diff --git a/src/pixie/images.nim b/src/pixie/images.nim
index 1b2919f..60977a2 100644
--- a/src/pixie/images.nim
+++ b/src/pixie/images.nim
@@ -976,12 +976,18 @@ proc shadow*(
   image: Image, offset: Vec2, spread, blur: float32, color: SomeColor
 ): Image {.raises: [PixieError].} =
   ## Create a shadow of the image with the offset, spread and blur.
-  let
-    mask = image.newMask()
+  let mask = image.newMask()
+
+  var shifted: Mask
+  if offset == vec2(0, 0):
+    shifted = mask
+  else:
     shifted = newMask(mask.width, mask.height)
-  shifted.draw(mask, translate(offset), bmOverwrite)
+    shifted.draw(mask, translate(offset), bmOverwrite)
+
   shifted.spread(spread)
   shifted.blur(blur)
+
   result = newImage(shifted.width, shifted.height)
   result.fill(color)
   result.draw(shifted, blendMode = bmMask)
diff --git a/src/pixie/paints.nim b/src/pixie/paints.nim
index 9b6ee64..9b9bbaa 100644
--- a/src/pixie/paints.nim
+++ b/src/pixie/paints.nim
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 import blends, chroma, common, images, vmath
 
+when defined(amd64) and not defined(pixieNoSimd):
+  import nimsimd/sse2
+
 type
   PaintKind* = enum
     pkSolid
@@ -45,9 +48,7 @@ proc newPaint*(paint: Paint): Paint {.raises: [].} =
   result.gradientHandlePositions = paint.gradientHandlePositions
   result.gradientStops = paint.gradientStops
 
-converter parseSomePaint*(
-  paint: SomePaint
-): Paint {.inline.} =
+converter parseSomePaint*(paint: SomePaint): Paint {.inline.} =
   ## Given SomePaint, parse it in different ways.
   when type(paint) is string:
     result = newPaint(pkSolid)
@@ -67,19 +68,10 @@ converter parseSomePaint*(
 proc colorStop*(color: Color, position: float32): ColorStop =
   ColorStop(color: color, position: position)
 
-proc toLineSpace(at, to, point: Vec2): float32 {.inline.} =
-  ## Convert position on to where it would fall on a line between at and to.
-  let
-    d = to - at
-    det = d.x * d.x + d.y * d.y
-  (d.y * (point.y - at.y) + d.x * (point.x - at.x)) / det
-
-proc gradientPut(
-  image: Image, paint: Paint, x, y: int, t: float32, stops: seq[ColorStop]
-) =
-  ## Put an gradient color based on `t` - where are we related to a line.
+proc gradientColor(paint: Paint, t: float32): ColorRGBX =
+  ## Get the gradient color based on `t` - where are we related to a line.
   var index = -1
-  for i, stop in stops:
+  for i, stop in paint.gradientStops:
     if stop.position < t:
       index = i
     if stop.position > t:
@@ -87,21 +79,21 @@ proc gradientPut(
   var color: Color
   if index == -1:
     # first stop solid
-    color = stops[0].color
-  elif index + 1 >= stops.len:
+    color = paint.gradientStops[0].color
+  elif index + 1 >= paint.gradientStops.len:
     # last stop solid
-    color = stops[index].color
+    color = paint.gradientStops[index].color
   else:
     let
-      gs1 = stops[index]
-      gs2 = stops[index + 1]
+      gs1 = paint.gradientStops[index]
+      gs2 = paint.gradientStops[index + 1]
     color = mix(
       gs1.color,
       gs2.color,
       (t - gs1.position) / (gs2.position - gs1.position)
     )
   color.a *= paint.opacity
-  image.setRgbaUnsafe(x, y, color.rgbx())
+  color.rgbx()
 
 proc fillGradientLinear(image: Image, paint: Paint) =
   ## Fills a linear gradient.
@@ -115,15 +107,66 @@ proc fillGradientLinear(image: Image, paint: Paint) =
   if paint.opacity == 0:
     return
 
