diff --git a/src/args.jl b/src/args.jl
index 1881ba83..c92af45f 100644
--- a/src/args.jl
+++ b/src/args.jl
@@ -73,16 +73,24 @@ const _markerAliases = Dict(
     :oct          => :octagon,
   )
 
+const _allScales = [:identity, :log, :log2, :log10, :asinh, :sqrt]
+const _scaleAliases = Dict(
+    :none => :identity,
+    :ln   => :log,
+  )
+
 supportedAxes(::PlottingPackage) = _allAxes
 supportedTypes(::PlottingPackage) = _allTypes
 supportedStyles(::PlottingPackage) = _allStyles
 supportedMarkers(::PlottingPackage) = _allMarkers
+supportedScales(::PlottingPackage) = _allScales
 subplotSupported(::PlottingPackage) = true
 
 supportedAxes() = supportedAxes(backend())
 supportedTypes() = supportedTypes(backend())
 supportedStyles() = supportedStyles(backend())
 supportedMarkers() = supportedMarkers(backend())
+supportedScales() = supportedScales(backend())
 subplotSupported() = subplotSupported(backend())
 
 # -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -125,6 +133,8 @@ _plotDefaults[:xlims]             = :auto
 _plotDefaults[:ylims]             = :auto
 _plotDefaults[:xticks]            = :auto
 _plotDefaults[:yticks]            = :auto
+_plotDefaults[:xscale]            = :identity
+_plotDefaults[:yscale]            = :identity
 _plotDefaults[:size]              = (800,600)
 _plotDefaults[:pos]               = (0,0)
 _plotDefaults[:windowtitle]       = "Plots.jl"
@@ -376,6 +386,12 @@ function getSeriesArgs(pkg::PlottingPackage, initargs::Dict, kw, commandIndex::I
     d[:linetype] = _typeAliases[d[:linetype]]
   end
 
+  for k in (:xscale, :yscale)
+    if haskey(_scaleAliases, d[k])
+      d[k] = _scaleAliases[d[k]]
+    end
+  end
+
   aliasesAndAutopick(d, :axis, _axesAliases, supportedAxes(pkg), plotIndex)
   aliasesAndAutopick(d, :linestyle, _styleAliases, supportedStyles(pkg), plotIndex)
   aliasesAndAutopick(d, :marker, _markerAliases, supportedMarkers(pkg), plotIndex)
diff --git a/src/backends/gadfly.jl b/src/backends/gadfly.jl
index 94142ac4..28d38d1b 100644
--- a/src/backends/gadfly.jl
+++ b/src/backends/gadfly.jl
@@ -48,11 +48,14 @@ supportedArgs(::GadflyPackage) = [
     :ylims,
     # :yrightlabel,
     :yticks,
+    :xscale,
+    :yscale,
   ]
 supportedAxes(::GadflyPackage) = [:auto, :left]
 supportedTypes(::GadflyPackage) = [:none, :line, :path, :steppost, :sticks, :scatter, :heatmap, :hexbin, :hist, :bar, :hline, :vline, :ohlc]
 supportedStyles(::GadflyPackage) = [:auto, :solid, :dash, :dot, :dashdot, :dashdotdot]
 supportedMarkers(::GadflyPackage) = [:none, :auto, :rect, :ellipse, :diamond, :utriangle, :dtriangle, :cross, :xcross, :star1, :star2, :hexagon, :octagon]
+supportedScales(::GadflyPackage) = [:identity, :log, :log2, :log10, :asinh, :sqrt]
 
 
 include("gadfly_shapes.jl")
@@ -131,6 +134,37 @@ function addGadflyFixedLines!(gplt, d::Dict, theme)
 end
 
