diff --git a/src/item/Group.js b/src/item/Group.js
index 6037f99f..891ebe5b 100644
--- a/src/item/Group.js
+++ b/src/item/Group.js
@@ -89,11 +89,10 @@ var Group = Item.extend(/** @lends Group# */{
 	 * });
 	 */
 	initialize: function Group(arg) {
-		Item.call(this);
 		// Allow Group to have children and named children
 		this._children = [];
 		this._namedChildren = {};
-		if (arg && !this._set(arg))
+		if (!this._initialize(arg))
 			this.addChildren(Array.isArray(arg) ? arg : arguments);
 	},
 
diff --git a/src/item/Item.js b/src/item/Item.js
index 079bb94b..e6364fe1 100644
--- a/src/item/Item.js
+++ b/src/item/Item.js
@@ -61,7 +61,11 @@ var Item = Base.extend(Callback, /** @lends Item# */{
 		data: {}
 	},
 
-	initialize: function Item(point) {
+	initialize: function Item() {
+		// Do nothing.
+	},
+
+	_initialize: function(props, point) {
 		// Define this Item's unique id.
 		this._id = Item._id = (Item._id || 0) + 1;
 		// If _project is already set, the item was already moved into the DOM
@@ -69,15 +73,18 @@ var Item = Base.extend(Callback, /** @lends Item# */{
 		if (!this._project) {
 			var project = paper.project,
 				layer = project.activeLayer;
-			if (layer)
+			// Do not insert into DOM if insert: false is provided in props.
+			if (layer && !(props && props.insert === false)) {
 				layer.addChild(this);
-			else
+			} else {
 				this._setProject(project);
+			}
 		}
 		this._style = new Style(this._project._currentStyle, this);
 		this._matrix = new Matrix();
 		if (point)
 			this._matrix.translate(point);
+		return props ? this._set(props, { insert: true }) : true;
 	},
 
 	_events: new function() {
diff --git a/src/item/PlacedSymbol.js b/src/item/PlacedSymbol.js
index 85e1ae9a..e2304782 100644
--- a/src/item/PlacedSymbol.js
+++ b/src/item/PlacedSymbol.js
@@ -72,10 +72,10 @@ var PlacedSymbol = Item.extend(/** @lends PlacedSymbol# */{
 		// Support two forms of item initialization: Passing one object literal
 		// describing all the different properties to be set, or a symbol (arg0)
 		// and a point where it should be placed (arg1).
-		Item.call(this, arg1 !== undefined && Point.read(arguments, 1));
-		// If we can handle setting properties through object literal, we're all
-		// set. Otherwise we need to set symbol.
-		if (arg0 && !this._set(arg0))
+		// If _initialize can set properties through object literal, we're done.
+		// Otherwise we need to set symbol from arg0.
+		if (!this._initialize(arg0,
+				arg1 !== undefined && Point.read(arguments, 1)))
 			this.setSymbol(arg0 instanceof Symbol ? arg0 : new Symbol(arg0));
 	},
 
diff --git a/src/item/Raster.js b/src/item/Raster.js
index 94b8b007..c5dc5da6 100644
--- a/src/item/Raster.js
+++ b/src/item/Raster.js
@@ -76,10 +76,10 @@ var Raster = Item.extend(/** @lends Raster# */{
 		// Support two forms of item initialization: Passing one object literal
 		// describing all the different properties to be set, or an image
 		// (object) and a point where it should be placed (point).
-		Item.call(this, position !== undefined && Point.read(arguments, 1));
-		// If we can handle setting properties through object literal, we're all
-		// set. Otherwise we need to check the type of object:
-		if (object && !this._set(object)) {
+		// If _initialize can set properties through object literal, we're done.
+		// Otherwise we need to check the type of object:
+		if (!this._initialize(object,
+				position !== undefined && Point.read(arguments, 1))) {
 			if (object.getContext) {
 				this.setCanvas(object);
 			} else if (typeof object === 'string') {
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ var Raster = Item.extend(/** @lends Raster# */{
 			image = this._image;
 		if (image) {
 			param.image = image;
-		} else {
+		} else if (this._canvas) {
 			// If the Raster contains a Canvas object, we need to create
 			// a new one and draw this raster's canvas on it.
 			var canvas = param.canvas = CanvasProvider.getCanvas(this._size);
diff --git a/src/item/Shape.js b/src/item/Shape.js
index e2ab5331..3fb3653c 100644
--- a/src/item/Shape.js
+++ b/src/item/Shape.js
@@ -21,8 +21,8 @@ var Shape = Item.extend(/** @lends Shape# */{
 	_class: 'Shape',
 	_transformContent: false,
 
