diff --git a/artist/artutil/util.go b/artist/artutil/util.go
index 2858dde..68d115c 100644
--- a/artist/artutil/util.go
+++ b/artist/artutil/util.go
@@ -5,18 +5,17 @@ package artutil
 import "image"
 import "image/color"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/shatter"
 
 // Fill fills the destination canvas with the given pattern.
-func Fill (destination canvas.Canvas, source artist.Pattern) (updated image.Rectangle) {
+func Fill (destination artist.Canvas, source artist.Pattern) (updated image.Rectangle) {
 	source.Draw(destination, destination.Bounds())
 	return destination.Bounds()
 }
 
 // DrawClip lets you draw several subsets of a pattern at once.
 func DrawClip (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
 	source      artist.Pattern,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 	subsets     ...image.Rectangle,
@@ -24,7 +23,7 @@ func DrawClip (
 	updatedRegion image.Rectangle,
 ) {
 	for _, subset := range subsets {
-		source.Draw(canvas.Cut(destination, subset), bounds)
+		source.Draw(artist.Cut(destination, subset), bounds)
 		updatedRegion = updatedRegion.Union(subset)
 	}
 	return
@@ -33,7 +32,7 @@ func DrawClip (
 // DrawShatter is like an inverse of DrawClip, drawing nothing in the areas
 // specified by "rocks".
 func DrawShatter (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
 	source      artist.Pattern,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 	rocks       ...image.Rectangle,
@@ -48,8 +47,8 @@ func DrawShatter (
 // resulting canvas can be sourced from shape drawing functions. I beg of you
 // please do not call this every time you need to draw a shape with a pattern on
 // it because that is horrible and cruel to the computer.
-func AllocateSample (source artist.Pattern, width, height int) canvas.Canvas {
-	allocated := canvas.NewBasicCanvas(width, height)
+func AllocateSample (source artist.Pattern, width, height int) artist.Canvas {
+	allocated := artist.NewBasicCanvas(width, height)
 	Fill(allocated, source)
 	return allocated
 }
diff --git a/artist/patterns/border.go b/artist/patterns/border.go
index eafda13..b86962f 100644
--- a/artist/patterns/border.go
+++ b/artist/patterns/border.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package patterns
 
 import "image"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 
 // Border is a pattern that behaves similarly to border-image in CSS. It divides
@@ -31,20 +30,20 @@ import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 // This pattern can be used to make a static image texture into something that
 // responds well to being resized.
 type Border struct {
-	canvas.Canvas
+	artist.Canvas
 	artist.Inset
 }
 
 // Draw draws the border pattern onto the destination canvas within the given
 // bounds.
-func (pattern Border) Draw (destination canvas.Canvas, bounds image.Rectangle) {
+func (pattern Border) Draw (destination artist.Canvas, bounds image.Rectangle) {
 	drawBounds := bounds.Canon().Intersect(destination.Bounds())
 	if drawBounds.Empty() { return }
 
 	srcSections := nonasect(pattern.Bounds(), pattern.Inset)
 	srcTextures := [9]Texture { }
 	for index, section := range srcSections {
-		srcTextures[index].Canvas = canvas.Cut(pattern, section)
+		srcTextures[index].Canvas = artist.Cut(pattern, section)
 	}
 	
 	dstSections := nonasect(bounds, pattern.Inset)
diff --git a/artist/patterns/texture.go b/artist/patterns/texture.go
index 395942b..72869a7 100644
--- a/artist/patterns/texture.go
+++ b/artist/patterns/texture.go
@@ -1,18 +1,18 @@
 package patterns
 
 import "image"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 
 // Texture is a pattern that tiles the content of a canvas both horizontally and
 // vertically.
 type Texture struct {
-	canvas.Canvas
+	artist.Canvas
 }
 
