diff --git a/colour.hpp b/colour.hpp
index e4a8b6cf..39d87534 100644
--- a/colour.hpp
+++ b/colour.hpp
@@ -46,11 +46,14 @@ namespace util {
     };
 
     // Convenience types
-    typedef colour<3,uint8_t> colour3u;
-    typedef colour<4,uint8_t> colour4u;
+    template <typename T> using colour3 = colour<3,T>;
+    template <typename T> using colour4 = colour<4,T>;
 
-    typedef colour<4,float> colour4f;
-    typedef colour<3,float> colour3f;
+    typedef colour3<uint8_t> colour3u;
+    typedef colour4<uint8_t> colour4u;
+
+    typedef colour4<float> colour4f;
+    typedef colour3<float> colour3f;
 
     // RGB <-> HSV
     colour3f rgb_to_hsv (colour3f);
diff --git a/extent.hpp b/extent.hpp
index 63d2d0be..f654cb0c 100644
--- a/extent.hpp
+++ b/extent.hpp
@@ -51,10 +51,14 @@ namespace util {
         static const extent MIN;
     };
 
-    typedef extent<2,intmax_t> extent2i;
-    typedef extent<2,size_t> extent2u;
-    typedef extent<2,float> extent2f;
-    typedef extent<2,double> extent2d;
+    // convenience typedefs
+    template <typename T> using extent2 = extent<2,T>;
+    template <typename T> using extent3 = extent<3,T>;
+
+    typedef extent2<intmax_t> extent2i;
+    typedef extent2<size_t> extent2u;
+    typedef extent2<float> extent2f;
+    typedef extent2<double> extent2d;
 
     template <size_t S, typename T>
     std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream&, util::extent<S,T>);
diff --git a/point.hpp b/point.hpp
index 4228b691..22b0964d 100644
--- a/point.hpp
+++ b/point.hpp
@@ -61,15 +61,25 @@ namespace util {
     std::ostream& operator<< (std::ostream&, point<S,T>);
 
     // Convenience typedefs
-    typedef point<2,float> point2f;
-    typedef point<3,float> point3f;
-    typedef point<4,float> point4f;
+    template <typename T> using point2 = point<2,T>;
+    template <typename T> using point3 = point<3,T>;
+    template <typename T> using point4 = point<4,T>;
 
-    typedef point<2,double> point2d;
-    typedef point<3,double> point3d;
+    typedef point2<float> point2f;
+    typedef point3<float> point3f;
+    typedef point4<float> point4f;
 
-    typedef point<2,size_t> point2u;
-    typedef point<2,intmax_t> point2i;
+    typedef point2<double> point2d;
+    typedef point3<double> point3d;
+    typedef point4<double> point4d;
+
+    typedef point2<size_t> point2u;
+    typedef point3<size_t> point3u;
+    typedef point4<size_t> point4u;
+
+    typedef point2<intmax_t> point2i;
+    typedef point3<intmax_t> point3i;
+    typedef point4<intmax_t> point4i;
 }
 
 #include <functional>
diff --git a/vector.hpp b/vector.hpp
index 5ade27ec..bab7eded 100644
--- a/vector.hpp
+++ b/vector.hpp
@@ -77,19 +77,19 @@ namespace util {
     template <typename T> using vector3 = vector<3,T>;
     template <typename T> using vector4 = vector<4,T>;
 
-    typedef vector<2,size_t> vector2u;
-    typedef vector<3,size_t> vector3u;
+    typedef vector2<size_t> vector2u;
+    typedef vector3<size_t> vector3u;
 
-    typedef vector<2,intmax_t> vector2i;
-    typedef vector<3,intmax_t> vector3i;
+    typedef vector2<intmax_t> vector2i;
+    typedef vector3<intmax_t> vector3i;
 
-    typedef vector<2,float> vector2f;
-    typedef vector<3,float> vector3f;
-    typedef vector<4,float> vector4f;
+    typedef vector2<float> vector2f;
+    typedef vector3<float> vector3f;
+    typedef vector4<float> vector4f;
 
-    typedef vector<2,double> vector2d;
-    typedef vector<3,double> vector3d;
-    typedef vector<3,double> vector4d;
+    typedef vector2<double> vector2d;
+    typedef vector3<double> vector3d;
+    typedef vector3<double> vector4d;
 }
 
 #include "vector.ipp"