 
+# # const x_continuous = continuous_scale_partial(x_vars, identity_transform)
+# # const y_continuous = continuous_scale_partial(y_vars, identity_transform)
+# # const x_log10      = continuous_scale_partial(x_vars, log10_transform)
+# # const y_log10      = continuous_scale_partial(y_vars, log10_transform)
+# # const x_log2       = continuous_scale_partial(x_vars, log2_transform)
+# # const y_log2       = continuous_scale_partial(y_vars, log2_transform)
+# # const x_log        = continuous_scale_partial(x_vars, ln_transform)
+# # const y_log        = continuous_scale_partial(y_vars, ln_transform)
+# # const x_asinh      = continuous_scale_partial(x_vars, asinh_transform)
+# # const y_asinh      = continuous_scale_partial(y_vars, asinh_transform)
+# # const x_sqrt       = continuous_scale_partial(x_vars, sqrt_transform)
+# # const y_sqrt       = continuous_scale_partial(y_vars, sqrt_transform)
+# function addGadflyScales(gplt, d::Dict)
+#   for k in (:xscale, :yscale)
+#     isx = k == :xscale
+#     scale = d[k]
+#     if scale == :log
+#       push!(gplt.scales, isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_log : Gadfly.Scale.y_log)
+#     elseif scale == :log2
+#       push!(gplt.scales, isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_log2 : Gadfly.Scale.y_log2)
+#     elseif scale == :log10
+#       push!(gplt.scales, isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_log2 : Gadfly.Scale.y_log10)
+#     elseif scale == :asinh
+#       push!(gplt.scales, isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_asinh : Gadfly.Scale.y_asinh)
+#     elseif scale == :sqrt
+#       push!(gplt.scales, isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_sqrt : Gadfly.Scale.y_sqrt)
+#     end
+#   end
+# end
+
+
 # function getGadflyStrokeVector(linestyle::Symbol)
 #   dash = 12 * Compose.mm
 #   dot = 3 * Compose.mm
@@ -237,6 +271,9 @@ function addGadflySeries!(gplt, d::Dict, initargs::Dict)
   append!(gfargs, geoms)
   append!(gplt.guides, guides)
 
+  # # add scales
+  # addGadflyScales(gplt, d)
+
   # add a regression line?
   if d[:reg]
     push!(gfargs, Gadfly.Geom.smooth(method=:lm))
@@ -298,18 +335,55 @@ end
 # isContinuousScale(scale, isx::Bool) = isa(scale, Gadfly.Scale.ContinuousScale) && scale.vars[1] == (isx ? :x : :y)
 filterGadflyScale(gplt, isx::Bool) = filter!(scale -> scale.vars[1] != (isx ? :x : :y), gplt.scales)
 
-function addGadflyLimitsScale(gplt, lims, isx::Bool)
-  lims == :auto && return
-  ltype = limsType(lims)
-  if ltype == :limits
-    # remove any existing scales, then add a new one
-    filterGadflyScale(gplt, isx)
-    gfunc = isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_continuous : Gadfly.Scale.y_continuous
-    # filter!(scale -> !isContinuousScale(scale,isx), gplt.scales)
-    push!(gplt.scales, gfunc(minvalue = min(lims...), maxvalue = max(lims...)))
-  else
-    error("Invalid input for $(isx ? "xlims" : "ylims"): ", lims)
+
+function getGadflyScaleFunction(d::Dict, isx::Bool)
+  scalekey = isx ? :xscale : :yscale
+  hasScaleKey = haskey(d, scalekey)
+  if hasScaleKey
+    scale = d[scalekey]
+    scale == :log && return isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_log : Gadfly.Scale.y_log, hasScaleKey
+    scale == :log2 && return isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_log2 : Gadfly.Scale.y_log2, hasScaleKey
+    scale == :log10 && return isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_log2 : Gadfly.Scale.y_log10, hasScaleKey
+    scale == :asinh && return isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_asinh : Gadfly.Scale.y_asinh, hasScaleKey
+    scale == :sqrt && return isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_sqrt : Gadfly.Scale.y_sqrt, hasScaleKey
   end
+  isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_continuous : Gadfly.Scale.y_continuous, hasScaleKey
+end
+
+
+function addGadflyLimitsScale(gplt, d::Dict, isx::Bool)
+
+  # get the correct scale function
+  gfunc, hasScaleKey = getGadflyScaleFunction(d, isx)
+  @show d gfunc hasScaleKey
+
+  # do we want to add min/max limits for the axis?
+  limsym = isx ? :xlims : :ylims
+  limargs = []
+  if haskey(d, limsym)
+    lims = d[limsym]
+    lims == :auto && return
+    if limsType(lims) == :limits
+      # remove any existing scales, then add a new one
+      # filterGadflyScale(gplt, isx)
+      # gfunc = isx ? Gadfly.Scale.x_continuous : Gadfly.Scale.y_continuous
+      # filter!(scale -> !isContinuousScale(scale,isx), gplt.scales)
+      # push!(gplt.scales, gfunc(minvalue = min(lims...), maxvalue = max(lims...)))
+      push!(limargs, (:minvalue, min(lims...)))
+      push!(limargs, (:maxvalue, max(lims...)))
+    else
+      error("Invalid input for $(isx ? "xlims" : "ylims"): ", lims)
+    end
+  end
+  @show limargs
+
+  # replace any current scales with this one
+  if hasScaleKey || !isempty(limargs)
+    filterGadflyScale(gplt, isx)
+    push!(gplt.scales, gfunc(; limargs...))
+  end
+  @show gplt.scales
+  return
 end
 
