diff --git a/src/common/image.cpp b/src/common/image.cpp
index f04c2e4..f18e521 100644
--- a/src/common/image.cpp
+++ b/src/common/image.cpp
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ SDL_Texture* Image::Create(SDL_Renderer* renderer, Uint16 w, Uint16 h) {
 		SDL_TEXTUREACCESS_TARGET,
 		w, h);
 
+	//check
 	if (!texture) {
 		std::ostringstream msg;
 		msg << "Failed to create a texture; " << SDL_GetError();
@@ -121,6 +122,31 @@ SDL_Texture* Image::Create(SDL_Renderer* renderer, Uint16 w, Uint16 h) {
 	}
 	local = true;
 
+	//blank (black) texture
+	SDL_SetRenderTarget(renderer, texture);
+	SDL_SetRenderDrawColor(renderer, 0, 0, 0, 0);
+	SDL_RenderFillRect(renderer, nullptr);
+	SDL_SetRenderTarget(renderer, nullptr);
+
+	return texture;
+}
+
+SDL_Texture* Image::CopyTexture(SDL_Renderer* renderer, SDL_Texture* ptr) {
+	Free();
+	int w = 0, h = 0;
+
+	//get the info
+	SDL_QueryTexture(ptr, nullptr, nullptr, &w, &h);
+
+	//create a texture of (w, h) size (also sets the metadata)
+	Create(renderer, w, h);
+
+	//copy the argument texture to the local texture
+	SDL_SetRenderTarget(renderer, texture);
+	SDL_RenderCopy(renderer, ptr, nullptr, nullptr);
+	SDL_SetRenderTarget(renderer, nullptr);
+
+	//return the local texture
 	return texture;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/common/image.hpp b/src/common/image.hpp
index f6685e4..09e7c33 100644
--- a/src/common/image.hpp
+++ b/src/common/image.hpp
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ public:
 
 	SDL_Texture* Load(SDL_Renderer* renderer, std::string fname);
 	SDL_Texture* Create(SDL_Renderer* renderer, Uint16 w, Uint16 h);
+	SDL_Texture* CopyTexture(SDL_Renderer* renderer, SDL_Texture* ptr);
 	SDL_Texture* SetTexture(SDL_Texture*);
 	SDL_Texture* GetTexture() const;
 	virtual void Free();
diff --git a/src/common/text_util.cpp b/src/common/text_box.cpp
similarity index 70%
rename from src/common/text_util.cpp
rename to src/common/text_box.cpp
index 054aa3c..aeb15dd 100644
--- a/src/common/text_util.cpp
+++ b/src/common/text_box.cpp
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@
  * 3. This notice may not be removed or altered from any source
  * distribution.
 */
-#include "text_util.hpp"
+#include "text_box.hpp"
 
 #include <stdexcept>
 
-SDL_Texture* renderPlainText(SDL_Renderer* renderer, TTF_Font* font, std::string str, SDL_Color color) {
+SDL_Texture* renderTextTexture(SDL_Renderer* renderer, TTF_Font* font, std::string str, SDL_Color color) {
 	//make the surface (from SDL_ttf)
 	SDL_Surface* surface = TTF_RenderText_Solid(font, str.c_str(), color);
 	if (!surface) {
@@ -32,38 +32,39 @@ SDL_Texture* renderPlainText(SDL_Renderer* renderer, TTF_Font* font, std::string
 
 	//convert to texture
 	SDL_Texture* texture = SDL_CreateTextureFromSurface(renderer, surface);
-	if (!texture) {
-		SDL_FreeSurface(surface);
-		throw(std::runtime_error("Failed to create a TTF texture"));
-	}
 
 	//cleanup
 	SDL_FreeSurface(surface);
 
+	//check
+	if (!texture) {
+		throw(std::runtime_error("Failed to create a TTF texture"));
+	}
+
 	//NOTE: free the texture yourself
 	return texture;
 }
 
