diff --git a/src/dfEditor/GraphicPanel.java b/src/dfEditor/GraphicPanel.java
index af63a8b..e83c918 100644
--- a/src/dfEditor/GraphicPanel.java
+++ b/src/dfEditor/GraphicPanel.java
@@ -25,11 +25,14 @@
 import java.awt.Graphics2D;
 import java.awt.Point;
 import java.awt.Rectangle;
+import java.awt.TexturePaint;
 import java.awt.Cursor;
 import java.awt.Container;
 import java.awt.event.ActionEvent;
 import java.awt.Color;
 import java.awt.image.BufferedImage;
+import java.awt.image.WritableRaster;
+
 import dfEditor.command.*;
 import dfEditor.commands.*;
 import java.awt.geom.AffineTransform;
@@ -45,13 +48,29 @@ public class GraphicPanel extends javax.swing.JDesktopPane implements MouseMotio
     private static final int SELECT_BUTTON = MouseEvent.BUTTON1;
     private static final int DRAG_BUTTON = MouseEvent.BUTTON3;
     private static final int DRAG_BUTTON_2 = MouseEvent.BUTTON2;
+    
+    protected static final float MIN_ZOOM = 0.1f;
 
-    private static final Color[] checkerBoardCols = {new Color(210,210,210), new Color(255,255,255)};//{new Color(255,200,200), new Color(255,210,210)};
+    private static final int[] checkerBoardColors = {210, 255};
+    private static final int CHECKER_BOARD_SIZE = 16;
+    
+    private static TexturePaint checkerBoardPaint;
+    
+    static {
+        BufferedImage checkerBoardImage = new BufferedImage(2, 2, BufferedImage.TYPE_BYTE_GRAY);
+        int[] pixels = {
+                checkerBoardColors[0], checkerBoardColors[1],
+                checkerBoardColors[1], checkerBoardColors[0],
+        };
+        
+        checkerBoardImage.getRaster().setPixels(0, 0, 2, 2, pixels);
+        
+        checkerBoardPaint = new TexturePaint(checkerBoardImage, new Rectangle(CHECKER_BOARD_SIZE * 2, CHECKER_BOARD_SIZE * 2));
+    }
     
     protected ArrayList<GraphicObject> _drawStack;
     protected float _zoom;
     protected Point _origin;
-    protected BufferedImage _checkerBoard;
     private Point _lastOrigin;
     private Point _lastClickPoint;
     protected Rectangle _graphicBounds;
@@ -62,7 +81,7 @@ public class GraphicPanel extends javax.swing.JDesktopPane implements MouseMotio
     private ArrayList<GraphicPanelChangeListener> _changeListeners;
     protected boolean _bAllowsEditing;
     protected GraphicObject _lastAddedGraphic;
-    protected Rectangle _multiSelectRect;    
+    protected Rectangle _multiSelectRect;
     private static final Color _multiSelectFill = new Color(0,0,0,20);
     private GraphicObject _movingGraphic = null;
     private int _keyDeltaX = 0;
@@ -217,8 +236,8 @@ public void setCommandManager(CommandManager aCM)
  
     public void setZoom(float zoom)
     {
-        if (zoom < 0.1f)
-            zoom = 0.1f;
+        if (zoom < MIN_ZOOM)
+            zoom = MIN_ZOOM;
 
         this._zoom = zoom;
         
@@ -327,9 +346,9 @@ protected void drawStack(Graphics g, Point aOrigin, float aZoom, float aAlpha)
         }
     }
     
-    protected void drawGraphicRotated(GraphicObject graphic, Graphics g, Point aOrigin, float aZoom, float aAlpha)            
+    protected void drawGraphicRotated(GraphicObject graphic, Graphics g, Point aOrigin, float aZoom, float aAlpha)
     {
-        Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g;            
+        Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g;
             
         Rectangle graphicRect = graphic.getRect();
 
@@ -580,11 +599,7 @@ protected void dropGraphic(GraphicObject aGraphic, boolean aUndoable)
     protected void setDrawStack(ArrayList<GraphicObject> aDrawStack)
     {
         _drawStack.clear();
-
-        for (int i=0; i<aDrawStack.size(); ++i)
-        {
-            _drawStack.add(aDrawStack.get(i));
-        }
+        _drawStack.addAll(aDrawStack);
 
         repaint();
     }
@@ -695,67 +710,25 @@ public ArrayList<GraphicObject> selectedGraphics()
         return selectedGraphics;
     }
     
-    protected void drawCheckerBoardBuffer(final Graphics g, final Rectangle aRect)
+    protected void drawCheckerBoard(final Graphics g, final Rectangle aRect)
     {
-        if (_checkerBoard == null)
-            _checkerBoard = this.makeCheckerBoardBuffer(new Rectangle(0, 0, 256, 256));
+        Graphics2D g2d = (Graphics2D)g;
+        g2d.setPaint(checkerBoardPaint);
         
