diff --git a/src/common/QskAspect.cpp b/src/common/QskAspect.cpp
index c3e590f4..60a2150d 100644
--- a/src/common/QskAspect.cpp
+++ b/src/common/QskAspect.cpp
@@ -36,6 +36,32 @@ namespace
     };
 }
 
+static quint8 qskPrimitiveCount[ 3 ] =
+    { QskAspect::FontRole + 1, QskAspect::Border + 1, QskAspect::LinkColor + 1 };
+
+quint8 QskAspect::primitiveCount( Type type )
+{
+    return qskPrimitiveCount[ type ];
+}
+
+void QskAspect::reservePrimitives( Type type, quint8 count )
+{
+    constexpr quint8 maxCount = 1 << 5; // we have 5 bits for the primitives
+
+    Q_ASSERT( count <= maxCount );
+
+    if ( count > maxCount )
+    {
+        qWarning() << "QskAspect: having more than"
+            << maxCount << "primitives is not supported.";
+
+        count = maxCount;
+    }
+
+    if ( count > qskPrimitiveCount[ type ] )
+        qskPrimitiveCount[ type ] = count;
+}
+
 Q_GLOBAL_STATIC( AspectRegistry, qskAspectRegistry )
 
 QskAspect::State QskAspect::registerState(
@@ -201,27 +227,27 @@ static inline QDebug qskDebugEnum(
     return debug;
 }
 
-QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::Type& type )
+QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, QskAspect::Type type )
 {
     return qskDebugEnum( debug, "Type", type );
 }
 
-QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::FlagPrimitive& primitive )
+QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, QskAspect::FlagPrimitive primitive )
 {
     return qskDebugEnum( debug, "FlagPrimitive", primitive );
 }
 
-QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::ColorPrimitive& primitive )
+QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, QskAspect::ColorPrimitive primitive )
 {
     return qskDebugEnum( debug, "ColorPrimitive", primitive );
 }
 
-QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::MetricPrimitive& primitive )
+QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, QskAspect::MetricPrimitive primitive )
 {
     return qskDebugEnum( debug, "MetricPrimitive", primitive );
 }
 
-QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::Subcontrol& subControl )
+QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, QskAspect::Subcontrol subControl )
 {
     QDebugStateSaver saver( debug );
 
@@ -233,19 +259,19 @@ QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::Subcontrol& subControl )
     return debug;
 }
 
-QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::Placement& placement )
+QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, QskAspect::Placement placement )
 {
     qskDebugEnum( debug, "Placement", placement );
     return debug;
 }
 
-QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::State& state )
+QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, QskAspect::State state )
 {
     qskDebugState( debug, nullptr, state );
     return debug;
 }
 
-QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, const QskAspect::Aspect& aspect )
+QDebug operator<<( QDebug debug, QskAspect::Aspect aspect )
 {
     qskDebugAspect( debug, nullptr, aspect );
     return debug;
@@ -264,8 +290,6 @@ void qskDebugState( QDebug debug, const QMetaObject* metaObject, QskAspect::Stat
 
 void qskDebugAspect( QDebug debug, const QMetaObject* metaObject, QskAspect::Aspect aspect )
 {
-    using namespace QskAspect;
-
     QDebugStateSaver saver( debug );
 
     debug.resetFormat();
@@ -286,13 +310,13 @@ void qskDebugAspect( QDebug debug, const QMetaObject* metaObject, QskAspect::Asp
 
     switch ( aspect.type() )
     {
-        case Color:
+        case QskAspect::Color:
         {
             if ( aspect.colorPrimitive() != 0 )
                 debug << ", " << qskEnumString( "ColorPrimitive", aspect.colorPrimitive() );
             break;
         }
-        case Metric:
+        case QskAspect::Metric:
         {
             if ( aspect.metricPrimitive() != 0 )
                 debug << ", " << qskEnumString( "MetricPrimitive", aspect.metricPrimitive() );
diff --git a/src/common/QskAspect.h b/src/common/QskAspect.h
index 524270a1..d23b6468 100644
--- a/src/common/QskAspect.h
+++ b/src/common/QskAspect.h
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ QSK_NAMESPACE( QskAspect )
     };
     QSK_ENUM( Type )
 
-    enum { LastType = Color };   // max. value for all types
+    constexpr uint typeCount = 3;
 
     enum FlagPrimitive : quint8
     {
@@ -209,9 +209,9 @@ namespace QskAspect
             uint type : 3;
             uint isAnimator : 1;
 
-            uint primitive : 7;
+            uint primitive : 5;
             uint placement : 3;
-            uint reserved1 : 6;
+            uint reserved1 : 8;
 
             uint states : 16;
             uint reserved2 : 16;
@@ -537,6 +537,10 @@ namespace QskAspect
     QSK_EXPORT QByteArray subControlName( Subcontrol );
     QSK_EXPORT QVector< QByteArray > subControlNames( const QMetaObject* = nullptr );
     QSK_EXPORT QVector< Subcontrol > subControls( const QMetaObject* );
+
+    QSK_EXPORT quint8 primitiveCount( Type );
+    QSK_EXPORT void reservePrimitives( Type, quint8 count );
+
 }
 
 namespace std
@@ -556,16 +560,16 @@ Q_DECLARE_TYPEINFO( QskAspect::Aspect, Q_MOVABLE_TYPE );
 
 class QDebug;
 
-QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, const QskAspect::Aspect& );
-QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, const QskAspect::Type& );
-QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, const QskAspect::Subcontrol& );
+QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, QskAspect::Aspect );
+QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, QskAspect::Type );
+QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, QskAspect::Subcontrol );
 
-QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, const QskAspect::FlagPrimitive& );
-QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, const QskAspect::ColorPrimitive& );
-QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, const QskAspect::MetricPrimitive& );
+QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, QskAspect::FlagPrimitive );
+QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, QskAspect::ColorPrimitive );
+QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, QskAspect::MetricPrimitive );
 
-QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, const QskAspect::Placement& );
-QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, const QskAspect::State& );
+QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, QskAspect::Placement );
+QSK_EXPORT QDebug operator<<( QDebug, QskAspect::State );
 
 QSK_EXPORT void qskDebugState( QDebug, const QMetaObject*, QskAspect::State );
 QSK_EXPORT void qskDebugAspect( QDebug, const QMetaObject*, QskAspect::Aspect );
diff --git a/src/controls/QskSkinnable.cpp b/src/controls/QskSkinnable.cpp
index 4b180e58..4376d848 100644
--- a/src/controls/QskSkinnable.cpp
+++ b/src/controls/QskSkinnable.cpp
@@ -977,7 +977,7 @@ void QskSkinnable::setSkinState( QskAspect::State newState, bool animated )
 
             const auto& skinTable = skin->hintTable();
 
-            for ( int i = 0; i <= QskAspect::LastType; i++ )
+            for ( uint i = 0; i < QskAspect::typeCount; i++ )
             {
                 const auto type = static_cast< QskAspect::Type >( i );
 
@@ -989,8 +989,10 @@ void QskSkinnable::setSkinState( QskAspect::State newState, bool animated )
                         Starting an animator for all primitives,
                         that differ between the states
                      */
-                    for ( uint primitive = 0;
-                        primitive <= QskAspect::LastPrimitive; primitive++ )
+
+                    const auto primitiveCount = QskAspect::primitiveCount( type );
+
+                    for ( uint primitive = 0; primitive < primitiveCount; primitive++ )
                     {
                         aspect.setPrimitive( type, primitive );