diff --git a/example/demo1.cpp b/example/demo1.cpp
index bdda2ff..82a28ab 100644
--- a/example/demo1.cpp
+++ b/example/demo1.cpp
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ unsigned long long currentTimeMillis() {
 }
 
 
-void drawSine(Image image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float waveHeight, Color color, int width) {
+void drawSine(Image &image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float waveHeight, Color color, int width) {
     bool first = true;;
     int lx = -1, ly = -1;
     double vx = 0;
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ void drawSine(Image image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float
 }
 
 
-bool demoSineWave(int frameCount, long long start, Image image) {
+bool demoSineWave(int frameCount, long long start, Image &image) {
     long long now = currentTimeMillis();
     float refVoltage = 5;
 
@@ -148,6 +148,20 @@ void rotationDemo() {
 
 }
 
+void imageDemo(Image &img) {
+    Image images[] = {
+        img,
+        img.scale(0.75, 0.75, BILINEAR),
+        img.scale(0.50, 0.50, BILINEAR),
+        img.scale(0.25 ,0.25, BILINEAR)
+    };
+    for (int i = 0; i < sizeof(images)/sizeof(img); i++) {
+        Image &thisImg = images[i];
+        d1.showImage(thisImg, DEGREE_270);
+        delay(2000);
+    }
+ }
+
 void display1Demo() {
     printf("demo1\n"); fflush(stdout);
 
@@ -170,8 +184,7 @@ void display1Demo() {
         delay(solidsDelay);
         d1.clearScreen(BLACK);
 
-        d1.showImage(bmp, DEGREE_270);
-        delay(2000);
+        imageDemo(bmp);
 
         rotationDemo();
         delay(4000);
@@ -215,14 +228,6 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
     digitalWrite(10, HIGH);
     digitalWrite(11, HIGH);
 
-    int         demos = 3;
-    pthread_t   threads[demos];
-    char        message[demos][256];
-
-    for (int i = 0; i < demos; ++i) {
-        sprintf(message[i], "demo thread %d", i);
-    }
-
     configureDisplay1();
 
     printf("press control-c to quit\n");
diff --git a/example/demo2.cpp b/example/demo2.cpp
index 5a53314..1ceae9a 100644
--- a/example/demo2.cpp
+++ b/example/demo2.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ unsigned long long currentTimeMillis() {
 }
 
 
-void drawSine(Image image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float waveHeight, Color color, int width) {
+void drawSine(Image &image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float waveHeight, Color color, int width) {
     bool first = true;;
     int lx = -1, ly = -1;
     double vx = 0;
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ void drawSine(Image image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float
 }
 
 
-bool demoSineWave(int frameCount, long long start, Image image) {
+bool demoSineWave(int frameCount, long long start, Image &image) {
     long long now = currentTimeMillis();
     float refVoltage = 5;
 
diff --git a/example/neopixel2.cpp b/example/neopixel2.cpp
index bfcb1e9..367e3e8 100644
--- a/example/neopixel2.cpp
+++ b/example/neopixel2.cpp
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ unsigned long long currentTimeMillis() {
 }
 
 
-void drawSine(Image image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float waveHeight, Color color, int width) {
+void drawSine(Image &image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float waveHeight, Color color, int width) {
     bool first = true;
     int lx = -1, ly = -1;
     double vx = 0;
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ void drawSine(Image image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float
 }
 
 
-bool demoSineWave(int frameCount, long long start, Image image) {
+bool demoSineWave(int frameCount, long long start, Image &image) {
     long long now = currentTimeMillis();
     float refVoltage = 5;
 
diff --git a/example/wsePaperV2.cpp b/example/wsePaperV2.cpp
index 76fb6b9..f674872 100644
--- a/example/wsePaperV2.cpp
+++ b/example/wsePaperV2.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ unsigned long long currentTimeMillis() {
 }
 
 
-void drawSine(Image image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float waveHeight, Color color, int width) {
+void drawSine(Image &image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float waveHeight, Color color, int width) {
     bool first = true;;
     int lx = -1, ly = -1;
     double vx = 0;
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ void drawSine(Image image, float offset, float speed, int maxX, int maxY, float
 }
 