-        g.clipRect(aRect.x, aRect.y, aRect.width, aRect.height);
-        for (int x=aRect.x; x<aRect.x + aRect.width; ++x)
-        {            
-            for (int y=aRect.y; y<aRect.y + aRect.height; ++y)
-            {                
-                g.drawImage(_checkerBoard, x, y, null);
-                y += _checkerBoard.getHeight()-1;
-            }
-            x += _checkerBoard.getWidth()-1;
-        }
-        g.setClip(0, 0, this.getWidth(), this.getHeight());
-    }
-
-    protected BufferedImage makeCheckerBoardBuffer(Rectangle r)
-    {
-        BufferedImage img = new BufferedImage(r.width, r.height, BufferedImage.TYPE_INT_ARGB);
-
-        if (img != null)
-        {
-            Graphics gImg = img.getGraphics();
-            this.drawTransparencyCheckerBoard(gImg, r);
-        }
-
-        return img;
-    }
-
-    private void drawTransparencyCheckerBoard(Graphics g, Rectangle r)
-    {
-        final int SQUARE_SIZE = r.width / 8;
-
-        g.setClip(r.x,r.y,r.width,r.height);
+        // because the TexturePaint is anchored at (0, 0), we need to draw our recangle at (0, 0) to get
+        // the right texture coordinates. To still have our checkerboard end up at the right location, we can
+        // use an affine transformation.
+        AffineTransform oldTransform = g2d.getTransform();
+        AffineTransform transform = new AffineTransform(oldTransform);
+        transform.translate(aRect.x, aRect.y);
+        g2d.setTransform(transform);
         
-        g.setColor(checkerBoardCols[0]);
-        g.fillRect(r.x,r.y,r.width,r.height);
-
-        Point squarePoint = new Point(0,0);
-        for (int y=0; y<(r.height/SQUARE_SIZE)+1; ++y)
-        {
-            for (int x=0; x<(r.width/SQUARE_SIZE)+1; ++x)
-            {
-                int index = (x + (y % checkerBoardCols.length)) % checkerBoardCols.length;
-                if (index != 0) //already painted as large bg rect
-                {
-                    Color curCol = checkerBoardCols[index];
-                    g.setColor(curCol);
-                    g.fillRect(r.x + squarePoint.x, r.y + squarePoint.y, SQUARE_SIZE, SQUARE_SIZE);
-                }
-                squarePoint.x += SQUARE_SIZE;
-            }
-            squarePoint.x = 0;
-            squarePoint.y += SQUARE_SIZE;
-        }
-
-        g.setClip(null);
+        g2d.fillRect(0, 0, aRect.width, aRect.height);
+        
+        g2d.setPaint(null);
+        g2d.setTransform(oldTransform);
     }
-    
+
     public void notifyGraphicMoved(GraphicObject aGraphic)
     {
         for (int i=0; i<_changeListeners.size(); ++i)
@@ -776,12 +749,10 @@ public void mouseMoved(MouseEvent evt)
         if (!_bAllowsEditing)
             return;
         
-        Point p = evt.getPoint();
-
         if (_resizingGraphic != null)
         {
-            _resizeDirection = getResizeDirectionFromPointOnRect(p, convertRectToViewRect(_resizingGraphic.getRect()));
-            setCursorToResizeCursor(_resizeDirection);            
+            _resizeDirection = getResizeDirectionFromPointOnRect(evt.getPoint(), convertRectToViewRect(_resizingGraphic.getRect()));
+            setCursorToResizeCursor(_resizeDirection);
         }
         else
         {
@@ -911,7 +882,20 @@ else if ((evt.getModifiers() & ActionEvent.CTRL_MASK) != 0)
 
     public void mouseWheelMoved(MouseWheelEvent evt)
     {
-        setZoom(getZoom() - (evt.getWheelRotation() * 0.2f));
+        float oldZoom = getZoom();
+        float newZoom = oldZoom - (evt.getWheelRotation() * 0.2f);
+        
+        if (oldZoom == MIN_ZOOM && newZoom <= MIN_ZOOM) return;
+        
+        float zoomDiffFactor = newZoom / oldZoom;
+        setZoom(newZoom);
+        
+        Point mousePosition = evt.getPoint();
+        Point originDiff = new Point(getOrigin().x - mousePosition.x, getOrigin().y - mousePosition.y);
+        originDiff.x *= zoomDiffFactor;
+        originDiff.y *= zoomDiffFactor;
+        
+        moveContent(originDiff, mousePosition);
     }
 
     public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent evt)
diff --git a/src/dfEditor/SpriteImagePanel.java b/src/dfEditor/SpriteImagePanel.java
index 4e1876c..b8c497c 100644
--- a/src/dfEditor/SpriteImagePanel.java
+++ b/src/dfEditor/SpriteImagePanel.java
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ protected void draw(Graphics g)
     {
         super.draw(g);
 
