diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index fae96719..51c8fd79 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -111,6 +111,7 @@ headers="\
 	arithmetic.h \
 	colour.h \
 	convolution.h \
+	create.h \
 	draw.h \
 	morphology.h \
 	mosaicing.h \
diff --git a/libvips/create/black.c b/libvips/create/black.c
index 65b567ac..c613a154 100644
--- a/libvips/create/black.c
+++ b/libvips/create/black.c
@@ -155,7 +155,7 @@ vips_black_init( VipsBlack *black )
 
 /**
  * vips_black:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: output width
  * @height: output height
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/buildlut.c b/libvips/create/buildlut.c
index e6e41b17..5af1a93d 100644
--- a/libvips/create/buildlut.c
+++ b/libvips/create/buildlut.c
@@ -271,9 +271,9 @@ vips_buildlut_init( VipsBuildlut *lut )
 }
 
 /**
- * vips_buildlut:
+ * vips_buildlut: (method)
  * @in: input matrix
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
  *
  * This operation builds a lookup table from a set of points. Intermediate
diff --git a/libvips/create/eye.c b/libvips/create/eye.c
index edac0d3a..c348f180 100644
--- a/libvips/create/eye.c
+++ b/libvips/create/eye.c
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ vips_eye_init( VipsEye *eye )
 
 /**
  * vips_eye:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/fractsurf.c b/libvips/create/fractsurf.c
index e6c07ef8..aa87709f 100644
--- a/libvips/create/fractsurf.c
+++ b/libvips/create/fractsurf.c
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ vips_fractsurf_init( VipsFractsurf *fractsurf )
 
 /**
  * vips_fractsurf:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: output width
  * @height: output height
  * @fractal_dimension: fractal dimension
diff --git a/libvips/create/gaussmat.c b/libvips/create/gaussmat.c
index ba41013b..73a26410 100644
--- a/libvips/create/gaussmat.c
+++ b/libvips/create/gaussmat.c
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ vips_gaussmat_init( VipsGaussmat *gaussmat )
 
 /**
  * vips_gaussmat:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @sigma: standard deviation of mask
  * @min_ampl: minimum amplitude
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/gaussnoise.c b/libvips/create/gaussnoise.c
index d8a2e7f4..1566e39a 100644
--- a/libvips/create/gaussnoise.c
+++ b/libvips/create/gaussnoise.c
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ vips_gaussnoise_init( VipsGaussnoise *gaussnoise )
 
 /**
  * vips_gaussnoise:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: output width
  * @height: output height
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/grey.c b/libvips/create/grey.c
index 1ec5c58c..b729a253 100644
--- a/libvips/create/grey.c
+++ b/libvips/create/grey.c
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ vips_grey_init( VipsGrey *grey )
 
 /**
  * vips_grey:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/identity.c b/libvips/create/identity.c
index 90241667..6a2bdd34 100644
--- a/libvips/create/identity.c
+++ b/libvips/create/identity.c
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ vips_identity_init( VipsIdentity *identity )
 
 /**
  * vips_identity:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
  *
  * Optional arguments:
diff --git a/libvips/create/invertlut.c b/libvips/create/invertlut.c
index d2e99795..c9fa2809 100644
--- a/libvips/create/invertlut.c
+++ b/libvips/create/invertlut.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /* invert a lut
  *
  * Written on: 5/6/01
- * Modified on : 
+ * Modified on :
  *
  * 7/7/03 JC
  * 	- generate image rather than doublemask (arrg)
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 /*
 
     This file is part of VIPS.
-    
+
     VIPS is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
     it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by
     the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ typedef struct _VipsInvertlut {
 
 	/* Input image.
 	 */
-	VipsImage *in;	
+	VipsImage *in;
 
