diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0801b70a0d..67f938b4a7 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 *.dll
 *.so
 *.dylib
+*.swp
 coverage*
 **/.DS_Store
 **/main
diff --git a/_examples/document/image/image.docx b/_examples/document/image/image.docx
index a9d6021e4c..4e92407232 100644
Binary files a/_examples/document/image/image.docx and b/_examples/document/image/image.docx differ
diff --git a/_examples/document/image/main.go b/_examples/document/image/main.go
index 3fa1079f15..6a66b740b5 100644
--- a/_examples/document/image/main.go
+++ b/_examples/document/image/main.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"io/ioutil"
 	"log"
 
 	"baliance.com/gooxml/common"
@@ -16,18 +17,30 @@ var lorem = `Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Proin lobo
 func main() {
 	doc := document.New()
 
-	img, err := common.ImageFromFile("gophercolor.png")
+	img1, err := common.ImageFromFile("gophercolor.png")
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("unable to create image: %s", err)
+	}
+	img2data, err := ioutil.ReadFile("gophercolor.png")
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("unable to read file: %s", err)
+	}
+	img2, err := common.ImageFromBytes(img2data)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("unable to create image: %s", err)
 	}
 
-	iref, err := doc.AddImage(img)
+	img1ref, err := doc.AddImage(img1)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Fatalf("unable to add image to document: %s", err)
+	}
+	img2ref, err := doc.AddImage(img2)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("unable to add image to document: %s", err)
 	}
 
 	para := doc.AddParagraph()
-	anchored, err := para.AddRun().AddDrawingAnchored(iref)
+	anchored, err := para.AddRun().AddDrawingAnchored(img1ref)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Fatalf("unable to add anchored image: %s", err)
 	}
@@ -44,7 +57,14 @@ func main() {
 
 		// drop an inline image in
 		if i == 13 {
-			inl, err := run.AddDrawingInline(iref)
+			inl, err := run.AddDrawingInline(img1ref)
+			if err != nil {
+				log.Fatalf("unable to add inline image: %s", err)
+			}
+			inl.SetSize(1*measurement.Inch, 1*measurement.Inch)
+		}
+		if i == 15 {
+			inl, err := run.AddDrawingInline(img2ref)
 			if err != nil {
 				log.Fatalf("unable to add inline image: %s", err)
 			}
diff --git a/common/image.go b/common/image.go
index 0abc9bec3a..be6207cade 100644
--- a/common/image.go
+++ b/common/image.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 package common
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"fmt"
 	"image"
 	"os"
@@ -21,10 +22,12 @@ import (
 
 // Image is a container for image information. It's used as we need format and
 // and size information to use images.
+// It contains either the filesystem path to the image, or the image itself.
 type Image struct {
 	Size   image.Point
 	Format string
 	Path   string
+	Data   *[]byte
 }
 
 // ImageRef is a reference to an image within a document.
@@ -56,11 +59,16 @@ func (i ImageRef) Format() string {
 	return i.img.Format
 }
 
-// Path returns the path to an image file
+// Path returns the path to an image file, if any.
 func (i ImageRef) Path() string {
 	return i.img.Path
 }
 
+// Data returns the data of an image file, if any.
+func (i ImageRef) Data() *[]byte {
+	return i.img.Data
+}
+
 // Size returns the size of an image
 func (i ImageRef) Size() image.Point {
 	return i.img.Size
@@ -102,3 +110,18 @@ func ImageFromFile(path string) (Image, error) {
 	r.Size = imgDec.Bounds().Size()
 	return r, nil
 }
+
+// ImageFromBytes returns an Image struct for an in-memory image. You can also
+// construct an Image directly if the file and size are known.
+func ImageFromBytes(data []byte) (Image, error) {
+	r := Image{}
+	imgDec, ifmt, err := image.Decode(bytes.NewReader(data))
+	if err != nil {
+		return r, fmt.Errorf("unable to parse image: %s", err)
+	}
+
+	r.Data = &data
+	r.Format = ifmt
+	r.Size = imgDec.Bounds().Size()
+	return r, nil
+}
diff --git a/document/document.go b/document/document.go
index 7f3a815d24..a0c7ba0e80 100644
--- a/document/document.go
+++ b/document/document.go
@@ -244,7 +244,11 @@ func (d *Document) Save(w io.Writer) error {
 
