diff --git a/ggdt/src/graphics/basicimage.rs b/ggdt/src/graphics/basicimage.rs
index 010847b..6c9ecb9 100644
--- a/ggdt/src/graphics/basicimage.rs
+++ b/ggdt/src/graphics/basicimage.rs
@@ -5,22 +5,31 @@
 //!
 //! Only a subset of the most common Bitmap drawing operations will be provided here.
 
+use std::error::Error;
+
 use num_traits::{PrimInt, Unsigned};
 
 use crate::graphics::indexed;
 use crate::math::Rect;
 
-pub enum BasicBlitMethod<PixelType>
-where PixelType: PrimInt + Unsigned {
+// HACK: enum variant color arguments are sized to the max possible pixel type used across all supported bitmap variants
+//       right now. for some reason, making this enum generic (e.g. `BasicBlitMethod<PixelType: PrimInt + Unsigned>`)
+//       resulted in some E0308 compile errors when trying to create enum variant values that contained args of the
+//       generic type. i could not find a solution to this. so i'll just do this hack approach for now. ugh.
+pub enum BasicBlitMethod {
 	Solid,
-	Transparent(PixelType),
+	Transparent(u32),
 }
 
 /// Trait that provides "bit-depth-agnostic" access to bitmap drawing operations. This is useful for implementing
 /// drawing functionality that is to be made generic across all supported bitmap types and is not specific to
 /// any one pixel-depth. Note that this does not provide cross-bit-depth drawing support.
-pub trait BasicImage {
+pub trait BasicImage: Sized {
 	type PixelType: PrimInt + Unsigned;
+	type ErrorType: Error;
+
+	/// Creates a new bitmap with the specified dimensions, in pixels.
+	fn new(width: u32, height: u32) -> Result<Self, Self::ErrorType>;
 
 	/// Returns the width of the bitmap in pixels.
 	fn width(&self) -> u32;
@@ -73,14 +82,14 @@ pub trait BasicImage {
 
 	fn blit_region(
 		&mut self,
-		method: BasicBlitMethod<Self::PixelType>,
+		method: BasicBlitMethod,
 		src: &Self,
 		src_region: &Rect,
 		dest_x: i32,
 		dest_y: i32
 	);
 
-	fn blit(&mut self, method: BasicBlitMethod<Self::PixelType>, src: &Self, x: i32, y: i32) {
+	fn blit(&mut self, method: BasicBlitMethod, src: &Self, x: i32, y: i32) {
 		let src_region = Rect::new(0, 0, src.width(), src.height());
 		self.blit_region(method, src, &src_region, x, y);
 	}
@@ -88,6 +97,11 @@ pub trait BasicImage {
 
 impl BasicImage for indexed::Bitmap {
 	type PixelType = u8;
+	type ErrorType = indexed::BitmapError;
+
+	fn new(width: u32, height: u32) -> Result<Self, Self::ErrorType> {
+		Self::new(width, height)
+	}
 
 	#[inline]
 	fn width(&self) -> u32 {
@@ -156,15 +170,16 @@ impl BasicImage for indexed::Bitmap {
 
 	fn blit_region(
 		&mut self,
-		method: BasicBlitMethod<u8>,
+		method: BasicBlitMethod,
 		src: &Self,
 		src_region: &Rect,
 		dest_x: i32,
 		dest_y: i32
 	) {
+		// HACK: pixel/color value downcasting. see "HACK" comment above BasicBlitMethod type def
 		let blit_method = match method {
 			BasicBlitMethod::Solid => indexed::BlitMethod::Solid,
-			BasicBlitMethod::Transparent(color) => indexed::BlitMethod::Transparent(color),
+			BasicBlitMethod::Transparent(color) => indexed::BlitMethod::Transparent(color as u8),
 		};
 		self.blit_region(blit_method, src, src_region, dest_x, dest_y)
 	}
diff --git a/ggdt/src/system/input_devices/mouse/cursor.rs b/ggdt/src/system/input_devices/mouse/cursor.rs
index 3039d36..20717f6 100644
--- a/ggdt/src/system/input_devices/mouse/cursor.rs
+++ b/ggdt/src/system/input_devices/mouse/cursor.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 //       that are not specific to just our 256 colour Bitmap functionality. whether this takes the form
 //       of a generified CustomMouseCursor struct, or multiple versions ... well, i'm not quite sure yet!
 
