diff --git a/elements/box.lua b/elements/box.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..21eb50d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/box.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+local graphics
+graphics = love.graphics
+local element = require(tostring((...):sub(1, -4)) .. "/element")
+local box
+do
+  local _class_0
+  local _parent_0 = element
+  local _base_0 = {
+    draw = function(self)
+      if "table" == type(self.data.background) then
+        graphics.setColor(self.data.background)
+        graphics.rectangle("fill", self.data.x, self.data.y, self.data.w, self.data.h)
+      else
+        local w, h = self.data.background:getDimensions()
+        w = self.data.w / w
+        h = self.data.h / h
+        graphics.setColor(255, 255, 255, 255)
+        graphics.draw(self.data.background, self.data.x, self.data.y, 0, w, h)
+      end
+      return self
+    end,
+    setBackground = function(self, background)
+      if background then
+        self.data.background = background
+      else
+        error("Background must be a table representing a color, or a drawable object.")
+      end
+      return self
+    end,
+    getBackground = function(self)
+      return self.data.background
+    end,
+    setColor = function(self, r, g, b, a)
+      if a == nil then
+        a = 255
+      end
+      if "table" == type(r) then
+        self.data.background = r
+      else
+        self.data.background = {
+          r,
+          g,
+          b,
+          a
+        }
+      end
+      return self
+    end,
+    getColor = function(self)
+      if "table" == type(self.data.background) then
+        return unpack(self.data.background)
+      else
+        return 255, 255, 255, 255
+      end
+    end
+  }
+  _base_0.__index = _base_0
+  setmetatable(_base_0, _parent_0.__base)
+  _class_0 = setmetatable({
+    __init = function(self, parent, data, background)
+      if data == nil then
+        data = { }
+      end
+      if background == nil then
+        background = {
+          255,
+          255,
+          255,
+          255
+        }
+      end
+      self.parent, self.data = parent, data
+      if #self.data == 4 then
+        background = self.data
+        self.data = nil
+      end
+      _class_0.__parent.__init(self, self.parent, self.data)
+      self.data.type = "box"
+      if not (self.data.background) then
+        self.data.background = background
+      end
+    end,
+    __base = _base_0,
+    __name = "box",
+    __parent = _parent_0
+  }, {
+    __index = function(cls, name)
+      local val = rawget(_base_0, name)
+      if val == nil then
+        local parent = rawget(cls, "__parent")
+        if parent then
+          return parent[name]
+        end
+      else
+        return val
+      end
+    end,
+    __call = function(cls, ...)
+      local _self_0 = setmetatable({}, _base_0)
+      cls.__init(_self_0, ...)
+      return _self_0
+    end
+  })
+  _base_0.__class = _class_0
+  if _parent_0.__inherited then
+    _parent_0.__inherited(_parent_0, _class_0)
+  end
+  box = _class_0
+  return _class_0
+end
diff --git a/elements/box.moon b/elements/box.moon
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fde452c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/elements/box.moon
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+--- A generic box, drawn with specified color or an image.
+--- @classmod box
+--- @copyright Paul Liverman III (2017)
+--- @license The MIT License (MIT)
+--- @todo Make 9-slices available!
+--- @todo Correct documentation on all elements
+
+import graphics from love
+
+element = require "#{(...)\sub 1, -4}/element"
+
+class box extends element
+    --- Constructor expects nothing, or a data table describing it.
+    new: (@parent, @data={}, background={255, 255, 255, 255}) =>
+        -- assume a data object with four values is actually the background
+        if #@data == 4
+            background = @data
+            @data = nil
+
+        super @parent, @data
+
+        @data.type = "box"
+        @data.background = background unless @data.background
+
+    draw: =>
+        if "table" == type @data.background
+            graphics.setColor @data.background
+            graphics.rectangle "fill", @data.x, @data.y, @data.w, @data.h
+        else
+            w, h = @data.background\getDimensions!
+            w = @data.w / w
+            h = @data.h / h
+            graphics.setColor 255, 255, 255, 255
+            graphics.draw @data.background, @data.x, @data.y, 0, w, h
+
+        return @
+
+    setBackground: (background) =>
+        if background
+            @data.background = background
+        else
+            error "Background must be a table representing a color, or a drawable object."
+        return @
+
+    getBackground: =>
+        return @data.background
+
+    setColor: (r, g, b, a=255) =>
+        if "table" == type r
+            @data.background = r
+        else
+            @data.background = {r, g, b, a}
+
+        return @
+
+    getColor: =>
+        if "table" == type @data.background
+            return unpack @data.background
+        else
+            return 255, 255, 255, 255   -- if it is drawable, it is drawn with a white color
diff --git a/elements/element.lua b/elements/element.lua
index 0b5685c..72a9772 100644
--- a/elements/element.lua
+++ b/elements/element.lua
@@ -162,6 +162,9 @@ do
       if not (self.data.child) then
         self.data.child = { }
       end
+      if not (self.data.type) then
+        self.data.type = "element"
+      end
       if not (self.data.x) then
         self.data.x = 0
       end
@@ -183,9 +186,6 @@ do
       if self.data.hoverable == nil then
         self.data.hoverable = true
       end
-      if not (self.data.type) then
-        self.data.type = "element"
-      end
       if (self.data.align == nil) and self.parent then
         self.data.align = true
       end
@@ -196,7 +196,6 @@ do
         self.data.horizontal = "left"
       end
       self.child = { }
-      return self:align()
     end,
     __base = _base_0,
     __name = "element"
diff --git a/elements/element.moon b/elements/element.moon
index 3d16ba1..e75677a 100644
--- a/elements/element.moon
+++ b/elements/element.moon
@@ -17,22 +17,23 @@ class element
 
         @data.parent = false unless @data.parent
         @data.child = {} unless @data.child
+        @data.type = "element" unless @data.type
+
         @data.x = 0 unless @data.x
         @data.y = 0 unless @data.y
         @data.w = 0 unless @data.w
         @data.h = 0 unless @data.h
+
         @data.update = true if @data.update == nil
         @data.draw = true if @data.draw == nil
         @data.hoverable = true if @data.hoverable == nil
-        @data.type = "element" unless @data.type
+
         @data.align = true if (@data.align == nil) and @parent
         @data.vertical = "top" unless @data.vertical
         @data.horizontal = "left" unless @data.horizontal
 
         @child = {}
 
-        @align!
-
     --- @todo doc me
     align: (horizontal, vertical, toPixel=true) =>
         unless @data.align return @
diff --git a/init.moon b/init.moon
index 30bfb14..a4341b3 100644
--- a/init.moon
+++ b/init.moon
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ if major == 0 and minor == 9
         button_4: "x1"
         button_5: "x2"
 
+        -- note: these should not be used
         mouse_wheel_down: "wd"
         mouse_wheel_up: "wu"
     }