-        this.drawCheckerBoardBuffer(g, convertRectToViewRect(_graphicBounds));        
+        this.drawCheckerBoard(g, convertRectToViewRect(_graphicBounds));
     }
     
     @Override
diff --git a/src/dfEditor/SpritesheetPanel.java b/src/dfEditor/SpritesheetPanel.java
index 9202c55..45b36d2 100644
--- a/src/dfEditor/SpritesheetPanel.java
+++ b/src/dfEditor/SpritesheetPanel.java
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public void setController(SpritesheetController aController)
 
     @Override
     protected void draw(Graphics g)
-    {          
+    {
         super.draw(g);
         
         if (_pix != null)
@@ -61,9 +61,9 @@ protected void draw(Graphics g)
             Point origin = getOrigin();
             Rectangle r = new Rectangle(origin.x, origin.y, actualSize.x, actualSize.y);
           
-            this.drawCheckerBoardBuffer(g, r);
+            this.drawCheckerBoard(g, r);
            
-            g.drawImage(_pix.getImage(), r.x, r.y, r.width, r.height, this);            
+            g.drawImage(_pix.getImage(), r.x, r.y, r.width, r.height, this);
         }
     }
 
@@ -96,26 +96,6 @@ public void setImage(BufferedImage aImage)
         _pix = new PixelBuffer(aImage);
     }
 
-    @Override
-    public void setZoom(float aZoom)
-    {
-        if (_pix == null)
-        {
-            super.setZoom(aZoom);
-            return;
-        }
-        
-        Point oldImgSize = actualImageSize();
-        super.setZoom(aZoom);
-        Point imgSize = actualImageSize();
-
-        int xDiff = imgSize.x - oldImgSize.x;
-        int yDiff = imgSize.y - oldImgSize.y;
-
-        getOrigin().x -= xDiff >> 1;
-        getOrigin().y -= yDiff >> 1;
-    }
-
     public Rectangle suggestVisibleSpriteRect()
     {        
         final int edgeInsetPix = 0;
@@ -224,8 +204,6 @@ private Point actualImageSize()
                 getZoom() );         
     }   
 
-    
-
     @Override
     public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent e)
     {
diff --git a/src/dfEditor/animation/AnimationStripPanel.java b/src/dfEditor/animation/AnimationStripPanel.java
index 420d5ba..0dcd38b 100644
--- a/src/dfEditor/animation/AnimationStripPanel.java
+++ b/src/dfEditor/animation/AnimationStripPanel.java
@@ -46,11 +46,16 @@
  * @author s4m20
  */
 public class AnimationStripPanel extends javax.swing.JPanel implements AnimationDataListener, MouseMotionListener, MouseListener, ActionListener
-{   
+{
+    // the distance in pixels an animation cell needs to be dragged to count as dragging
+    private static final int MOUSE_DRAG_THRESHOLD = 10;
+    
     private Animation animation = null;
     private ArrayList<Slot> slotList = null;
     private AnimationController controller = null;
     private Point mousePoint = null;
+    private Point mousePressedPoint = null;
+    private boolean dragging = false;
     private int insertBeforeSlotIndex = -1;
     private Timer timer = null;
     private int currentSlotInAnimation = -1;
@@ -446,6 +451,13 @@ public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent evt)
         Point p = evt.getPoint();
 
         mousePoint = p;
+        
+        if (!dragging && (Math.abs(p.x - mousePressedPoint.x) <= MOUSE_DRAG_THRESHOLD))
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+        
+        dragging = true;
 
         int xOffset = 0;
 
@@ -490,6 +502,7 @@ public void mouseDragged(MouseEvent evt)
     public void mousePressed(MouseEvent evt)
     {
         Point p = evt.getPoint();
+        mousePressedPoint = p;
         controller.stripIndexSelected(-1);
 
         boolean selectedSlot = false;
@@ -551,7 +564,8 @@ public void mouseReleased(MouseEvent evt)
         if (orderChanged && insertBeforeSlotIndex < slotList.size())
                 slotList.get(insertBeforeSlotIndex).setSelected(true);
 
-        insertBeforeSlotIndex = -1;        
+        insertBeforeSlotIndex = -1;
+        dragging = false;
     }
 
     public void mouseExited(MouseEvent evt)
@@ -572,7 +586,7 @@ public void mouseClicked(MouseEvent evt)
     // just a dumb object really... could have come up with an elaborate
     // design for this whole strip class but just got it working... can always
     // revisit!
-    private class Slot
+    private static class Slot
     {
         static final int MARGIN = 3;