 @@ module Squib
       :progress_bar => false
     }
 
+    # Squib's configuration defaults
+    # 
+    # @api public
+    CONFIG_DEFAULTS = { 
+      'dpi' => 300,
+      'progress_bar' => false,
+      'hint' => nil
+    }
+
 end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/squib/deck.rb b/lib/squib/deck.rb
index 63fb17b..e2143fb 100644
--- a/lib/squib/deck.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/deck.rb
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 require 'yaml'
 require 'pp'
 require 'squib/card'
+require 'squib/progress'
 require 'squib/input_helpers'
 require 'squib/constants'
 
@@ -51,6 +52,7 @@ module Squib
       @dpi = dpi
       @font = Squib::SYSTEM_DEFAULTS[:default_font]
       @cards = []
+      @progress_bar = Squib::Progress.new(false)
       cards.times{ @cards << Squib::Card.new(self, width, height) }
       load_config(config)
       load_layout(layout)
@@ -73,13 +75,19 @@ module Squib
       @cards.each { |card| block.call(card) }
     end
 
+    # Shows a descriptive place of the location
+    def location(opts)
+      opts[:layout] || (" @ #{opts[:x]},#{opts[:y]}")
+    end
+
     # Load the configuration file, if exists, overriding hardcoded defaults
     # @api private
     def load_config(file)
-      if File.exists? file
-        if config = YAML.load_file(file)
-          @dpi = config['dpi'].to_i
-        end
+      if File.exists?(file) && config = YAML.load_file(file)
+        config = Squib::CONFIG_DEFAULTS.merge(config)
+        @dpi = config['dpi'].to_i
+        @hint = config['hint']
+        @progress_bar.enabled = config['progress_bar']
       end
     end
 
diff --git a/lib/squib/graphics/save_doc.rb b/lib/squib/graphics/save_doc.rb
index 0fd509a..c817252 100644
--- a/lib/squib/graphics/save_doc.rb
+++ b/lib/squib/graphics/save_doc.rb
@@ -18,20 +18,24 @@ module Squib
       width = 11 * @dpi ; height = 8.5 * @dpi #TODO: allow this to be specified too
       cc = Cairo::Context.new(Cairo::PDFSurface.new("#{p[:dir]}/#{p[:file]}", width, height))
       x = p[:margin] ; y = p[:margin]
-      @cards.each_with_index do |card, i|
-        surface = trim(card.cairo_surface, p[:trim], @width, @height)
-        cc.set_source(surface, x, y)
-        cc.paint
-        x += surface.width + p[:gap]
-        if x > (width - surface.width - p[:margin])
-          x = p[:margin]
-          y += surface.height + p[:gap]
-          if y > (height - surface.height - p[:margin])
-            x = p[:margin] ; y = p[:margin]
-            cc.show_page #next page
+
+      @progress_bar.start("Saving PDF to #{p[:dir]}/#{p[:file]}", p[:range].size) do |bar|
+        @cards.each_with_index do |card, i|
+          surface = trim(card.cairo_surface, p[:trim], @width, @height)
+          cc.set_source(surface, x, y)
+          cc.paint
+          bar.increment
+          x += surface.width + p[:gap]
+          if x > (width - surface.width - p[:margin])
+            x = p[:margin]
+            y += surface.height + p[:gap]
+            if y > (height - surface.height - p[:margin])
+              x = p[:margin] ; y = p[:margin]
+              cc.show_page #next page
+            end
           end
         end
-      end
+    end
     end
 
     # :nodoc:
diff --git a/lib/squib/progress.rb b/lib/squib/progress.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..89d7bd5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/squib/progress.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+require 'ruby-progressbar'
+
+module Squib
+  # A facade that handles (or doesn't) the progress bar on the console
+  #
+  # :nodoc:
+  # @api private
+  class Progress
+    attr_accessor :enabled
+
+    def initialize(enabled)
+      @enabled = enabled
+    end
+
+    def start(title="", total=100, &block)
+      if @enabled
+        @bar = ProgressBar.create(title: title, total: total, format: '%t <%B> %p%% %a') 
+        yield(@bar)
+        @bar.finish
+      end
+    end
+
+  end
+end
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/samples/custom-config.yml b/samples/custom-config.yml
index b3a8568..01576ca 100644
--- a/samples/custom-config.yml
+++ b/samples/custom-config.yml
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
-dpi: 300
\ No newline at end of file
+dpi: 300
+progress_bar: true
+hint: '#FF0000'
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/samples/custom_config.rb b/samples/custom_config.rb
index 5efddfe..d691dfd 100644
--- a/samples/custom_config.rb
+++ b/samples/custom_config.rb
@@ -3,4 +3,14 @@ require 'squib'
 
 Squib::Deck.new(config: 'custom-config.yml') do
 	
+  # Hints are turned on in the config file
+  text str: "The Title", x: 0, y: 78, width: 750,
+       font: 'Arial 72', align: :center
+
+  # Progress bars are shown for these commands
+  png file: 'shiny-purse.png', x: 620, y: 75
+  svg file: 'spanner.svg', x: 620, y: 218
+  save_png prefix: 'custom-config_'
+  save_pdf file: "custom-config-out.pdf"
+
 end
\ No newline at end of file