 // Draw tiles the pattern's canvas within the given bounds. The minimum
 // point of the pattern's canvas will be lined up with the minimum point of the
 // bounding rectangle.
-func (pattern Texture) Draw (destination canvas.Canvas, bounds image.Rectangle) {
+func (pattern Texture) Draw (destination artist.Canvas, bounds image.Rectangle) {
 	dstBounds := bounds.Canon().Intersect(destination.Bounds())
 	if dstBounds.Empty() { return }
 
diff --git a/artist/patterns/uniform.go b/artist/patterns/uniform.go
index 173367a..06b9bbb 100644
--- a/artist/patterns/uniform.go
+++ b/artist/patterns/uniform.go
@@ -2,19 +2,19 @@ package patterns
 
 import "image"
 import "image/color"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist/shapes"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist/artutil"
 
 // Uniform is a pattern that draws a solid color.
 type Uniform color.RGBA
 
 // Draw fills the bounding rectangle with the pattern's color.
-func (pattern Uniform) Draw (destination canvas.Canvas, bounds image.Rectangle) {
+func (pattern Uniform) Draw (destination artist.Canvas, bounds image.Rectangle) {
 	shapes.FillColorRectangle(destination, color.RGBA(pattern), bounds)
 }
 
 // Uhex creates a new Uniform pattern from an RGBA integer value.
 func Uhex (color uint32) (uniform Uniform) {
-	return Uniform(artist.Hex(color))
+	return Uniform(artutil.Hex(color))
 }
diff --git a/artist/shapes/ellipse.go b/artist/shapes/ellipse.go
index c30041d..f5fae0d 100644
--- a/artist/shapes/ellipse.go
+++ b/artist/shapes/ellipse.go
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ package shapes
 import "math"
 import "image"
 import "image/color"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 
 // TODO: redo fill ellipse, stroke ellipse, etc. so that it only takes in
 // destination and source, using the bounds of destination as the bounds of the
@@ -11,8 +11,8 @@ import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
 // of both canvases.
 
 func FillEllipse (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
-	source      canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
+	source      artist.Canvas,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 ) (
 	updatedRegion image.Rectangle,
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ func FillEllipse (
 }
 
 func StrokeEllipse (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
-	source      canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
+	source      artist.Canvas,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 	weight      int,
 ) {
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ func (context ellipsePlottingContext) plotEllipse () {
 // FillColorEllipse fills an ellipse within the destination canvas with a solid
 // color.
 func FillColorEllipse (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
 	color       color.RGBA,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 ) (
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ func FillColorEllipse (
 // StrokeColorEllipse is similar to FillColorEllipse, but it draws an inset
 // outline of an ellipse instead.
 func StrokeColorEllipse (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
 	color       color.RGBA,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 	weight      int,
diff --git a/artist/shapes/line.go b/artist/shapes/line.go
index 1d81f94..4593e4b 100644
--- a/artist/shapes/line.go
+++ b/artist/shapes/line.go
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@ package shapes
 
 import "image"
 import "image/color"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 
 // ColorLine draws a line from one point to another with the specified weight
 // and color.
 func ColorLine (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
 	color       color.RGBA,
 	weight      int,
 	min         image.Point,
diff --git a/artist/shapes/rectangle.go b/artist/shapes/rectangle.go
index 968e00c..6282233 100644
--- a/artist/shapes/rectangle.go
+++ b/artist/shapes/rectangle.go
@@ -2,14 +2,14 @@ package shapes
 
 import "image"
 import "image/color"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/shatter"
 
 // TODO: return updatedRegion for all routines in this package
 
 func FillRectangle (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
-	source      canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
+	source      artist.Canvas,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 ) (
 	updatedRegion image.Rectangle,
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ func FillRectangle (
 }
 