-	initialize: function Shape(type, point, size) {
-		Item.call(this, point);
+	initialize: function Shape(type, point, size, props) {
+		this._initialize(props, point);
 		this._type = type;
 		this._size = size;
 	},
@@ -165,11 +165,7 @@ var Shape = Item.extend(/** @lends Shape# */{
 
 	statics: new function() {
 		function createShape(type, point, size, args) {
-			var shape = new Shape(type, point, size),
-				named = Base.getNamed(args);
-			if (named)
-				shape._set(named);
-			return shape;
+			return new Shape(type, point, size, Base.getNamed(args));
 		}
 
 		return /** @lends Shape */{
diff --git a/src/path/CompoundPath.js b/src/path/CompoundPath.js
index a9c03a95..713256cf 100644
--- a/src/path/CompoundPath.js
+++ b/src/path/CompoundPath.js
@@ -50,11 +50,10 @@ var CompoundPath = PathItem.extend(/** @lends CompoundPath# */{
 	 * compoundPath.children[1].position.x += 5;
 	 */
 	initialize: function CompoundPath(arg) {
-		PathItem.call(this);
 		// CompoundPath has children and supports named children.
 		this._children = [];
 		this._namedChildren = {};
-		if (arg && !this._set(arg))
+		if (!this._initialize(arg))
 			this.addChildren(Array.isArray(arg) ? arg : arguments);
 	},
 
diff --git a/src/path/Path.Constructors.js b/src/path/Path.Constructors.js
index b34330c2..c755240e 100644
--- a/src/path/Path.Constructors.js
+++ b/src/path/Path.Constructors.js
@@ -13,11 +13,7 @@
 Path.inject({ statics: new function() {
 
 	function createPath(args) {
-		var path = new Path(),
-			named = Base.getNamed(args);
-		if (named)
-			path._set(named);
-		return path;
+		return new Path(Base.getNamed(args));
 	}
 
 	function createRectangle(/* rectangle */) {
diff --git a/src/path/Path.js b/src/path/Path.js
index 7813cfca..48495d34 100644
--- a/src/path/Path.js
+++ b/src/path/Path.js
@@ -70,7 +70,6 @@ var Path = PathItem.extend(/** @lends Path# */{
 	initialize: function Path(arg) {
 		this._closed = false;
 		this._segments = [];
-		Item.call(this);
 		// arg can either be an object literal describing properties to be set
 		// on the path, a list of segments to be set, or the first of multiple
 		// arguments describing separate segments.
@@ -82,12 +81,16 @@ var Path = PathItem.extend(/** @lends Path# */{
 			? typeof arg[0] === 'object'
 				? arg
 				: arguments
-			: arg && (arg.point !== undefined || arg.x !== undefined)
+			// See if it behaves like a segment or a point, but filter out
+			// rectangles, as accepted by some Path.Constructor constructors.
+			: arg && (arg.point !== undefined && arg.size === undefined
+					|| arg.x !== undefined)
 				? arguments
 				: null;
+		// Always call setSegments() to initialize a few related variables.
 		this.setSegments(segments || []);
-		if (arg && !segments)
-			this._set(arg);
+		// Only pass on arg as props if it wasn't consumed for segments already.
+		this._initialize(!segments && arg);
 	},
 
 	clone: function(insert) {
@@ -102,9 +105,8 @@ var Path = PathItem.extend(/** @lends Path# */{
 		return copy;
 	},
 
-	_changed: function(flags) {
-		// Don't use base() for reasons of performance.
-		Item.prototype._changed.call(this, flags);
+	_changed: function _changed(flags) {
+		_changed.base.call(this, flags);
 		if (flags & /*#=*/ ChangeFlag.GEOMETRY) {
 			delete this._length;
 			// Clockwise state becomes undefined as soon as geometry changes.
diff --git a/src/path/PathItem.js b/src/path/PathItem.js
index 6aefb168..ef4ddc92 100644
--- a/src/path/PathItem.js
+++ b/src/path/PathItem.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ var PathItem = Item.extend(/** @lends PathItem# */{
 	_class: 'PathItem',
 
 	initialize: function PathItem() {
-		Item.apply(this, arguments);
+		// Do nothing.
 	},
 
 	/**
diff --git a/src/project/Project.js b/src/project/Project.js
index e57b9784..4e027167 100644
--- a/src/project/Project.js
+++ b/src/project/Project.js
@@ -46,8 +46,9 @@ var Project = PaperScopeItem.extend(/** @lends Project# */{
 	 * Canvas element that should be wrapped in a newly created view.
 	 */
 	initialize: function Project(view) {
-		// Activate straight away by passing true to base(), so paper.project is
-		// set, as required by Layer and DoumentView constructors.
+		// Activate straight away by passing true to PaperScopeItem constructor,
+		// so paper.project is set, as required by Layer and DoumentView
+		// constructors.
 		PaperScopeItem.call(this, true);
 		this.layers = [];
 		this.symbols = [];
diff --git a/src/text/TextItem.js b/src/text/TextItem.js
index 828d2603..ddab6695 100644
--- a/src/text/TextItem.js
+++ b/src/text/TextItem.js
@@ -32,18 +32,16 @@ var TextItem = Item.extend(/** @lends TextItem# */{
 	_boundsGetter: 'getBounds',
 
 	initialize: function TextItem(arg) {
+		this._content = '';
+		this._lines = [];
 		// Support two forms of item initialization: Passing one object literal
 		// describing all the different properties to be set, or a point where
 		// it should be placed (arg).
-		// See if a point is passed, and if so, pass it on to base(). If not, it
-		// might be a properties object literal for #setPropeties() at the end.
-		var hasProperties = arg && Base.isPlainObject(arg)
+		// See if a point is passed, and if so, pass it on to _initialize().
+		// If not, it might be a properties object literal.
+		var hasProps = arg && Base.isPlainObject(arg)
 				&& arg.x === undefined && arg.y === undefined;
-		Item.call(this, hasProperties ? null : Point.read(arguments));
-		this._content = '';
-		this._lines = [];
-		if (hasProperties)
-			this._set(arg);
+		this._initialize(hasProps && arg, !hasProps && Point.read(arguments));
 	},
 
 	/**