+  proc toLineSpace(at, to, point: Vec2): float32 {.inline.} =
+    ## Convert position on to where it would fall on a line between at and to.
+    let
+      d = to - at
+      det = d.x * d.x + d.y * d.y
+    (d.y * (point.y - at.y) + d.x * (point.x - at.x)) / det
+
   let
     at = paint.gradientHandlePositions[0]
     to = paint.gradientHandlePositions[1]
-  for y in 0 ..< image.height:
-    for x in 0 ..< image.width:
+
+  if at.y == to.y: # Horizontal gradient
+    var x: int
+    while x < image.width:
+      when defined(amd64) and not defined(pixieNoSimd):
+        if x + 4 <= image.width:
+          var colors: array[4, ColorRGBX]
+          for i in 0 ..< 4:
+            let
+              xy = vec2((x + i).float32, 0.float32)
+              t = toLineSpace(at, to, xy)
+              rgbx = paint.gradientColor(t)
+            colors[i] = rgbx
+
+          let colorVec = cast[M128i](colors)
+          for y in 0 ..< image.height:
+            mm_storeu_si128(image.data[image.dataIndex(x, y)].addr, colorVec)
+          x += 4
+          continue
+
       let
-        xy = vec2(x.float32, y.float32)
+        xy = vec2(x.float32, 0.float32)
         t = toLineSpace(at, to, xy)
-      image.gradientPut(paint, x, y, t, paint.gradientStops)
+        rgbx = paint.gradientColor(t)
+      for y in 0 ..< image.height:
+        image.setRgbaUnsafe(x, y, rgbx)
+      inc x
+
+  elif at.x == to.x: # Vertical gradient
+    for y in 0 ..< image.height:
+      let
+        xy = vec2(0.float32, y.float32)
+        t = toLineSpace(at, to, xy)
+        rgbx = paint.gradientColor(t)
+      var x: int
+      when defined(amd64) and not defined(pixieNoSimd):
+        let colorVec = mm_set1_epi32(cast[int32](rgbx))
+        for _ in 0 ..< image.width div 4:
+          mm_storeu_si128(image.data[image.dataIndex(x, y)].addr, colorVec)
+          x += 4
+      for x in x ..< image.width:
+        image.setRgbaUnsafe(x, y, rgbx)
+
+  else:
+    for y in 0 ..< image.height:
+      for x in 0 ..< image.width:
+        let
+          xy = vec2(x.float32, y.float32)
+          t = toLineSpace(at, to, xy)
+        image.setRgbaUnsafe(x, y, paint.gradientColor(t))
 
 proc fillGradientRadial(image: Image, paint: Paint) =
   ## Fills a radial gradient.
@@ -154,7 +197,7 @@ proc fillGradientRadial(image: Image, paint: Paint) =
       let
         xy = vec2(x.float32, y.float32)
         t = (mat * xy).length()
-      image.gradientPut(paint, x, y, t, paint.gradientStops)
+      image.setRgbaUnsafe(x, y, paint.gradientColor(t))
 
 proc fillGradientAngular(image: Image, paint: Paint) =
   ## Fills an angular gradient.
@@ -171,6 +214,7 @@ proc fillGradientAngular(image: Image, paint: Paint) =
   let
     center = paint.gradientHandlePositions[0]
     edge = paint.gradientHandlePositions[1]
+    f32PI = PI.float32
   # TODO: make edge between start and end anti-aliased.
   let gradientAngle = normalize(edge - center).angle().fixAngle()
   for y in 0 ..< image.height:
@@ -178,8 +222,8 @@ proc fillGradientAngular(image: Image, paint: Paint) =
       let
         xy = vec2(x.float32, y.float32)
         angle = normalize(xy - center).angle()
-        t = (angle + gradientAngle + PI / 2).fixAngle() / 2 / PI + 0.5
-      image.gradientPut(paint, x, y, t, paint.gradientStops)
+        t = (angle + gradientAngle + f32PI / 2).fixAngle() / 2 / f32PI + 0.5.float32
+      image.setRgbaUnsafe(x, y, paint.gradientColor(t))
 
 proc fillGradient*(image: Image, paint: Paint) {.raises: [PixieError].} =
   ## Fills with the Paint gradient.
diff --git a/tests/benchmark_images_draw.nim b/tests/benchmark_images_draw.nim
index 34930be..3083c05 100644
--- a/tests/benchmark_images_draw.nim
+++ b/tests/benchmark_images_draw.nim
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ block:
     a = newImage(100, 100)
     b = newImage(50, 50)
 
