diff --git a/lib/extensions/print_pdf.py b/lib/extensions/print_pdf.py
index 91562c09b..3dcb27438 100644
--- a/lib/extensions/print_pdf.py
+++ b/lib/extensions/print_pdf.py
@@ -206,10 +206,10 @@ class PrintPreviewServer(Thread):
 
         @self.app.route('/realistic', methods=['GET'])
         def get_realistic():
-            return jsonify({
-                            'overview': self.realistic_overview_svg,
-                            'color_blocks': self.realistic_color_block_svgs
-                           })
+            realistic = { 'overview': self.realistic_overview_svg }
+            for i, svg in enumerate(self.realistic_color_block_svgs):
+                realistic["block%d" % i] = svg
+            return jsonify(realistic)
 
     def stop(self):
         # for whatever reason, shutting down only seems possible in
diff --git a/print/resources/inkstitch.js b/print/resources/inkstitch.js
index e5065fe6e..bb1407050 100644
--- a/print/resources/inkstitch.js
+++ b/print/resources/inkstitch.js
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@ $.postJSON = function(url, data, success=null) {
                        });
 };
 
+var realistic_rendering = {};
+var normal_rendering = {};
+
 function ping() {
   $.get("/ping")
    .done(function() { setTimeout(ping, 1000) })
@@ -142,6 +145,11 @@ $(function() {
     setSVGTransform($(this), $(this).find('svg').css('transform'));
   });
 
+  // ignore mouse events on the buttons (Fill, 100%, Apply to All)
+  $('figure.inksimulation div').on('mousedown mouseup', function(e) {
+    e.stopPropagation();
+  });
+
   /* Apply transforms to All */
   $('button.svg-apply').click(function() {
     var transform = $(this).parent().siblings('svg').css('transform');
@@ -190,6 +198,12 @@ $(function() {
             }
         });
     });
+
+    $.getJSON('/realistic', function(realistic_data) {
+      // realistic_rendering is global
+      realistic_rendering = realistic_data;
+    });
+
     // wait until page size is set (if they've specified one) and then scale SVGs to fit
     setTimeout(function() { scaleAllSvg() }, 500);
   });
@@ -288,8 +302,8 @@ $(function() {
     $('.modal').hide();
   });
 
-  //Checkbox
-  $(':checkbox').on('change initialize', function() {
+  // View selection checkboxes
+  $(':checkbox.view').on('change initialize', function() {
     var field_name = $(this).attr('data-field-name');
 
     $('.' + field_name).toggle($(this).prop('checked'));
@@ -299,6 +313,42 @@ $(function() {
     $.postJSON('/settings/' + field_name, {value: $(this).prop('checked')});
   });
 
+  // Realistic rendering checkboxes
+  $(':checkbox.realistic').on('change', function(e) {
+    console.log("realistic rendering checkbox");
+
+    var item = $(this).data('field-name');
+    var figure = $(this).closest('figure');
+    var svg = figure.find('svg');
+    var transform = svg.css('transform');
+    var checked = $(this).prop('checked');
+
+    console.log("" + item + " " + transform);
+
+    // do this later to allow this event handler to return now,
+    // which will cause the checkbox to be checked or unchecked
+    // immediately even if SVG rendering takes awhile
+    setTimeout(function() {
+      if (checked) {
+        if (!(item in normal_rendering)) {
+          normal_rendering[item] = svg[0].outerHTML;
+        }
+        svg[0].outerHTML = realistic_rendering[item];
+      } else {
+        svg[0].outerHTML = normal_rendering[item];
+      }
+      // can't use the svg variable here because setting outerHTML created a new tag
+      figure.find('svg').css({transform: transform});
+    }, 100);
+
+    e.stopPropagation();
+    return true;
+  });
+
+  $('button.svg-realistic').click(function(e){
+    $(this).find('input').click();
+  });
+
   // Logo
   $('#logo-picker').change(function(e) {
       var file = e.originalEvent.currentTarget.files[0];
diff --git a/print/resources/style.css b/print/resources/style.css
index 58ec8714b..716934a86 100644
--- a/print/resources/style.css
+++ b/print/resources/style.css
@@ -473,6 +473,28 @@ body {
     border: none;
     background: grey;
     color: white;
+    display: inline-block;
+    font-size: 16px;
+    font-family: "Barlow", sans-serif;
+    padding-left: 3px;
+    padding-right: 3px;
+    margin: 0px 1px 0px 1px;
+  }
+
+  input.realistic {
+    position: absolute;
+    transform: scale(0.7);
+    margin-left: 2px;
+  }
+
+  label.realistic {
+    margin-left: 20px;
+  }
+
+  /* prevents Chrome from sending a double event for the checkbox
+     and the containing <button> */
+  .realistic {
+    pointer-events: none;
   }
 