 func StrokeRectangle (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
-	source      canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
+	source      artist.Canvas,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 	weight      int,
 ) (
@@ -55,8 +55,8 @@ func StrokeRectangle (
 // FillRectangleShatter is like FillRectangle, but it does not draw in areas
 // specified in "rocks".
 func FillRectangleShatter (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
-	source      canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
+	source      artist.Canvas,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 	rocks       ...image.Rectangle,
 ) (
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ func FillRectangleShatter (
 	tiles := shatter.Shatter(bounds, rocks...)
 	for _, tile := range tiles {
 		FillRectangle (
-			canvas.Cut(destination, tile),
+			artist.Cut(destination, tile),
 			source, tile)
 		updatedRegion = updatedRegion.Union(tile)
 	}
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func FillRectangleShatter (
 // FillColorRectangle fills a rectangle within the destination canvas with a
 // solid color.
 func FillColorRectangle (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
 	color       color.RGBA,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 ) (
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ func FillColorRectangle (
 // FillColorRectangleShatter is like FillColorRectangle, but it does not draw in
 // areas specified in "rocks".
 func FillColorRectangleShatter (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
 	color       color.RGBA,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 	rocks       ...image.Rectangle,
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ func FillColorRectangleShatter (
 // StrokeColorRectangle is similar to FillColorRectangle, but it draws an inset
 // outline of the given rectangle instead.
 func StrokeColorRectangle (
-	destination canvas.Canvas,
+	destination artist.Canvas,
 	color       color.RGBA,
 	bounds      image.Rectangle,
 	weight      int,
diff --git a/backends/all/all.go b/backends/all/all.go
deleted file mode 100644
index fcb293b..0000000
--- a/backends/all/all.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,4 +0,0 @@
-// Package all links most common backends.
-package all
-
-import _ "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/backends/x"
diff --git a/backends/doc.go b/backends/doc.go
deleted file mode 100644
index d32bd15..0000000
--- a/backends/doc.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,3 +0,0 @@
-// Package backends contains sub-packages that register backends with tomo when
-// linked into a program.
-package backends
diff --git a/backends/x/doc.go b/plugins/x/x/doc.go
similarity index 100%
rename from backends/x/doc.go
rename to plugins/x/x/doc.go
diff --git a/backends/x/encoding.go b/plugins/x/x/encoding.go
similarity index 100%
rename from backends/x/encoding.go
rename to plugins/x/x/encoding.go
diff --git a/backends/x/entity.go b/plugins/x/x/entity.go
similarity index 99%
rename from backends/x/entity.go
rename to plugins/x/x/entity.go
index b8a097b..f15794f 100644
--- a/backends/x/entity.go
+++ b/plugins/x/x/entity.go
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ package x
 
 import "image"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 
 type entity struct {
 	window      *window
diff --git a/backends/x/event.go b/plugins/x/x/event.go
similarity index 100%
rename from backends/x/event.go
rename to plugins/x/x/event.go
diff --git a/backends/x/selection.go b/plugins/x/x/selection.go
similarity index 100%
rename from backends/x/selection.go
rename to plugins/x/x/selection.go
diff --git a/backends/x/selectionclaim.go b/plugins/x/x/selectionclaim.go
similarity index 100%
rename from backends/x/selectionclaim.go
rename to plugins/x/x/selectionclaim.go
diff --git a/backends/x/system.go b/plugins/x/x/system.go
similarity index 98%
rename from backends/x/system.go
rename to plugins/x/x/system.go
index fcc9e4a..6522108 100644
--- a/backends/x/system.go
+++ b/plugins/x/x/system.go
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ package x
 
 import "image"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/default/theme"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/default/config"
 
diff --git a/backends/x/window.go b/plugins/x/x/window.go
similarity index 99%
rename from backends/x/window.go
rename to plugins/x/x/window.go
index ad39a79..0ca9271 100644
--- a/backends/x/window.go
+++ b/plugins/x/x/window.go
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ import "github.com/jezek/xgbutil/mousebind"
 import "github.com/jezek/xgbutil/xgraphics"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo"
 import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/data"
-import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/canvas"
+import "git.tebibyte.media/sashakoshka/tomo/artist"
 
 type mainWindow struct { *window }
 type menuWindow struct { *window }
diff --git a/backends/x/x.go b/plugins/x/x/x.go
similarity index 98%
rename from backends/x/x.go
rename to plugins/x/x/x.go
index 7928f66..ee77e00 100644
--- a/backends/x/x.go
+++ b/plugins/x/x/x.go
@@ -121,7 +121,3 @@ func (backend *Backend) SetConfig (config tomo.Config) {
 func (backend *Backend) assert () {
 	if backend == nil { panic("nil backend") }
 }
-
-func init () {
-	tomo.RegisterBackend(NewBackend)
-}