diff --git a/py/hexagram/svg.py b/py/hexagram/svg.py
index 91a5902..612f6a7 100644
--- a/py/hexagram/svg.py
+++ b/py/hexagram/svg.py
@@ -7,10 +7,7 @@ gi.require_version('Rsvg', '2.0')
 
 from gi.repository import Rsvg
 
-def to_surface(path: str, width: float, height: float, style: Optional[str]=None) -> cairo.Surface:
-    surface = cairo.RecordingSurface(cairo.CONTENT_ALPHA,
-                                     cairo.Rectangle(0, 0, width, height))
-
+def render_to_surface(path: str, surface: cairo.Surface, width: float, height: float, style: Optional[str]=None):
     cr = cairo.Context(surface)
 
     rect = Rsvg.Rectangle()
@@ -26,4 +23,11 @@ def to_surface(path: str, width: float, height: float, style: Optional[str]=None
 
     svg.render_layer(cr, None, rect)
 
+    surface
+
+def render_to_image(path: str, width: float, height: float, style: Optional[str]=None) -> cairo.Surface:
+    surface = cairo.ImageSurface(cairo.FORMAT_ARGB32, width, height)
+
+    render_to_surface(path, surface, width, height, style)
+
     return surface