diff --git a/canvas/shatter.go b/canvas/shatter.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e5ab1a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/canvas/shatter.go
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+package canvas
+
+import "image"
+
+// Shatter takes in a bounding rectangle, and several rectangles to be
+// subtracted from it. It returns a slice of rectangles that tile together to
+// make up the difference between them. This is intended to be used for figuring
+// out which areas of a container box's background are covered by other boxes so
+// it doesn't waste CPU cycles drawing to those areas.
+func Shatter (
+	glass image.Rectangle,
+	rocks ...image.Rectangle,
+) (
+	tiles []image.Rectangle,
+) {
+	// in this function, the metaphor of throwing several rocks at a sheet
+	// of glass is used to illustrate the concept.
+
+	tiles = []image.Rectangle { glass }
+	for _, rock := range rocks {
+		
+		// check each tile to see if the rock has collided with it
+		tileLen := len(tiles)
+		for tileIndex := 0; tileIndex < tileLen; tileIndex ++ {
+			tile := tiles[tileIndex]
+			if !rock.Overlaps(tile) { continue }
+			newTiles, n := shatterOnce(tile, rock)
+			if n > 0 {
+				// the tile was shattered into one or more sub
+				// tiles
+				tiles[tileIndex] = newTiles[0]
+				tiles = append(tiles, newTiles[1:n]...)
+			} else {
+				// the tile was entirely obscured by the rock
+				// and must be wholly removed
+				tiles = remove(tiles, tileIndex)
+				tileIndex --
+				tileLen --
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return
+}
+
+func shatterOnce (glass, rock image.Rectangle) (tiles [4]image.Rectangle, n int) {
+	rock = rock.Intersect(glass)
+
+	// |'''''''''''|
+	// |           |
+	// |###|'''|   |
+	// |###|___|   |
+	// |           |
+	// |___________|
+	if rock.Min.X > glass.Min.X { tiles[n] = image.Rect (
+		glass.Min.X, rock.Min.Y,
+		rock.Min.X,  rock.Max.Y,
+	); n ++ }
+	
+	// |'''''''''''|
+	// |           |
+	// |   |'''|###|
+	// |   |___|###|
+	// |           |
+	// |___________|
+	if rock.Max.X < glass.Max.X { tiles[n] = image.Rect (
+		rock.Max.X,  rock.Min.Y,
+		glass.Max.X, rock.Max.Y,
+	); n ++ }
+	
+	// |###########|
+	// |###########|
+	// |   |'''|   |
+	// |   |___|   |
+	// |           |
+	// |___________|
+	if rock.Min.Y > glass.Min.Y { tiles[n] = image.Rect (
+		glass.Min.X, glass.Min.Y,
+		glass.Max.X, rock.Min.Y,
+	); n ++ }
+	
+	// |'''''''''''|
+	// |           |
+	// |   |'''|   |
+	// |   |___|   |
+	// |###########|
+	// |###########|
+	if rock.Max.Y < glass.Max.Y { tiles[n] = image.Rect (
+		glass.Min.X, rock.Max.Y,
+		glass.Max.X, glass.Max.Y,
+	); n ++ }
+	return
+}
+
+func remove[ELEMENT any] (slice []ELEMENT, s int) []ELEMENT {
+    return append(slice[:s], slice[s + 1:]...)
+}