 	/* .. and cast to a matrix.
 	 */
@@ -119,31 +119,31 @@ vips_invertlut_build_init( VipsInvertlut *lut )
 	int x, y;
 
 	if( !lut->mat ||
-		lut->mat->Xsize < 2 || 
+		lut->mat->Xsize < 2 ||
 		lut->mat->Ysize < 1 ) {
 		vips_error( class->nickname, "%s", _( "bad input matrix" ) );
 		return( -1 );
 	}
-	if( lut->size < 1 || 
+	if( lut->size < 1 ||
 		lut->size > 65536 ) {
 		vips_error( class->nickname, "%s", _( "bad size" ) );
 		return( -1 );
 	}
 
-	if( !(lut->buf = 
+	if( !(lut->buf =
 		VIPS_ARRAY( NULL, lut->size * (lut->mat->Xsize - 1), double )) )
 		return( -1 );
 
 	if( !(lut->data = VIPS_ARRAY( NULL, lut->mat->Ysize, double * )) )
 		return( -1 );
-	for( y = 0; y < lut->mat->Ysize; y++ ) 
+	for( y = 0; y < lut->mat->Ysize; y++ )
 		lut->data[y] = VIPS_MATRIX( lut->mat, 0, y );
 
 	/* Sanity check for data range.
 	 */
-	for( y = 0; y < lut->mat->Ysize; y++ ) 
-		for( x = 0; x < lut->mat->Xsize; x++ ) 
-			if( lut->data[y][x] > 1.0 || 
+	for( y = 0; y < lut->mat->Ysize; y++ )
+		for( x = 0; x < lut->mat->Xsize; x++ )
+			if( lut->data[y][x] > 1.0 ||
 				lut->data[y][x] < 0.0 ) {
 				vips_error( class->nickname,
 					_( "element (%d, %d) is %g, "
@@ -204,10 +204,10 @@ vips_invertlut_build_create( VipsInvertlut *lut )
 			/* Inside the loop to avoid /0 errors for last ==
 			 * (size - 1).
 			 */
-			double fac = (1 - lut->data[height - 1][0]) / 
+			double fac = (1 - lut->data[height - 1][0]) /
 				((lut->size - 1) - last);
 
-			lut->buf[b + k * bands] = 
+			lut->buf[b + k * bands] =
 				lut->data[height - 1][0] + (k - last) * fac;
 		}
 
@@ -255,17 +255,17 @@ vips_invertlut_build( VipsObject *object )
 		return( -1 );
 
 	if( vips_check_matrix( class->nickname, lut->in, &lut->mat ) )
-		return( -1 ); 
+		return( -1 );
 
 	if( vips_invertlut_build_init( lut ) ||
 		vips_invertlut_build_create( lut ) )
-		return( -1 ); 
+		return( -1 );
 
         vips_image_init_fields( create->out,
-                lut->size, 1, lut->mat->Xsize - 1, 
-		VIPS_FORMAT_DOUBLE, VIPS_CODING_NONE, 
+                lut->size, 1, lut->mat->Xsize - 1,
+		VIPS_FORMAT_DOUBLE, VIPS_CODING_NONE,
 		VIPS_INTERPRETATION_HISTOGRAM, 1.0, 1.0 );
-        if( vips_image_write_line( create->out, 0, (VipsPel *) lut->buf ) ) 
+        if( vips_image_write_line( create->out, 0, (VipsPel *) lut->buf ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
 	return( 0 );
@@ -285,14 +285,14 @@ vips_invertlut_class_init( VipsInvertlutClass *class )
 	vobject_class->description = _( "build an inverted look-up table" );
 	vobject_class->build = vips_invertlut_build;
 
-	VIPS_ARG_IMAGE( class, "in", 0, 
-		_( "Input" ), 
+	VIPS_ARG_IMAGE( class, "in", 0,
+		_( "Input" ),
 		_( "Matrix of XY coordinates" ),
 		VIPS_ARGUMENT_REQUIRED_INPUT,
-		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsInvertlut, in ) ); 
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsInvertlut, in ) );
 