-  timeIt "shadow":
+  timeIt "shadow (no offset)":
     b.fill(rgba(0, 0, 0, 255))
     a.draw(b, translate(vec2(25, 25)))
 
@@ -126,3 +126,20 @@ block:
       color = rgba(0, 0, 0, 255)
     )
     keep(shadow)
+
+block:
+  let
+    a = newImage(100, 100)
+    b = newImage(50, 50)
+
+  timeIt "shadow (with offset)":
+    b.fill(rgba(0, 0, 0, 255))
+    a.draw(b, translate(vec2(25, 25)))
+
+    let shadow = a.shadow(
+      offset = vec2(10, 10),
+      spread = 10,
+      blur = 10,
+      color = rgba(0, 0, 0, 255)
+    )
+    keep(shadow)
diff --git a/tests/benchmark_paints.nim b/tests/benchmark_paints.nim
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24e7d93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/benchmark_paints.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import benchy, pixie
+
+let image = newImage(1000, 1000)
+
+timeIt "GradientLinear vertical":
+  let paint = newPaint(pkGradientLinear)
+  paint.gradientHandlePositions = @[
+    vec2(50, 0),
+    vec2(50, 1000),
+  ]
+  paint.gradientStops = @[
+    ColorStop(color: color(1, 0, 0, 1), position: 0),
+    ColorStop(color: color(1, 0, 0, 0.15625), position: 1.0),
+  ]
+  image.fillGradient(paint)
+
+timeIt "GradientLinear horizontal":
+  let paint = newPaint(pkGradientLinear)
+  paint.gradientHandlePositions = @[
+    vec2(0, 50),
+    vec2(1000, 50),
+  ]
+  paint.gradientStops = @[
+    ColorStop(color: color(1, 0, 0, 1), position: 0),
+    ColorStop(color: color(1, 0, 0, 0.15625), position: 1.0),
+  ]
+  image.fillGradient(paint)
+
+# timeIt "GradientLinear radial":
+#   discard
+
+timeIt "GradientLinear angular":
+  let paint = newPaint(pkGradientAngular)
+  paint.gradientHandlePositions = @[
+    vec2(500, 500),
+    vec2(1000, 500),
+    vec2(500, 1000)
+  ]
+  paint.gradientStops = @[
+    ColorStop(color: color(1, 0, 0, 1), position: 0),
+    ColorStop(color: color(1, 0, 0, 0.15625), position: 1.0),
+  ]
+  image.fillGradient(paint)
diff --git a/tests/paths/gradientLinear2.png b/tests/paths/gradientLinear2.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7acc3f8
Binary files /dev/null and b/tests/paths/gradientLinear2.png differ
diff --git a/tests/test_paints.nim b/tests/test_paints.nim
index 8761dbf..f206a08 100644
--- a/tests/test_paints.nim
+++ b/tests/test_paints.nim
@@ -69,6 +69,21 @@ block:
   image.fillPath(heartShape, paint)
   image.writeFile("tests/paths/gradientLinear.png")
 
+block:
+  let paint = newPaint(pkGradientLinear)
+  paint.gradientHandlePositions = @[
+    vec2(50, 0),
+    vec2(50, 100),
+  ]
+  paint.gradientStops = @[
+    ColorStop(color: color(1, 0, 0, 1), position: 0),
+    ColorStop(color: color(1, 0, 0, 0.15625), position: 1.0),
+  ]
+
+  let image = newImage(100, 100)
+  image.fillPath(heartShape, paint)
+  image.writeFile("tests/paths/gradientLinear2.png")
+
 block:
   let paint = newPaint(pkGradientRadial)
   paint.gradientHandlePositions = @[