diff --git a/src/lib/kitty.c b/src/lib/kitty.c
index 6b912e3f8..d355df53a 100644
--- a/src/lib/kitty.c
+++ b/src/lib/kitty.c
@@ -1,7 +1,62 @@
 #include "internal.h"
 
+// we can only write 4KiB at a time
+static int
+write_kitty_data(FILE* fp, int linesize, int leny, int lenx, const uint32_t* data){
+  if(linesize % sizeof(*data)){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  fprintf(fp, "\e_Gf=24,s=%d,v=%d;", lenx, leny);
+  for(int y = 0 ; y < leny ; ++y){
+    const uint32_t* line = data + linesize / sizeof(*data);
+    for(int x = 0 ; x < lenx ; ++x){
+      uint32_t pixel = line[x];
+      fprintf(fp, "%u%u%u", ncpixel_r(pixel), ncpixel_g(pixel), ncpixel_b(pixel));
+    }
+  }
+  fprintf(fp, "\e\\");
+  // FIXME need to base64 encode this
+  if(fclose(fp) == EOF){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+// Kitty graphics blitter. Kitty can take in up to 4KiB at a time of (optionally
+// deflate-compressed) 24bit RGB.
+int kitty_blit_inner(ncplane* nc, int placey, int placex, int linesize,
+                     int leny, int lenx, unsigned cellpixx, const void* data){
+  char* buf = NULL;
+  size_t size = 0;
+  FILE* fp = open_memstream(&buf, &size);
+  if(fp == NULL){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  if(write_kitty_data(fp, linesize, leny, lenx, data)){
+    fclose(fp);
+    free(buf);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  nccell* c = ncplane_cell_ref_yx(nc, placey, placex);
+  unsigned width = lenx / cellpixx + !!(lenx % cellpixx);
+fprintf(stderr, "SIZE: %zu WIDTH: %u\n", size, width);
+  if(pool_blit_direct(&nc->pool, c, buf, size, width) < 0){
+    free(buf);
+    return -1;
+  }
+  free(buf);
+  return 1;
+}
+
+
 int kitty_blit(ncplane* nc, int placey, int placex, int linesize,
                const void* data, int begy, int begx,
                int leny, int lenx, unsigned cellpixx){
-  return 0;
+  (void)begy;
+  (void)begx;
+  int r = kitty_blit_inner(nc, placey, placex, linesize, leny, lenx, cellpixx, data);
+  if(r < 0){
+    return -1;
+  }
+  return r;
 }