-	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "size", 5, 
-		_( "Size" ), 
+	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "size", 5,
+		_( "Size" ),
 		_( "LUT size to generate" ),
 		VIPS_ARGUMENT_OPTIONAL_INPUT,
 		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsInvertlut, size ),
@@ -303,13 +303,13 @@ vips_invertlut_class_init( VipsInvertlutClass *class )
 static void
 vips_invertlut_init( VipsInvertlut *lut )
 {
-	lut->size = 256; 
+	lut->size = 256;
 }
 
 /**
- * vips_invertlut:
+ * vips_invertlut: (method)
  * @in: input mask
- * @out: output LUT
+ * @out: (out): output LUT
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
  *
  * Optional arguments:
@@ -320,9 +320,9 @@ vips_invertlut_init( VipsInvertlut *lut )
  * will map reals to targets. Handy for linearising images from
  * measurements of a colour chart. All values in [0,1]. Piecewise linear
  * interpolation, extrapolate head and tail to 0 and 1.
- * 
+ *
  * Eg. input like this:
- * 
+ *
  *   <tgroup cols='4' align='left' colsep='1' rowsep='1'>
  *     <tbody>
  *       <row>
@@ -352,12 +352,12 @@ vips_invertlut_init( VipsInvertlut *lut )
  *
  * Means a patch with 10% reflectance produces an image with 20% in
  * channel 1, 30% in channel 2, and 10% in channel 3, and so on.
- * 
+ *
  * Inputs don't need to be sorted (we do that). Generate any precision
  * LUT, default to 256 elements.
  *
- * It won't work too well for non-monotonic camera responses 
- * (we should fix this). Interpolation is simple piecewise linear; we ought to 
+ * It won't work too well for non-monotonic camera responses
+ * (we should fix this). Interpolation is simple piecewise linear; we ought to
  * do something better really.
  *
  * See also: vips_buildlut().
diff --git a/libvips/create/logmat.c b/libvips/create/logmat.c
index db4384eb..5f15b3ea 100644
--- a/libvips/create/logmat.c
+++ b/libvips/create/logmat.c
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ vips_logmat_init( VipsLogmat *logmat )
 
 /**
  * vips_logmat:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @sigma: standard deviation of mask
  * @min_ampl: minimum amplitude
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_butterworth.c b/libvips/create/mask_butterworth.c
index 35a75316..4e9d9cac 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_butterworth.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_butterworth.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ vips_mask_butterworth_init( VipsMaskButterworth *butterworth )
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_butterworth:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @order: filter order
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_butterworth_band.c b/libvips/create/mask_butterworth_band.c
index dd3e8865..a25cbb4b 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_butterworth_band.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_butterworth_band.c
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ vips_mask_butterworth_band_init(
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_butterworth_band:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @order: filter order
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_butterworth_ring.c b/libvips/create/mask_butterworth_ring.c
index b5b252de..f73bcb28 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_butterworth_ring.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_butterworth_ring.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ vips_mask_butterworth_ring_init(
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_butterworth_ring:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @order: filter order
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_fractal.c b/libvips/create/mask_fractal.c
index 9031a415..e9e4e93b 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_fractal.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_fractal.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ vips_mask_fractal_init( VipsMaskFractal *fractal )
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_fractal:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @fractal_dimension: fractal dimension
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_gaussian.c b/libvips/create/mask_gaussian.c
index 6dcf7372..21b6f2d0 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_gaussian.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_gaussian.c
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ vips_mask_gaussian_init( VipsMaskGaussian *gaussian )
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_gaussian:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @frequency_cutoff: frequency threshold
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_gaussian_band.c b/libvips/create/mask_gaussian_band.c
index 7218affd..f19b0b19 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_gaussian_band.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_gaussian_band.c
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ vips_mask_gaussian_band_init( VipsMaskGaussianBand *gaussian_band )
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_gaussian_band:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @frequency_cutoff_x: band position 
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_gaussian_ring.c b/libvips/create/mask_gaussian_ring.c
index 8afcf5d2..a37c0c85 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_gaussian_ring.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_gaussian_ring.c
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ vips_mask_gaussian_ring_init( VipsMaskGaussianRing *gaussian_ring )
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_gaussian_ring:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @frequency_cutoff: frequency threshold
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_ideal.c b/libvips/create/mask_ideal.c
index cce19192..cba3caaa 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_ideal.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_ideal.c
@@ -97,7 +97,7 @@ vips_mask_ideal_init( VipsMaskIdeal *ideal )
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_ideal:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @frequency_cutoff: threshold at which filter ends
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_ideal_band.c b/libvips/create/mask_ideal_band.c
index 6675b44e..083fba8a 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_ideal_band.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_ideal_band.c
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ vips_mask_ideal_band_init( VipsMaskIdealBand *ideal_band )
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_ideal_band:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @frequency_cutoff_x: position of band
diff --git a/libvips/create/mask_ideal_ring.c b/libvips/create/mask_ideal_ring.c
index 20e3831b..9da608bf 100644
--- a/libvips/create/mask_ideal_ring.c
+++ b/libvips/create/mask_ideal_ring.c
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ vips_mask_ideal_ring_init( VipsMaskIdealRing *ideal_ring )
 