 
-bool demoSineWave(int frameCount, long long start, Image image) {
+bool demoSineWave(int frameCount, long long start, Image &image) {
     long long now = currentTimeMillis();
     float refVoltage = 5;
 
diff --git a/src/controller/Color.cpp b/src/controller/Color.cpp
index 520b513..7fd51a5 100644
--- a/src/controller/Color.cpp
+++ b/src/controller/Color.cpp
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 #include "Color.h"
 #include <string.h>
-#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdio.h> 
 
 Color::Color() {
     color.red = 0;
@@ -9,22 +9,22 @@ Color::Color() {
     color.opacity = 255;
 }
 
-
 Color::Color(ColorType color) {
-    this->color.red = color.red;
-    this->color.green = color.green;
-    this->color.blue = color.blue;
-    this->color.opacity = color.opacity;
+    setColor(color.red, color.green, color.blue, color.opacity);
 }
 
-
 Color::Color(_byte red, _byte green, _byte blue) {
-    color.red = red;
-    color.green = green;
-    color.blue = blue;
-    color.opacity = 255;
+    setColor(red, green, blue, 255);
+}
+
+Color::Color(_byte red, _byte green, _byte blue, _byte opacity) {
+    setColor(red, green, blue, opacity);
 }
 
+Color::Color(uint32_t colorRGB24) {
+    setRGB24(colorRGB24);
+}
+ 
 Color::Color(const char* hexbytes) {
     char buf[3];
     int intensity;
@@ -108,23 +108,20 @@ bool Color::equals(ColorType *otherColor) {
 }
 
 
-Color::Color(_byte red, _byte green, _byte blue, _byte opacity) {
-    color.red       = red;
-    color.green     = green;
-    color.blue      = blue;
-    color.opacity   = opacity;
-}
-
-ColorType Color::toType() {
-    return color;
+inline void Color::setColor(_byte red, _byte green, _byte blue, _byte opacity) {
+    color.red = red;
+    color.green = green;
+    color.blue = blue;
+    color.opacity = opacity;
 }
 
-
-int32_t Color::rgb24() {
-    return (color.green<<16)+(color.red<<8)+(color.blue);
+inline void Color::setRGB24(uint32_t colorRGB24) {
+    color.red = (_byte)(colorRGB24 & 0xFF);
+    color.green = (_byte)((colorRGB24 & 0xFF00) >> 8);
+    color.blue = (_byte)((colorRGB24 & 0xFF0000) >> 16);
+    color.opacity = (_byte)((colorRGB24 & 0xFF000000) >> 24);
 }
 
-
 Color::Color(int clr) {
     color.opacity = 255;
     
diff --git a/src/controller/Color.h b/src/controller/Color.h
index b6e3f03..52c0b83 100644
--- a/src/controller/Color.h
+++ b/src/controller/Color.h
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ struct ColorStruct {
 
 typedef ColorStruct ColorType;
 
+inline uint32_t   getRGB24(const ColorType *color) {
+   return (color->opacity << 24 ) | (color->blue << 16) | (color->green << 8) | color->red;
+}
 
 class Color {
 public:
@@ -19,14 +22,17 @@ class Color {
 
     Color();
     Color(ColorType color);
-    Color(_byte red, _byte blue, _byte green);
+    Color(_byte red, _byte green, _byte blue);
+    Color(_byte red, _byte green, _byte blue, _byte opacity);
+    Color(uint32_t colorRGB24);
     Color(const char *hexbytes);
-    Color(_byte red, _byte blue, _byte green, _byte opacity);
-
+ 
     Color(int pos);
 
-    ColorType toType();
-    int32_t   rgb24();
+    inline ColorType toType() { return color; }
+    inline uint32_t rgb24() { return getRGB24(&color); }
+    inline void setColor(_byte red, _byte green, _byte blue, _byte opacity);
+    inline void setRGB24(uint32_t colorRGB24);
     void      print();
     bool      equals(Color otherColor);
     bool      equals(ColorType otherColor);
diff --git a/src/controller/Image.cpp b/src/controller/Image.cpp
index d5e5614..8ce6dbc 100644
--- a/src/controller/Image.cpp
+++ b/src/controller/Image.cpp
@@ -6,26 +6,48 @@
 
 using namespace udd;
 