 /* Color Swatches */
diff --git a/print/templates/operator_overview.html b/print/templates/operator_overview.html
index 367d6d2bf..6fa469115 100644
--- a/print/templates/operator_overview.html
+++ b/print/templates/operator_overview.html
@@ -32,6 +32,10 @@
                   <button class="svg-fit">{{ _('Fit') }}</button>
                   <button class="svg-full">100%</button>
                   <button class="svg-apply">{{ _('Apply to all') }}</button>
+                  <button class="svg-realistic">
+                    <input type="checkbox" id="realistic-operator-overview" data-field-name="overview" class="realistic" />
+                    <label for="realistic-operator-overview" class="realistic">Realistic</label>
+                  </button>
                 </div>
             </figure>
         </main>
diff --git a/print/templates/print_detail.html b/print/templates/print_detail.html
index 714d33a24..e73fe918b 100644
--- a/print/templates/print_detail.html
+++ b/print/templates/print_detail.html
@@ -22,9 +22,12 @@
                   <button class="svg-fit">Fit</button>
                   <button class="svg-full">100%</button>
                   <button class="svg-apply">Apply to all</button>
+                  <button class="svg-realistic">
+                    <input type="checkbox" id="realistic-color-block-{{ loop.index0 }}" data-field-name="block{{ loop.index0 }}" class="realistic" />
+                    <label for="realistic-color-block-{{ loop.index0 }}" class="realistic">Realistic</label>
+                  </button>
                 </div>
-            </figure> 
-            
+            </figure>
             <div class="color-palette detailed">
                 {% include 'color_swatch.html' %}
             </div>
diff --git a/print/templates/print_overview.html b/print/templates/print_overview.html
index efcf5b2eb..b42ab7a99 100644
--- a/print/templates/print_overview.html
+++ b/print/templates/print_overview.html
@@ -32,14 +32,18 @@
                   <button class="svg-fit">Fit</button>
                   <button class="svg-full">100%</button>
                   <button class="svg-apply">Apply to all</button>
+                  <button class="svg-realistic">
+                    <input type="checkbox" id="realistic-client-overview" data-field-name="overview" class="realistic" />
+                    <label for="realistic-client-overview" class="realistic">Realistic</label>
+                  </button>
                 </div>
-            </figure> 
-            
+            </figure>
+
             <div class="color-palette">
                 {% for color_block in color_blocks %}
                     {% include 'color_swatch.html' %}
-                {% endfor %}    
-            
+                {% endfor %}
+
             </div>
             <div class="signature">{{ _('Client Signature') }}</div>
         </main>
diff --git a/print/templates/ui.html b/print/templates/ui.html
index b09dc9414..3b11f3456 100644
--- a/print/templates/ui.html
+++ b/print/templates/ui.html
@@ -26,10 +26,10 @@
         <div>
          <fieldset>
             <legend>{{ _('Print Layouts') }}</legend>
-            <p><input type="checkbox" id="client-overview" data-field-name="client-overview" /><label for="client-overview">Client Overview</label></p>
-            <p><input type="checkbox" id="client-detailedview" data-field-name="client-detailedview" /><label for="client-detailedview">Client Detailed View</label></p>
-            <p><input type="checkbox" id="operator-overview" data-field-name="operator-overview" CHECKED /><label for="operator-overview">Operator Overview</label></p>
-            <p><input type="checkbox" id="operator-detailedview" data-field-name="operator-detailedview" CHECKED /><label for="operator-detailedview">Operator Detailed View</label></p>
+            <p><input type="checkbox" class="view" id="client-overview" data-field-name="client-overview" /><label for="client-overview">Client Overview</label></p>
+            <p><input type="checkbox" class="view" id="client-detailedview" data-field-name="client-detailedview" /><label for="client-detailedview">Client Detailed View</label></p>
+            <p><input type="checkbox" class="view" id="operator-overview" data-field-name="operator-overview" CHECKED /><label for="operator-overview">Operator Overview</label></p>
+            <p><input type="checkbox" class="view" id="operator-detailedview" data-field-name="operator-detailedview" CHECKED /><label for="operator-detailedview">Operator Detailed View</label></p>
           </fieldset>
           <button id="save-settings" title="{{ _("Includes these Page Setup settings and also the icon.") }}">{{ _("Save as defaults") }}</button>
         </div>