 	for i, img := range d.Images {
 		fn := fmt.Sprintf("word/media/image%d.%s", i+1, strings.ToLower(img.Format()))
-		if img.Path() != "" {
+		if img.Data() != nil {
+			if err := zippkg.AddFileFromBytes(z, fn, *img.Data()); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		} else if img.Path() != "" {
 			if err := zippkg.AddFileFromDisk(z, fn, img.Path()); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
@@ -566,8 +570,8 @@ func (d *Document) validateTableCells() error {
 // can be used to add the image to a run and place it in the document contents.
 func (d *Document) AddImage(i common.Image) (common.ImageRef, error) {
 	r := common.MakeImageRef(i, &d.DocBase, d.docRels)
-	if i.Path == "" {
-		return r, errors.New("image must have a path")
+	if i.Data == nil && i.Path == "" {
+		return r, errors.New("image must have data or a path")
 	}
 
 	if i.Format == "" {
diff --git a/document/document_test.go b/document/document_test.go
index 43f2d7a56c..10baa48189 100644
--- a/document/document_test.go
+++ b/document/document_test.go
@@ -216,39 +216,97 @@ func TestHeaderAndFooterImages(t *testing.T) {
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to create image: %s", err)
 	}
-	dir1, err := doc.AddImage(img1)
+	png3x3 := []byte{
+		0x89, 0x50, 0x4e, 0x47, 0x0d, 0x0a, 0x1a, 0x0a,
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0d, 0x49, 0x48, 0x44, 0x52,
+		0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x03,
+		0x08, 0x02, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xd9, 0x4a, 0x22,
+		0xe8, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x1e, 0x49, 0x44, 0x41,
+		0x54, 0x08, 0xd7, 0x63, 0xf8, 0xc5, 0x1e, 0xf8,
+		0x9d, 0xfd, 0xd7, 0x34, 0xf6, 0x5f, 0x0c, 0x10,
+		0x8a, 0x9d, 0xf7, 0x17, 0x03, 0x84, 0x62, 0xf7,
+		0xf9, 0x05, 0x00, 0xd2, 0x6f, 0x0d, 0x71, 0x26,
+		0x33, 0x2f, 0xe1, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x49,
+		0x45, 0x4e, 0x44, 0xae, 0x42, 0x60, 0x82,
+	}
+	img3, err := common.ImageFromBytes(png3x3)
 	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to doc: %s", err)
+		t.Fatalf("unable to create image: %s", err)
 	}
-	dir2, err := doc.AddImage(img2)
+
+	dir1, err := doc.AddImage(img1)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to doc: %s", err)
 	}
-
 	if dir1.RelID() != "rId4" {
 		t.Errorf("expected rId4 != %s", dir1.RelID())
 	}
+
+	dir2, err := doc.AddImage(img2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to doc: %s", err)
+	}
 	if dir2.RelID() != "rId5" {
 		t.Errorf("expected rId5 != %s", dir2.RelID())
 	}
 
+	dir3, err := doc.AddImage(img3)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to doc: %s", err)
+	}
+	if dir3.RelID() != "rId6" {
+		t.Errorf("expected rId6 != %s", dir3.RelID())
+	}
+
 	hdr := doc.AddHeader()
 	ftr := doc.AddFooter()
+
 	hir1, err := hdr.AddImage(img1)
-	fir1, err := ftr.AddImage(img1)
-	hir2, err := hdr.AddImage(img2)
-	fir2, err := ftr.AddImage(img2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to header: %s", err)
+	}
 	if hir1.RelID() != "rId1" {
 		t.Errorf("expected rId1 != %s", hir1.RelID())
 	}
+
+	hir2, err := hdr.AddImage(img2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to header: %s", err)
+	}
 	if hir2.RelID() != "rId2" {
 		t.Errorf("expected rId2 != %s", hir2.RelID())
 	}
+
+	hir3, err := hdr.AddImage(img3)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to header: %s", err)
+	}
+	if hir3.RelID() != "rId3" {
+		t.Errorf("expected rId3 != %s", hir3.RelID())
+	}
+
+	fir1, err := ftr.AddImage(img1)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to footer: %s", err)
+	}
 	if fir1.RelID() != "rId1" {
-		t.Errorf("expected rId1 != %s", hir1.RelID())
+		t.Errorf("expected rId1 != %s", fir1.RelID())
+	}
+
+	fir2, err := ftr.AddImage(img2)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to footer: %s", err)
 	}
 	if fir2.RelID() != "rId2" {
-		t.Errorf("expected rId2 != %s", hir2.RelID())
+		t.Errorf("expected rId2 != %s", fir2.RelID())
+	}
+
+	fir3, err := ftr.AddImage(img3)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unable to add image to footer: %s", err)
+	}
+	if fir3.RelID() != "rId3" {
+		t.Errorf("expected rId3 != %s", fir3.RelID())
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/document/footer.go b/document/footer.go
index 16f1002526..8d172e9a02 100644
--- a/document/footer.go
+++ b/document/footer.go
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ func (f Footer) AddImage(i common.Image) (common.ImageRef, error) {
 	}
 