-Image::Image() {
-    width=0;
-    height=0;    
-    backgroundColor=BLACK;
+#undef max  // in case any sys header defines it
+inline float max(float a, float b) { return (a < b) ? a : b; };
+inline float lerp(float s, float e, float t){return s+(e-s)*t;}
+inline float blerp(float c00, float c10, float c01, float c11, float tx, float ty) {
+    return lerp(lerp(c00, c10, tx), lerp(c01, c11, tx), ty);
 }
+#define getByte(value, n) (value >> (n*8) & 0xFF)
 
+// Default c'tor
+Image::Image() : Image(0, 0, BLACK) {
+}
 
+// Copy c'tor
+Image::Image(const Image &img) {
+    width = img.width;
+    height = img.height;
+    backgroundColor = img.backgroundColor;
+    init();
+    memcpy(canvas, img.canvas, width * height * sizeof(ColorType));
+}
 
 Image::Image(int width, int height, Color backgroundColor) {
     this->width = width;
     this->height = height;
 
     this->backgroundColor = backgroundColor;
+    init();
+    clear(backgroundColor);
+}
 
+// Private initializer helper
+void Image::init() {
     uint32_t imageSize = width * height;
-    uint32_t memorySize = imageSize * sizeof(ColorType);
-
-    canvas = (ColorType*)malloc(memorySize);
+    canvas = NULL;
+    if (imageSize > 0) {
+        canvas = new ColorType[imageSize];
+    }
+}
 
-    clear(backgroundColor);
+// D'tor
+Image::~Image() {
+    close();
 }
 
 int udd::Image::getWidth() {
@@ -49,7 +71,10 @@ void Image::clear(Color backgroundColor) {
 }
 
 void Image::close() {
-    free(canvas);
+    if (NULL != canvas) {
+        delete canvas;
+        canvas = NULL;
+    }
 }
 
 void Image::drawPixel(int x, int y, Color color) {
@@ -65,12 +90,6 @@ void Image::drawPixel(int x, int y, Color color) {
     xp->blue = color.color.blue;
     xp->opacity = color.color.opacity;
 
-
-    if (color.color.red != 0 ||
-        color.color.green != 0 ||
-        color.color.blue != 0
-        ) {
-    }
 }
 
 
@@ -86,20 +105,19 @@ void Image::printPixel(int x, int y) {
     }
 }
 
-ColorType* Image::getPixelColor(int x, int y) {
+ColorType* Image::getPixelColor(int x, int y) const {
 
     if (x<0 || x >= width || y<0 || y>=height) {
         return NULL;
     }
 
     long offset = (y * width) + x;
-    ColorType* xp = canvas + offset;
 
-    return xp;
+    return &canvas[offset];
 }
 
 
-ColorType* Image::getPixel(int x, int y, Rotation rotation) {
+ColorType* Image::getPixel(int x, int y, Rotation rotation) const {
     switch (rotation) {
     case DEGREE_0:    return getPixelColor(x,           y); 
     case DEGREE_90:   return getPixelColor(y,           height-x-1);
@@ -468,7 +486,38 @@ void Image::drawPieSlice(int x, int y, int radius, float degree1, float degree2,
             }
         }
     }
+}
 
+Image Image::scale(float scaleX, float scaleY, ScaleMode mode) {
+    int newWidth = (int)(width * scaleX);
+    int newHeight = (int)(height * scaleY);
+    Image newImage = Image(newWidth, newHeight, backgroundColor);
+    switch (mode) {
+    case BILINEAR:
+        Image::scaleBilinear(*this, newImage);
+        break;
+    default:
+        fprintf(stderr, "not yet implemented (mode=%d)\n", mode);
+    }
+    return newImage;
+}
 