 
@@ -346,8 +420,8 @@ function updateGadflyGuides(gplt, d::Dict)
   haskey(d, :xlabel) && findGuideAndSet(gplt, Gadfly.Guide.xlabel, d[:xlabel])
   haskey(d, :ylabel) && findGuideAndSet(gplt, Gadfly.Guide.ylabel, d[:ylabel])
 
-  haskey(d, :xlims) && addGadflyLimitsScale(gplt, d[:xlims], true)
-  haskey(d, :ylims) && addGadflyLimitsScale(gplt, d[:ylims], false)
+  addGadflyLimitsScale(gplt, d, true)
+  addGadflyLimitsScale(gplt, d, false)
   haskey(d, :xticks) && addGadflyTicksGuide(gplt, d[:xticks], true)
   haskey(d, :yticks) && addGadflyTicksGuide(gplt, d[:yticks], false)
 end
diff --git a/src/backends/immerse.jl b/src/backends/immerse.jl
index f8b11a50..a758f835 100644
--- a/src/backends/immerse.jl
+++ b/src/backends/immerse.jl
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ supportedAxes(::ImmersePackage) = supportedAxes(GadflyPackage())
 supportedTypes(::ImmersePackage) = supportedTypes(GadflyPackage())
 supportedStyles(::ImmersePackage) = supportedStyles(GadflyPackage())
 supportedMarkers(::ImmersePackage) = supportedMarkers(GadflyPackage())
+supportedScales(::ImmersePackage) = supportedScales(GadflyPackage())
 
 
 function createImmerseFigure(d::Dict)
diff --git a/src/backends/pyplot.jl b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
index 56ba7655..0db4415c 100644
--- a/src/backends/pyplot.jl
+++ b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
@@ -49,11 +49,14 @@ supportedArgs(::PyPlotPackage) = [
     :ylims,
     :yrightlabel,
     :yticks,
+    # :xscale,
+    # :yscale,
   ]
 supportedAxes(::PyPlotPackage) = _allAxes
 supportedTypes(::PyPlotPackage) = [:none, :line, :path, :step, :stepinverted, :sticks, :scatter, :heatmap, :hexbin, :hist, :bar, :hline, :vline]
 supportedStyles(::PyPlotPackage) = [:auto, :solid, :dash, :dot, :dashdot]
 supportedMarkers(::PyPlotPackage) = [:none, :auto, :rect, :ellipse, :diamond, :utriangle, :dtriangle, :cross, :xcross, :star1, :hexagon]
+supportedScales(::PyPlotPackage) = [:identity]
 subplotSupported(::PyPlotPackage) = false
 
 # convert colorant to 4-tuple RGBA
diff --git a/src/backends/qwt.jl b/src/backends/qwt.jl
index 6cac8501..c798c8a6 100644
--- a/src/backends/qwt.jl
+++ b/src/backends/qwt.jl
@@ -47,9 +47,12 @@ supportedArgs(::QwtPackage) = [
     :ylims,
     :yrightlabel,
     :yticks,
+    # :xscale,
+    # :yscale,
   ]
 supportedTypes(::QwtPackage) = [:none, :line, :path, :steppre, :steppost, :sticks, :scatter, :heatmap, :hexbin, :hist, :bar, :hline, :vline]
 supportedMarkers(::QwtPackage) = [:none, :auto, :rect, :ellipse, :diamond, :utriangle, :dtriangle, :cross, :xcross, :star1, :star2, :hexagon]
+supportedScales(::QwtPackage) = [:identity]
 