 	r := common.MakeImageRef(i, &f.d.DocBase, ftrRels)
-	if i.Path == "" {
-		return r, errors.New("image must have a path")
+	if i.Data == nil && i.Path == "" {
+		return r, errors.New("image must have data or a path")
 	}
 
 	if i.Format == "" {
diff --git a/document/header.go b/document/header.go
index 8ef5c44f5d..7bb8f652ee 100644
--- a/document/header.go
+++ b/document/header.go
@@ -89,8 +89,8 @@ func (h Header) AddImage(i common.Image) (common.ImageRef, error) {
 	}
 
 	r := common.MakeImageRef(i, &h.d.DocBase, hdrRels)
-	if i.Path == "" {
-		return r, errors.New("image must have a path")
+	if i.Data == nil && i.Path == "" {
+		return r, errors.New("image must have data or a path")
 	}
 
 	if i.Format == "" {
diff --git a/presentation/presentation.go b/presentation/presentation.go
index 95b9b59bd1..8c68afd6c4 100644
--- a/presentation/presentation.go
+++ b/presentation/presentation.go
@@ -688,8 +688,8 @@ func (p *Presentation) GetLayoutByName(name string) (SlideLayout, error) {
 // can be used to add the image to a run and place it in the document contents.
 func (p *Presentation) AddImage(i common.Image) (common.ImageRef, error) {
 	r := common.MakeImageRef(i, &p.DocBase, p.prels)
-	if i.Path == "" {
-		return r, errors.New("image must have a path")
+	if i.Data == nil && i.Path == "" {
+		return r, errors.New("image must have data or a path")
 	}
 
 	if i.Format == "" {
diff --git a/spreadsheet/workbook.go b/spreadsheet/workbook.go
index dbb56cbc02..95133db652 100644
--- a/spreadsheet/workbook.go
+++ b/spreadsheet/workbook.go
@@ -491,8 +491,8 @@ func (wb *Workbook) RecalculateFormulas() {
 // can be used to add the image to a drawing.
 func (wb *Workbook) AddImage(i common.Image) (common.ImageRef, error) {
 	r := common.MakeImageRef(i, &wb.DocBase, wb.wbRels)
-	if i.Path == "" {
-		return r, errors.New("image must have a path")
+	if i.Data == nil && i.Path == "" {
+		return r, errors.New("image must have data or a path")
 	}
 
 	if i.Format == "" {
diff --git a/zippkg/helpers.go b/zippkg/helpers.go
index e104f11462..0a2e8ba1e0 100644
--- a/zippkg/helpers.go
+++ b/zippkg/helpers.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ package zippkg
 
 import (
 	"archive/zip"
+	"bytes"
 	"encoding/xml"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
@@ -69,6 +70,16 @@ func AddFileFromDisk(z *zip.Writer, zipPath, diskPath string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// AddFileFromBytes takes a byte array and adds it at a given path to a zip file.
+func AddFileFromBytes(z *zip.Writer, zipPath string, data []byte) error {
+	w, err := z.Create(zipPath)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("error creating %s: %s", zipPath, err)
+	}
+	_, err = io.Copy(w, bytes.NewReader(data))
+	return err
+}
+
 // ExtractToDiskTmp extracts a zip file to a temporary file in a given path,
 // returning the name of the file.
 func ExtractToDiskTmp(f *zip.File, path string) (string, error) {