diff --git a/clutter/clutter-paint-volume.c b/clutter/clutter-paint-volume.c
index c770691dd..c60baf0ca 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-paint-volume.c
+++ b/clutter/clutter-paint-volume.c
@@ -859,3 +859,40 @@ _clutter_actor_set_default_paint_volume (ClutterActor       *self,
 
   return TRUE;
 }
+
+/**
+ * clutter_paint_volume_set_from_allocation:
+ * @pv: a #ClutterPaintVolume
+ * @actor: a #ClutterActor
+ *
+ * Sets the #ClutterPaintVolume from the allocation of @actor.
+ *
+ * This function should be used when overriding the
+ * <function>get_paint_volume()</function> by #ClutterActor sub-classes that do
+ * not paint outside their allocation.
+ *
+ * A typical example is:
+ *
+ * |[
+ * static gboolean
+ * my_actor_get_paint_volume (ClutterActor       *self,
+ *                            ClutterPaintVolume *volume)
+ * {
+ *   return clutter_paint_volume_set_from_allocation (volume, self);
+ * }
+ * ]|
+ *
+ * Return value: %TRUE if the paint volume was successfully set, and %FALSE
+ *   otherwise
+ *
+ * Since: 1.4
+ */
+gboolean
+clutter_paint_volume_set_from_allocation (ClutterPaintVolume *pv,
+                                          ClutterActor       *actor)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (pv != NULL, FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (CLUTTER_IS_ACTOR (actor), FALSE);
+
+  return _clutter_actor_set_default_paint_volume (actor, G_TYPE_INVALID, pv);
+}
diff --git a/clutter/clutter-types.h b/clutter/clutter-types.h
index 32420dbee..17cfbcfd2 100644
--- a/clutter/clutter-types.h
+++ b/clutter/clutter-types.h
@@ -456,24 +456,27 @@ typedef enum {
 
 GType clutter_paint_volume_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 
-ClutterPaintVolume *clutter_paint_volume_copy       (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv);
-void                clutter_paint_volume_free       (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv);
+ClutterPaintVolume *clutter_paint_volume_copy                (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv);
+void                clutter_paint_volume_free                (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv);
 
-void                clutter_paint_volume_set_origin (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
-                                                     const ClutterVertex      *origin);
-void                clutter_paint_volume_get_origin (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv,
-                                                     ClutterVertex            *vertex);
-void                clutter_paint_volume_set_width  (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
-                                                     gfloat                    width);
-gfloat              clutter_paint_volume_get_width  (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv);
-void                clutter_paint_volume_set_height (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
-                                                     gfloat                    height);
-gfloat              clutter_paint_volume_get_height (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv);
-void                clutter_paint_volume_set_depth  (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
-                                                     gfloat                    depth);
-gfloat              clutter_paint_volume_get_depth  (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv);
-void                clutter_paint_volume_union      (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
-                                                     const ClutterPaintVolume       *another_pv);
+void                clutter_paint_volume_set_origin          (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
+                                                              const ClutterVertex      *origin);
+void                clutter_paint_volume_get_origin          (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv,
+                                                              ClutterVertex            *vertex);
+void                clutter_paint_volume_set_width           (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
+                                                              gfloat                    width);
+gfloat              clutter_paint_volume_get_width           (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv);
+void                clutter_paint_volume_set_height          (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
+                                                              gfloat                    height);
+gfloat              clutter_paint_volume_get_height          (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv);
+void                clutter_paint_volume_set_depth           (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
+                                                              gfloat                    depth);
+gfloat              clutter_paint_volume_get_depth           (const ClutterPaintVolume *pv);
+void                clutter_paint_volume_union               (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
+                                                              const ClutterPaintVolume *another_pv);
+
+gboolean            clutter_paint_volume_set_from_allocation (ClutterPaintVolume       *pv,
+                                                              ClutterActor             *actor);
 
 G_END_DECLS