diff --git a/docs/example_generation.jl b/docs/example_generation.jl
index 360f790f..1bb9fc0f 100644
--- a/docs/example_generation.jl
+++ b/docs/example_generation.jl
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ module PlotExamples
 using Plots
 
 const DOCDIR = Pkg.dir("Plots") * "/docs"
+const IMGDIR = Pkg.dir("Plots") * "/img"
 
 doc"""
 Holds all data needed for a documentation example... header, description, and plotting expression (Expr)
@@ -14,7 +15,9 @@ type PlotExample
   expr::Expr
 end
 
-examples = PlotExample[
+
+# the examples we'll run for each
+const examples = PlotExample[
   PlotExample("Lines",
               "A simple line plot of the 3 columns.",
               :(plot(rand(100,3)))),
@@ -33,9 +36,41 @@ examples = PlotExample[
 ]
 
 
-function generate_markdown(modname)
-  plotter!(modname)
-  
+function generate_markdown(pkgname::Symbol)
+
+  # set up the plotter, and don't show the plots by default
+  plotter!(pkgname)
+
+
+  # open the markdown file
+  md = open("$DOCDIR/$(pkgname)_examples.md", "w")
+
+  for (i,example) in enumerate(examples)
+
+    try
+
+      # run the code
+      eval(example.expr)
+
+      # save the png
+      imgname = "$(pkgname)_example_$i.png"
+      savepng("$IMGDIR/$imgname")
+
+      write(md, "### $(example.header)\n\n")
+      write(md, "$(example.desc)\n\n")
+      write(md, "```julia\n$(string(example.expr))\n```\n\n")
+      write(md, "![](../$imgname)\n\n")
+
+    catch ex
+      # TODO: put error info into markdown?
+      warn("Example $pkgname:$i failed with: $ex")
+    end
+
+    #
+  end
+
+  close(md)
+
 end
 
 # run it!
diff --git a/docs/gadfly_examples.md b/docs/gadfly_examples.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..1656fb14
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/gadfly_examples.md
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+### Lines
+
+A simple line plot of the 3 columns.
+
+```julia
+plot(rand(100,3))
+```
+
+![](../gadfly_example_1.png)
+
+### Global
+
+Change the guides/background without a separate call.
+
+```julia
+plot(rand(10); title="TITLE",xlabel="XLABEL",ylabel="YLABEL",background_color=:red)
+```
+
+![](../gadfly_example_3.png)
+
+### Vectors
+
+Plot multiple series with different numbers of points.
+
+```julia
+plot(Vector[rand(10),rand(20)]; marker=:ellipse,markersize=8)
+```
+
+![](../gadfly_example_4.png)
+
+### Vectors w/ pluralized args
+
+Mix arguments that apply to all series with arguments unique to each series.
+
+```julia
+plot(Vector[rand(10),rand(20)]; marker=:ellipse,markersize=8,markercolors=[:red,:blue])
+```
+
+![](../gadfly_example_5.png)
+
diff --git a/docs/qwt_examples.md b/docs/qwt_examples.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ec24bea2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/qwt_examples.md
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+### Lines
+
+A simple line plot of the 3 columns.
+
+```julia
+plot(rand(100,3))
+```
+
+![](../qwt_example_1.png)
+
+### Global
+
+Change the guides/background without a separate call.
+
+```julia
+plot(rand(10); title="TITLE",xlabel="XLABEL",ylabel="YLABEL",background_color=:red)
+```
+
+![](../qwt_example_3.png)
+
+### Vectors
+
+Plot multiple series with different numbers of points.
+
+```julia
+plot(Vector[rand(10),rand(20)]; marker=:ellipse,markersize=8)
+```
+
+![](../qwt_example_4.png)
+
+### Vectors w/ pluralized args
+
+Mix arguments that apply to all series with arguments unique to each series.
+
+```julia
+plot(Vector[rand(10),rand(20)]; marker=:ellipse,markersize=8,markercolors=[:red,:blue])
+```
+
+![](../qwt_example_5.png)
+
diff --git a/img/gadfly_example_1.png b/img/gadfly_example_1.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0e78cf2d
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/gadfly_example_1.png differ
diff --git a/img/gadfly_example_3.png b/img/gadfly_example_3.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dbb41fd2
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/gadfly_example_3.png differ
diff --git a/img/gadfly_example_4.png b/img/gadfly_example_4.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e11b7a91
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/gadfly_example_4.png differ
diff --git a/img/gadfly_example_5.png b/img/gadfly_example_5.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6ec63145
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/gadfly_example_5.png differ
diff --git a/img/qwt_example_1.png b/img/qwt_example_1.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8a19bc15
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/qwt_example_1.png differ
diff --git a/img/qwt_example_3.png b/img/qwt_example_3.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4691cc91
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/qwt_example_3.png differ
diff --git a/img/qwt_example_4.png b/img/qwt_example_4.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f337eedf
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/qwt_example_4.png differ
diff --git a/img/qwt_example_5.png b/img/qwt_example_5.png
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..68d3e077
Binary files /dev/null and b/img/qwt_example_5.png differ
diff --git a/src/Plots.jl b/src/Plots.jl
index 4d07c571..7109ff46 100644
--- a/src/Plots.jl
+++ b/src/Plots.jl
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ typealias AMat AbstractMatrix
 
 abstract PlottingPackage
 
-const IMG_DIR = "$(ENV["HOME"])/.julia/v0.4/Plots/img/"
+const IMG_DIR = Pkg.dir("Plots") * "/img/"
 
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------