-
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+void Image::scaleBilinear(const Image &src, Image &dst) {
+    for (int y = 0; y < dst.height; y++) {
+        for (int x = 0; x < dst.width; x++) {
+            float gx = max(x / (float)(dst.width) * (src.width) - 0.5f, src.width - 1);
+            float gy = max(y / (float)(dst.height) * (src.height) - 0.5, src.height - 1);
+            int gxi = (int)gx;
+            int gyi = (int)gy;
+            uint32_t result=0;
+            uint32_t c00 = getRGB24(src.getPixelColor(gxi, gyi));
+            uint32_t c10 = getRGB24(src.getPixelColor(gxi+1, gyi));
+            uint32_t c01 = getRGB24(src.getPixelColor(gxi, gyi+1));
+            uint32_t c11 = getRGB24(src.getPixelColor(gxi+1, gyi+1));
+            for(uint8_t i = 0; i < 3; i++){
+                result |= (uint8_t)blerp(getByte(c00, i), getByte(c10, i), getByte(c01, i), getByte(c11, i), gx - gxi, gy -gyi) << (8*i);
+            }
+            dst.drawPixel(x,y, Color(result));
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/controller/Image.h b/src/controller/Image.h
index f4b384c..bac2549 100644
--- a/src/controller/Image.h
+++ b/src/controller/Image.h
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ namespace udd {
     class Image {
     public:
         Image();
+        Image(const Image &img);
+        virtual ~Image();
         
         Image(int width, int height, Color backgroundColor);
 
@@ -51,9 +53,14 @@ namespace udd {
         void drawPieSlice(int x, int y, int radius, float degree1, float degree2, Color color, LineStyle style, int width);
         void printPixel(int x, int y);
 
-        ColorType* getPixel(int x, int y, udd::Rotation rotation);
+        ColorType* getPixel(int x, int y, udd::Rotation rotation) const;
 
-        ColorType* getPixelColor(int x, int y);
+        ColorType* getPixelColor(int x, int y) const;
+
+        Image scale(float scaleX, float scaleY, ScaleMode mode);
+
+    private:
+        static void scaleBilinear(const Image &src, Image &dst);
 
         
     private:
@@ -64,6 +71,6 @@ namespace udd {
         Color    backgroundColor;
 
         _word color2word(ColorType* xp);
-
+        void init();
     };
 }
diff --git a/src/controller/Metadata.h b/src/controller/Metadata.h
index 95853dc..77195a1 100644
--- a/src/controller/Metadata.h
+++ b/src/controller/Metadata.h
@@ -36,6 +36,8 @@ namespace udd {
         MASK
     } FillPattern;
 
-
+    typedef enum {
+        BILINEAR
+    } ScaleMode;
 
 }
diff --git a/src/displays/DisplayNeoPixel.cpp b/src/displays/DisplayNeoPixel.cpp
index 87fcc1a..689ec8b 100644
--- a/src/displays/DisplayNeoPixel.cpp
+++ b/src/displays/DisplayNeoPixel.cpp
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ namespace udd {
         render(config.screenRotation);
     }
 
-    void DisplayNeoPixel::showImage(Image image, Rotation rotation, ScreenMirror mirror) {
+    void DisplayNeoPixel::showImage(Image &image, Rotation rotation, ScreenMirror mirror) {
 
         int row=0;
         int pos=0;
@@ -104,12 +104,12 @@ namespace udd {
     }
 
 
-    void DisplayNeoPixel::showImage(Image image, Rotation rotation) {
+    void DisplayNeoPixel::showImage(Image &image, Rotation rotation) {
         showImage(image, rotation, config.screenMirror);
     }
 
 
-    void DisplayNeoPixel::showImage(Image image) {
+    void DisplayNeoPixel::showImage(Image &image) {
         showImage(image, config.screenRotation, config.screenMirror);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/displays/DisplayNeoPixel.h b/src/displays/DisplayNeoPixel.h
index d2f27fd..c5098d5 100644
--- a/src/displays/DisplayNeoPixel.h
+++ b/src/displays/DisplayNeoPixel.h
@@ -32,9 +32,9 @@ namespace udd {
 
         void clearScreen(Color color);
 
-        void showImage(Image image, Rotation rotation, ScreenMirror mirror);
-        void showImage(Image image, Rotation rotation);
-        void showImage(Image image);
+        void showImage(Image &image, Rotation rotation, ScreenMirror mirror);
+        void showImage(Image &image, Rotation rotation);
+        void showImage(Image &image);
         void setPixel(Pixel pixel);
 
     private: