diff --git a/examples/doublebuffer/doublebuffer.ino b/examples/doublebuffer/doublebuffer.ino
index e0bd2c1..5dd5394 100644
--- a/examples/doublebuffer/doublebuffer.ino
+++ b/examples/doublebuffer/doublebuffer.ino
@@ -131,9 +131,9 @@ void setup(void) {
   textY = matrix.height() / 2 - (y1 + h / 2); // Center text vertically
 
   // Set up the colors of the bouncy balls.
-  ballcolor[0] = color565(0, 20, 0); // Dark green
-  ballcolor[1] = color565(0, 0, 20); // Dark blue
-  ballcolor[2] = color565(20, 0, 0); // ark red
+  ballcolor[0] = matrix.color565(0, 20, 0); // Dark green
+  ballcolor[1] = matrix.color565(0, 0, 20); // Dark blue
+  ballcolor[2] = matrix.color565(20, 0, 0); // ark red
 }
 
 // LOOP - RUNS REPEATEDLY AFTER SETUP --------------------------------------
@@ -174,13 +174,3 @@ void loop(void) {
 
   delay(20); // 20 milliseconds = ~50 frames/second
 }
-
-// Utility function converts 24-bit color (8 bits red, green, blue) used in
-// a lot of existing graphics code down to the "565" color format used by
-// Adafruit_GFX. Might get further quantized by matrix if using less than
-// 6-bit depth.
-uint16_t color565(uint8_t red, uint8_t green, uint8_t blue) {
-  return ((red   & 0b11111000) << 8) |
-         ((green & 0b11111100) << 3) |
-         ( blue                >> 3);
-}
diff --git a/examples/pixeldust/pixeldust.ino b/examples/pixeldust/pixeldust.ino
index 32143fc..0fa4126 100644
--- a/examples/pixeldust/pixeldust.ino
+++ b/examples/pixeldust/pixeldust.ino
@@ -90,18 +90,14 @@ void setup(void) {
   }
   Serial.printf("%d total pixels\n", n);
 
-  colors[0] = color565(64, 64, 64);  // Dark Gray
-  colors[1] = color565(120, 79, 23); // Brown
-  colors[2] = color565(228,  3,  3); // Red
-  colors[3] = color565(255,140,  0); // Orange
-  colors[4] = color565(255,237,  0); // Yellow
-  colors[5] = color565(  0,128, 38); // Green
-  colors[6] = color565(  0, 77,255); // Blue
-  colors[7] = color565(117,  7,135); // Purple
-}
-
-uint16_t color565(uint8_t red, uint8_t green, uint8_t blue) {
-  return ((red & 0xF8) << 8) | ((green & 0xFC) << 3) | (blue >> 3);
+  colors[0] = matrix.color565(64, 64, 64);  // Dark Gray
+  colors[1] = matrix.color565(120, 79, 23); // Brown
+  colors[2] = matrix.color565(228,  3,  3); // Red
+  colors[3] = matrix.color565(255,140,  0); // Orange
+  colors[4] = matrix.color565(255,237,  0); // Yellow
+  colors[5] = matrix.color565(  0,128, 38); // Green
+  colors[6] = matrix.color565(  0, 77,255); // Blue
+  colors[7] = matrix.color565(117,  7,135); // Purple
 }
 