+use crate::graphics::*;
 use crate::graphics::indexed::*;
 use crate::math::*;
 
@@ -12,40 +13,34 @@ const DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_HOTSPOT_Y: u32 = 0;
 const DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_WIDTH: usize = 16;
 const DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_HEIGHT: usize = 16;
 
-#[rustfmt::skip]
-const DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR: [u8; DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_WIDTH * DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_HEIGHT] = [
-	0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
-	0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff
-];
+pub trait DefaultMouseCursorBitmaps<BitmapType>
+where
+	BitmapType: BasicImage
+{
+	fn get_default() -> BitmapType;
+}
 
 /// Provides custom mouse cursor rendering functionality via application provided [`Bitmap`]s (or falling back
 /// to a default cursor if none is set by the application). Custom cursor rendering is disabled by default.
 #[derive(Debug)]
-pub struct CustomMouseCursor {
+pub struct CustomMouseCursor<BitmapType>
+where
+	BitmapType: BasicImage
+{
 	last_x: i32,
 	last_y: i32,
-	cursor: Bitmap,
-	cursor_background: Bitmap,
+	cursor: BitmapType,
+	cursor_background: BitmapType,
 	cursor_hotspot_x: u32,
 	cursor_hotspot_y: u32,
 	cursor_enabled: bool,
 }
 
-impl CustomMouseCursor {
+impl<BitmapType> CustomMouseCursor<BitmapType>
+where
+	Self: DefaultMouseCursorBitmaps<BitmapType>,
+	BitmapType: BasicImage
+{
 	pub fn new() -> Self {
 		let (cursor, cursor_background, cursor_hotspot_x, cursor_hotspot_y) = Self::get_default_mouse_cursor();
 
@@ -62,7 +57,7 @@ impl CustomMouseCursor {
 
 	/// Returns a reference to the current mouse cursor bitmap.
 	#[inline]
-	pub fn cursor_bitmap(&self) -> &Bitmap {
+	pub fn cursor_bitmap(&self) -> &BitmapType {
 		&self.cursor
 	}
 
@@ -98,9 +93,9 @@ impl CustomMouseCursor {
 	/// * `cursor`: the bitmap to be used to display the mouse cursor on screen
 	/// * `hotspot_x`: the "hotspot" x coordinate
 	/// * `hotspot_y`: the "hotspot" y coordinate.
-	pub fn set_mouse_cursor(&mut self, cursor: Bitmap, hotspot_x: u32, hotspot_y: u32) {
+	pub fn set_mouse_cursor(&mut self, cursor: BitmapType, hotspot_x: u32, hotspot_y: u32) {
 		self.cursor = cursor;
-		self.cursor_background = Bitmap::new(self.cursor.width(), self.cursor.height()).unwrap();
+		self.cursor_background = BitmapType::new(self.cursor.width(), self.cursor.height()).unwrap();
 		self.cursor_hotspot_x = hotspot_x;
 		self.cursor_hotspot_y = hotspot_y;
 	}
@@ -134,7 +129,7 @@ impl CustomMouseCursor {
 	///
 	/// [`SystemResources`]: crate::system::SystemResources
 	/// [`SystemResources::display`]: crate::system::SystemResources::display
-	pub fn render(&mut self, dest: &mut Bitmap) {
+	pub fn render(&mut self, dest: &mut BitmapType) {
 		if !self.cursor_enabled {
 			return;
 		}
@@ -143,14 +138,15 @@ impl CustomMouseCursor {
 