 # -------------------------------
 
diff --git a/src/backends/template.jl b/src/backends/template.jl
index 5f9751d1..81dc2c7d 100644
--- a/src/backends/template.jl
+++ b/src/backends/template.jl
@@ -51,11 +51,14 @@ supportedArgs(::[PkgName]Package) = [
     :ylims,
     # :yrightlabel,
     :yticks,
+    # :xscale,
+    # :yscale,
   ]
 supportedAxes(::[PkgName]Package) = _allAxes
 supportedTypes(::[PkgName]Package) = _allTypes
 supportedStyles(::[PkgName]Package) = _allStyles
 supportedMarkers(::[PkgName]Package) = _allMarkers
+supportedScales(::[PkgName]Package) = _allScales
 subplotSupported(::[PkgName]Package) = false
 
 # ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
diff --git a/src/backends/unicodeplots.jl b/src/backends/unicodeplots.jl
index 110ddad4..11b2bf0b 100644
--- a/src/backends/unicodeplots.jl
+++ b/src/backends/unicodeplots.jl
@@ -49,11 +49,14 @@ supportedArgs(::UnicodePlotsPackage) = [
     :ylims,
     # :yrightlabel,
     # :yticks,
+    # :xscale,
+    # :yscale,
   ]
 supportedAxes(::UnicodePlotsPackage) = [:auto, :left]
 supportedTypes(::UnicodePlotsPackage) = [:none, :line, :path, :steppost, :sticks, :scatter, :heatmap, :hexbin, :hist, :bar, :hline, :vline]
 supportedStyles(::UnicodePlotsPackage) = [:auto, :solid]
 supportedMarkers(::UnicodePlotsPackage) = [:none, :auto, :ellipse]
+supportedScales(::UnicodePlotsPackage) = [:identity]
 
 
 function expandLimits!(lims, x)
diff --git a/src/backends/winston.jl b/src/backends/winston.jl
index a1e48e41..685edd3f 100644
--- a/src/backends/winston.jl
+++ b/src/backends/winston.jl
@@ -71,11 +71,14 @@ supportedArgs(::WinstonPackage) = [
     :ylims,
     # :yrightlabel,
     # :yticks,
+    # :xscale,
+    # :yscale,
   ]
 supportedAxes(::WinstonPackage) = [:auto, :left]
 supportedTypes(::WinstonPackage) = [:none, :line, :path, :sticks, :scatter, :hist, :bar]
-supportedStyles(::WinstonPackage) = [:auto, :solid, :dash, :dot, :dashdot] # intersect(_allStyles, collect(keys(winston_linestyle)))
-supportedMarkers(::WinstonPackage) = [:none, :auto, :rect, :ellipse, :diamond, :utriangle, :dtriangle, :cross, :xcross, :star1] # intersect(_allMarkers, collect(keys(winston_marker)))
+supportedStyles(::WinstonPackage) = [:auto, :solid, :dash, :dot, :dashdot]
+supportedMarkers(::WinstonPackage) = [:none, :auto, :rect, :ellipse, :diamond, :utriangle, :dtriangle, :cross, :xcross, :star1]
+supportedScales(::WinstonPackage) = [:identity]
 subplotSupported(::WinstonPackage) = false
 
 
diff --git a/src/utils.jl b/src/utils.jl
index cb1652ce..7e18698e 100644
--- a/src/utils.jl
+++ b/src/utils.jl
@@ -240,10 +240,12 @@ supportGraphArgs() = supportGraph(_allArgs, supportedArgs)
 supportGraphTypes() = supportGraph(_allTypes, supportedTypes)
 supportGraphStyles() = supportGraph(_allStyles, supportedStyles)
 supportGraphMarkers() = supportGraph(_allMarkers, supportedMarkers)
+supportGraphScales() = supportGraph(_allScales, supportedScales)
 supportGraphAxes() = supportGraph(_allAxes, supportedAxes)
 
 function dumpSupportGraphs()
-  for func in (supportGraphArgs, supportGraphTypes, supportGraphStyles, supportGraphMarkers, supportGraphAxes)
+  for func in (supportGraphArgs, supportGraphTypes, supportGraphStyles,
+               supportGraphMarkers, supportGraphScales, supportGraphAxes)
     plt = func()
     png(IMG_DIR * "/supported/$(string(func))")
   end