 // MAIN LOOP - RUNS ONCE PER FRAME OF ANIMATION ----------------------------
diff --git a/examples/simple/simple.ino b/examples/simple/simple.ino
index a8b3141..07f6eea 100644
--- a/examples/simple/simple.ino
+++ b/examples/simple/simple.ino
@@ -145,18 +145,19 @@ void setup(void) {
   // Make four color bars (red, green, blue, white) with brightness ramp:
   for(int x=0; x<matrix.width(); x++) {
     uint8_t level = x * 256 / matrix.width(); // 0-255 brightness
-    matrix.drawPixel(x, matrix.height() - 4, color565(level, 0, 0));
-    matrix.drawPixel(x, matrix.height() - 3, color565(0, level, 0));
-    matrix.drawPixel(x, matrix.height() - 2, color565(0, 0, level));
-    matrix.drawPixel(x, matrix.height() - 1, color565(level, level, level));
+    matrix.drawPixel(x, matrix.height() - 4, matrix.color565(level, 0, 0));
+    matrix.drawPixel(x, matrix.height() - 3, matrix.color565(0, level, 0));
+    matrix.drawPixel(x, matrix.height() - 2, matrix.color565(0, 0, level));
+    matrix.drawPixel(x, matrix.height() - 1,
+                     matrix.color565(level, level, level));
   }
   // You'll notice the ramp looks smoother as bit depth increases
   // (second argument to the matrix constructor call above setup()).
 
   // Simple shapes and text, showing GFX library calls:
-  matrix.drawCircle(12, 10, 9, color565(255, 0, 0));               // Red
-  matrix.drawRect(14, 6, 17, 17, color565(0, 255, 0));             // Green
-  matrix.drawTriangle(32, 9, 41, 27, 23, 27, color565(0, 0, 255)); // Blue
+  matrix.drawCircle(12, 10, 9, matrix.color565(255, 0, 0));
+  matrix.drawRect(14, 6, 17, 17, matrix.color565(0, 255, 0));
+  matrix.drawTriangle(32, 9, 41, 27, 23, 27, matrix.color565(0, 0, 255));
   matrix.println("ADAFRUIT"); // Default text color is white
 
   // AFTER DRAWING, A show() CALL IS REQUIRED TO UPDATE THE MATRIX!
@@ -164,16 +165,6 @@ void setup(void) {
   matrix.show(); // Copy data to matrix buffers
 }
 
-// Utility function converts 24-bit color (8 bits red, green, blue) used in
-// a lot of existing graphics code down to the "565" color format used by
-// Adafruit_GFX. Might get further quantized by matrix if using less than
-// 6-bit depth.
-uint16_t color565(uint8_t red, uint8_t green, uint8_t blue) {
-  return ((red   & 0b11111000) << 8) |
-         ((green & 0b11111100) << 3) |
-         ( blue                >> 3);
-}
-
 // LOOP - RUNS REPEATEDLY AFTER SETUP --------------------------------------
 
 void loop(void) {
diff --git a/library.properties b/library.properties
index 480f515..322c3d8 100644
--- a/library.properties
+++ b/library.properties
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name=Adafruit Protomatter
-version=1.0.7
+version=1.0.8
 author=Adafruit
 maintainer=Adafruit <info@adafruit.com>
 sentence=A library for Adafruit RGB LED matrices.
diff --git a/src/Adafruit_Protomatter.h b/src/Adafruit_Protomatter.h
index 195e00b..6fb26db 100644
--- a/src/Adafruit_Protomatter.h
+++ b/src/Adafruit_Protomatter.h
@@ -94,6 +94,21 @@ class Adafruit_Protomatter : public GFXcanvas16 {
   */
   uint32_t getFrameCount(void);
 
+  /*!
+    @brief  Converts 24-bit color (8 bits red, green, blue) used in a lot
+            a lot of existing graphics code down to the "565" color format
+            used by Adafruit_GFX. Might get further quantized by matrix if
+            using less than 6-bit depth.
+    @param  red    Red brightness, 0 (min) to 255 (max).
+    @param  green  Green brightness, 0 (min) to 255 (max).
+    @param  blue   Blue brightness, 0 (min) to 255 (max).
+    @return Packed 16-bit (uint16_t) color value suitable for GFX drawing
+            functions.
+  */
+  uint16_t color565(uint8_t red, uint8_t green, uint8_t blue) {
+    return ((red & 0xF8) << 8) | ((green & 0xFC) << 3) | (blue >> 3);
+  }
+
 private:
   Protomatter_core core;             // Underlying C struct
   void convert_byte(uint8_t *dest);  // GFXcanvas16-to-matrix