diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4e9d4dd..5a75048 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -24,3 +24,4 @@ notebooks/color_spaces_manyview.ipynb
 notebooks/oklch_srgb_spherical.ipynb
 notebooks/v1.4.0/
 notebooks/v1.5.1/
+CHECKLIST.md
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 2bafc70..a192700 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -30,13 +30,13 @@ both of which have fixed hue values and vary from 10% to 98% lightness.
 Monotone curves have fixed chroma, whereas the accent curves' chroma varies
 smoothly as a function of lightness within sRGB gamut bounds.
 
-| Chroma curves                                         | Color trajectories                       |
-|-------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
-| ![Chroma curves](images/curves/cstar-curves-v151.png) | ![Trajectories](images/trajectories.gif) |
+| Chroma curves                                            | Color trajectories                       |
+|----------------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------|
+| ![Chroma curves](images/release/1.5.1/chroma-curves.png) | ![Trajectories](images/trajectories.gif) |
 
-| Palette                        |
-|--------------------------------|
-| ![Palette](images/palette.png) |
+| Palette                                      |
+|----------------------------------------------|
+| ![Palette](images/release/1.5.1/palette.png) |
 
 Chroma curves are designed specifically to establish a distinct role for each
 accent and are non-intersecting over the lightness domain (hence the distinct
diff --git a/images/release/1.5.1/chroma-bounds.png b/images/release/1.5.1/chroma-bounds.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c85b9bc
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/release/1.5.1/chroma-bounds.png differ
diff --git a/images/release/1.5.1/chroma-curves.png b/images/release/1.5.1/chroma-curves.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4c0d268
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/release/1.5.1/chroma-curves.png differ
diff --git a/images/release/1.5.1/palette-bare.png b/images/release/1.5.1/palette-bare.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6e046df
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/release/1.5.1/palette-bare.png differ
diff --git a/images/release/1.5.1/palette.png b/images/release/1.5.1/palette.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a95e3d8
Binary files /dev/null and b/images/release/1.5.1/palette.png differ
diff --git a/monobiome/plotting.py b/monobiome/plotting.py
index 39b0695..e818618 100644
--- a/monobiome/plotting.py
+++ b/monobiome/plotting.py
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
+from importlib.metadata import version
+
 import numpy as np
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
 from coloraide import Color
 from matplotlib.collections import LineCollection
 
-from importlib.metadata import version
 from monobiome.palette import compute_hlc_map
 from monobiome.constants import (
     h_map,
@@ -11,13 +12,14 @@ from monobiome.constants import (
     L_points,
     accent_h_map,
     monotone_h_map,
-    max_Cstar_Horder,
     Lspace_Cmax_Hmap,
+    max_Cstar_Horder,
     Lpoints_Cstar_Hmap,
 )
 
+VERSION = version("monobiome")
 
-def plot_hue_chroma_bounds() -> None:
+def plot_hue_chroma_bounds() -> tuple[plt.Figure, plt.Axes]:
     name_h_map = {}
     ax_h_map = {}
     fig, axes = plt.subplots(
@@ -66,11 +68,12 @@ def plot_hue_chroma_bounds() -> None:
         ncol=3
     )
 
-    plt.suptitle("$C^*$ curves for hue groups")
-    plt.show()
+    plt.suptitle(f"$C^*$ curves for hue groups (v{VERSION})")
+
+    return fig, axes
 
 
-def plot_hue_chroma_star() -> None:
+def plot_hue_chroma_star() -> tuple[plt.Figure, plt.Axes]:
     fig, ax = plt.subplots(1, 1, figsize=(8, 6))
 
     # uncomment to preview 5 core term colors
@@ -119,9 +122,9 @@ def plot_hue_chroma_star() -> None:
     ax.set_xlabel("Lightness (%)")
     ax.set_xticks([L_points[0], 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, L_points[-1]])
 
-    mb_version = version("monobiome")
-    plt.suptitle(f"$C^*$ curves (v{mb_version})")
-    fig.show()
+    plt.suptitle(f"$C^*$ curves (v{VERSION})")
+
+    return fig, ax
 
 
 def palette_image(
diff --git a/scripts/plots.py b/scripts/plots.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..dceddb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/plots.py
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+
+import monobiome as mb
+from monobiome import plotting
+from monobiome.palette import compute_hlc_map
+
+figure_dir = Path(f"images/release/{mb.__version__}")
+figure_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+
+fig, ax = plotting.plot_hue_chroma_bounds()
+fig.savefig(Path(figure_dir, "chroma-bounds.png"))
+
+fig, ax = plotting.plot_hue_chroma_star()
+fig.savefig(Path(figure_dir, "chroma-curves.png"))
+
+# compute the palette as hex to ensure the rendering matches; using
+# "oklch" causes some slight hex drift when later using an eyedropper
+hlc_map = compute_hlc_map("hex") # ("oklch")
+
+fig, ax = plotting.show_palette(hlc_map)
+fig.savefig(Path(figure_dir, "palette.png"))
+
+fig, ax = plotting.show_palette(hlc_map, show_labels=False)
+fig.savefig(Path(figure_dir, "palette-bare.png"), pad_inches=0)