 		// preserve existing background first
 		self.cursor_background.blit_region(
-			BlitMethod::Solid,
+			BasicBlitMethod::Solid,
 			&dest,
 			&Rect::new(x, y, self.cursor.width(), self.cursor.height()),
 			0,
 			0,
 		);
 
-		dest.blit(BlitMethod::Transparent(255), &self.cursor, x, y);
+		let color = 255;
+		dest.blit(BasicBlitMethod::Transparent(color), &self.cursor, x, y);
 	}
 
 	/// Restores the original destination bitmap contents where the mouse cursor bitmap was
@@ -164,13 +160,13 @@ impl CustomMouseCursor {
 	///
 	/// [`SystemResources`]: crate::system::SystemResources
 	/// [`SystemResources::display`]: crate::system::SystemResources::display
-	pub fn hide(&mut self, dest: &mut Bitmap) {
+	pub fn hide(&mut self, dest: &mut BitmapType) {
 		if !self.cursor_enabled {
 			return;
 		}
 
 		let (x, y) = self.get_cursor_render_position();
-		dest.blit(BlitMethod::Solid, &self.cursor_background, x, y);
+		dest.blit(BasicBlitMethod::Solid, &self.cursor_background, x, y);
 	}
 
 	/// Updates current state from the given [`Mouse`] device's state, ensuring that subsequent calls to render
@@ -183,15 +179,9 @@ impl CustomMouseCursor {
 		self.last_y = mouse.y;
 	}
 
-	fn get_default_mouse_cursor() -> (Bitmap, Bitmap, u32, u32) {
-		let mut cursor = Bitmap::new(
-			DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_WIDTH as u32,
-			DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_HEIGHT as u32,
-		)
-			.unwrap();
-		cursor.pixels_mut().copy_from_slice(&DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR);
-
-		let cursor_background = Bitmap::new(cursor.width(), cursor.height()).unwrap();
+	fn get_default_mouse_cursor() -> (BitmapType, BitmapType, u32, u32) {
+		let cursor = Self::get_default();
+		let cursor_background = BitmapType::new(cursor.width(), cursor.height()).unwrap();
 
 		(
 			cursor,
@@ -200,4 +190,37 @@ impl CustomMouseCursor {
 			DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_HOTSPOT_Y,
 		)
 	}
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
+
+impl DefaultMouseCursorBitmaps<indexed::Bitmap> for CustomMouseCursor<indexed::Bitmap> {
+	fn get_default() -> Bitmap {
+		#[rustfmt::skip]
+		const CURSOR_PIXELS: [u8; DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_WIDTH * DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_HEIGHT] = [
+			0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x0f, 0x00, 0x00, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x0f, 0x0f, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff,
+			0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0x00, 0x00, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff, 0xff
+		];
+
+		let mut cursor = Bitmap::new(
+			DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_WIDTH as u32,
+			DEFAULT_MOUSE_CURSOR_HEIGHT as u32,
+		).unwrap();
+		cursor.pixels_mut().copy_from_slice(&CURSOR_PIXELS);
+		cursor
+	}
+}
+
+// TODO: other DefaultMouseCursorBitmaps impl's here ... when the other bitmap types are added
diff --git a/ggdt/src/system/res/dos_like.rs b/ggdt/src/system/res/dos_like.rs
index c4b42d8..0c6dcf6 100644
--- a/ggdt/src/system/res/dos_like.rs
+++ b/ggdt/src/system/res/dos_like.rs
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ pub struct DosLike {
 
 	/// Manages custom mouse cursor graphics and state. Use this to set/unset a custom mouse cursor bitmap.
 	/// When set, rendering should occur automatically during calls to [`SystemResources::display`].
-	pub cursor: CustomMouseCursor,
+	pub cursor: CustomMouseCursor<Bitmap>,
 }
 
 impl std::fmt::Debug for DosLike {