 /**
  * vips_mask_ideal_ring:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @frequency_cutoff: threshold at which filter ends
diff --git a/libvips/create/perlin.c b/libvips/create/perlin.c
index c727347a..24d0cf1c 100644
--- a/libvips/create/perlin.c
+++ b/libvips/create/perlin.c
@@ -331,7 +331,7 @@ vips_perlin_init( VipsPerlin *perlin )
 
 /**
  * vips_perlin:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: horizontal size
  * @height: vertical size
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/sines.c b/libvips/create/sines.c
index 8a60cfb8..779e0b34 100644
--- a/libvips/create/sines.c
+++ b/libvips/create/sines.c
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ vips_sines_init( VipsSines *sines )
 
 /**
  * vips_sines:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/text.c b/libvips/create/text.c
index d3e8ef1f..2d13b3aa 100644
--- a/libvips/create/text.c
+++ b/libvips/create/text.c
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ vips_text_init( VipsText *text )
 
 /**
  * vips_text:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @text: utf-8 text string to render
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
  *
diff --git a/libvips/create/tonelut.c b/libvips/create/tonelut.c
index b0e724c2..9e1ea79c 100644
--- a/libvips/create/tonelut.c
+++ b/libvips/create/tonelut.c
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ vips_tonelut_init( VipsTonelut *lut )
 
 /**
  * vips_tonelut:
- * @out: output image 
+ * @out: (out): output image 
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
  *
  * Optional arguments:
diff --git a/libvips/create/worley.c b/libvips/create/worley.c
index 0f057fba..520fdd47 100644
--- a/libvips/create/worley.c
+++ b/libvips/create/worley.c
@@ -337,7 +337,7 @@ vips_worley_init( VipsWorley *worley )
 
 /**
  * vips_worley:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: horizontal size
  * @height: vertical size
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/xyz.c b/libvips/create/xyz.c
index e00b5b22..aaf35331 100644
--- a/libvips/create/xyz.c
+++ b/libvips/create/xyz.c
@@ -239,7 +239,7 @@ vips_xyz_init( VipsXyz *xyz )
 
 /**
  * vips_xyz:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: horizontal size
  * @height: vertical size
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments
diff --git a/libvips/create/zone.c b/libvips/create/zone.c
index 1f44afdb..c2c96a06 100644
--- a/libvips/create/zone.c
+++ b/libvips/create/zone.c
@@ -99,7 +99,7 @@ vips_zone_init( VipsZone *zone )
 
 /**
  * vips_zone:
- * @out: output image
+ * @out: (out): output image
  * @width: image size
  * @height: image size
  * @...: %NULL-terminated list of optional named arguments