diff --git a/tour/pic/pic.go b/tour/pic/pic.go
index 7f22edd429..f60ba0e78f 100644
--- a/tour/pic/pic.go
+++ b/tour/pic/pic.go
@@ -7,11 +7,12 @@
 package pic // import "golang.org/x/tour/pic"
 
 import (
-	"bytes"
+	"bufio"
 	"encoding/base64"
-	"fmt"
 	"image"
 	"image/png"
+	"io"
+	"os"
 )
 
 // Show displays a picture defined by the function f
@@ -46,11 +47,14 @@ func Show(f func(dx, dy int) [][]uint8) {
 // ShowImage displays the image m
 // when executed on the Go Playground.
 func ShowImage(m image.Image) {
-	var buf bytes.Buffer
-	err := png.Encode(&buf, m)
+	w := bufio.NewWriter(os.Stdout)
+	defer w.Flush()
+	io.WriteString(w, "IMAGE:")
+	b64 := base64.NewEncoder(base64.StdEncoding, w)
+	err := (&png.Encoder{CompressionLevel: png.BestCompression}).Encode(b64, m)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}
-	enc := base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString(buf.Bytes())
-	fmt.Println("IMAGE:" + enc)
+	b64.Close()
+	io.WriteString(w, "\n")
 }
diff --git a/tour/pic/pic_test.go b/tour/pic/pic_test.go
index 2453773b0f..0e8ccf525d 100644
--- a/tour/pic/pic_test.go
+++ b/tour/pic/pic_test.go
@@ -22,5 +22,5 @@ func ExampleShow() {
 	pic.Show(f)
 
 	// Output:
-	// IMAGE:iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAQAAAAEACAIAAADTED8xAAADKElEQVR4nOzVoRHAMAzAQCfX/VduxjDQk8di+mb+mTlnyKB3vYBc9K4XkIs6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANM6ANO+AAAA//9hKgMPVczXbQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg==
+	// IMAGE: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
 }