-TextBox::TextBox() {
-	//
-}
-
-TextBox::~TextBox() {
-	//
-}
-
 void TextBox::DrawTo(SDL_Renderer* renderer) {
-	//
+	image.DrawTo(renderer, posX, posY);
 }
 
-void TextBox::SetText(SDL_Renderer*, std::string) {
-	//
+void TextBox::SetText(SDL_Renderer* renderer, TTF_Font* font, std::string str, SDL_Color color) {
+	//make the new texture
+	SDL_Texture* newText = renderTextTexture(renderer, font, str, color);
+
+	//copy the texture
+	image.Free();
+	image.CopyTexture(renderer, newText);
+
+	//cleanup
+	SDL_DestroyTexture(newText);
 }
 
-void TextBox::AddText(SDL_Renderer*, std::string) {
-	//
+void TextBox::AddText(SDL_Renderer* renderer, TTF_Font* font, std::string str, SDL_Color color) {
+	//TODO: empty
 }
 
 void TextBox::ClearText() {
-	//
+	image.Free();
 }
diff --git a/src/common/text_util.hpp b/src/common/text_box.hpp
similarity index 91%
rename from src/common/text_util.hpp
rename to src/common/text_box.hpp
index 5e20ff1..376ed4c 100644
--- a/src/common/text_util.hpp
+++ b/src/common/text_box.hpp
@@ -29,12 +29,12 @@
 
 constexpr SDL_Color COLOR_WHITE = {255, 255, 255, 255};
 
-SDL_Texture* renderPlainText(SDL_Renderer*, TTF_Font*, std::string, SDL_Color color);
+SDL_Texture* renderTextTexture(SDL_Renderer*, TTF_Font*, std::string, SDL_Color color);
 
 class TextBox {
 public:
-	TextBox();
-	~TextBox();
+	TextBox() = default;
+	~TextBox() = default;
 
 	void DrawTo(SDL_Renderer*);
 
diff --git a/src/example_scene.cpp b/src/example_scene.cpp
index 7162dc7..17172fd 100644
--- a/src/example_scene.cpp
+++ b/src/example_scene.cpp
@@ -61,6 +61,10 @@ ExampleScene::ExampleScene(lua_State* L) {
 	button.SetX(400);
 	button.SetY(200);
 //	{140, 62, 54, 255}
+
+	//DEBUG: testing TextBox
+	textBox.SetY(500);
+	textBox.SetText(GetRenderer(), font, "Button Text", {255, 255, 255, 255});
 }
 
 ExampleScene::~ExampleScene() {
@@ -91,13 +95,7 @@ void ExampleScene::RenderFrame(SDL_Renderer* renderer) {
 
 	//DEBUG: testing UI
 	button.DrawTo(renderer);
-
-	SDL_Texture* tex = renderPlainText(renderer, font, "STRING\nTEXT", {255, 255, 255, 255});
-	int w = 0, h = 0;
-	SDL_QueryTexture(tex, nullptr, nullptr, &w, &h);
-	SDL_Rect d = {0, 0, w, h};
-	SDL_RenderCopy(renderer, tex, nullptr, &d);
-	SDL_DestroyTexture(tex);
+	textBox.DrawTo(renderer);
 }
 
 //-------------------------
diff --git a/src/example_scene.hpp b/src/example_scene.hpp
index c950901..1feea6f 100644
--- a/src/example_scene.hpp
+++ b/src/example_scene.hpp
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #include "base_scene.hpp"
 #include "button.hpp"
 #include "region_pager_lua.hpp"
-#include "text_util.hpp"
+#include "text_box.hpp"
 #include "tile_sheet.hpp"
 
 #include "lua.hpp"
@@ -67,4 +67,5 @@ private:
 	TTF_Font* font = nullptr;
 	Image buttonBG;
 	Button button;
+	TextBox textBox;
 };