diff --git a/src/UI.cpp b/src/UI.cpp
index 81140dc..afd45fb 100644
--- a/src/UI.cpp
+++ b/src/UI.cpp
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ UIFrame::~UIFrame()
     void outlineColor(PyObject* pyColor); // Python setter
 */
 
+PyObjectsEnum UIFrame::derived_type()
+{
+    return PyObjectsEnum::UIFRAME;
+}
 
 void UIFrame::render(sf::Vector2f offset)
 {
@@ -86,3 +90,48 @@ void UISprite::render(sf::Vector2f offset)
     Resources::game->getWindow().draw(sprite);
     sprite.move(-offset);
 }
+
+PyObjectsEnum UICaption::derived_type()
+{
+    return PyObjectsEnum::UICAPTION;
+}
+
+PyObjectsEnum UISprite::derived_type()
+{
+    return PyObjectsEnum::UISPRITE;
+}
+
+PyObject* py_instance(std::shared_ptr<UIDrawable> source)
+{
+    // takes a UI drawable, calls its derived_type virtual function, and builds a Python object based on the return value.
+    using namespace mcrfpydef;
+    PyObject* newobj; 
+    switch (source->derived_type())
+    {
+        case PyObjectsEnum::UIFRAME:
+            {
+                PyUIFrameObject* o = (PyUIFrameObject*)PyUIFrameType.tp_alloc(&PyUIFrameType, 0);
+                if (o)
+                    o->data = std::static_pointer_cast<UIFrame>(source);
+                newobj = (PyObject*)o;
+                break;
+            }
+        /* not yet implemented
+        case PyObjectsEnum::UICAPTION:
+            PyUICaptionObject* o = (PyUICaptionObject*)PyUICaptionType.tp_alloc(&PyUICaptionType, 0);
+            if (o)
+                o->data = std::static_pointer_cast<UICaption>(source);
+            break;
+        case PyObjectsEnum::UISPRITE:
+            PyUISpriteObject* o = (PyUISpriteObject*)PyUISpriteType.tp_alloc(&PyUISpriteType, 0);
+            if (o)
+                o->data = std::static_pointer_cast<UISprite>(source);
+            break;
+        */
+        default:
+            return NULL;
+            break;
+    }
+
+    return newobj;
+}
diff --git a/src/UI.h b/src/UI.h
index e00150a..ad214dd 100644
--- a/src/UI.h
+++ b/src/UI.h
@@ -3,6 +3,14 @@
 #include "Python.h"
 #include "structmember.h"
 
+enum PyObjectsEnum
+{
+    UIFRAME = 1,
+    UICAPTION,
+    UISPRITE,
+    UIGRID
+};
+
 class UIDrawable
 {
 public:
@@ -13,6 +21,7 @@ public:
     //virtual sf::Vector2i position();
     bool handle_event(/* ??? click, scroll, keystroke*/);
     std::string action;
+    virtual PyObjectsEnum derived_type() = 0;
 };
 
 //Python object types & forward declarations
@@ -42,6 +51,7 @@ public:
     void render(sf::Vector2f) override final;
     void move(sf::Vector2f);
     
+    PyObjectsEnum derived_type() override final; // { return PyObjectsEnum::UIFrame;  };
     /*
     sf::Color fillColor(); // getter
     void fillColor(sf::Color c); // C++ setter
@@ -65,6 +75,7 @@ class UICaption: public UIDrawable
 public:
     sf::Text text;
     void render(sf::Vector2f) override final;
+    PyObjectsEnum derived_type() override final; // { return PyObjectsEnum::UICaption;  };
 };
 
 class UISprite: public UIDrawable
@@ -74,6 +85,7 @@ public:
     int texture_index, sprite_index;
     float scale;
     sf::Sprite sprite;
+    PyObjectsEnum derived_type() override final; // { return PyObjectsEnum::UISprite;  };
 };
 
 /*
@@ -101,8 +113,9 @@ typedef struct {
     std::shared_ptr<UISprite> data;
 } PyUISpriteObject;
 
+PyObject* py_instance(std::shared_ptr<UIDrawable> source);
+
 namespace mcrfpydef {
-    
     // Color Definitions
     // struct, members, new, set_member, PyTypeObject
 
@@ -451,6 +464,25 @@ namespace mcrfpydef {
      *
      */
 
+    /*
+     *
+     * Begin Python Class Instantiator (iterator helper)
+     *
+     */
+
+    /* // definition can't go in the header file
+    PyObject* py_instance(UIDrawable* obj)
+    {
+
+    }
+    */
+
+    /*
+     *
+     * End Python Class Instantitator (iterator helper)
+     *
+     */
+
     /*
      *
      * Begin PyUICollectionIter defs