diff --git a/avatar/providers.py b/avatar/providers.py
index 68bb8e8..0d5aae8 100644
--- a/avatar/providers.py
+++ b/avatar/providers.py
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ class DefaultAvatarProvider(object):
     """
 
     @classmethod
-    def get_avatar_url(self, user, size):
+    def get_avatar_url(cls, user, size):
         return get_default_avatar_url()
 
 
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class PrimaryAvatarProvider(object):
     """
 
     @classmethod
-    def get_avatar_url(self, user, size):
+    def get_avatar_url(cls, user, size):
         avatar = get_primary_avatar(user, size)
         if avatar:
             return avatar.avatar_url(size)
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ class GravatarAvatarProvider(object):
     """
 
     @classmethod
-    def get_avatar_url(self, user, size):
+    def get_avatar_url(cls, user, size):
         params = {"s": str(size)}
         if settings.AVATAR_GRAVATAR_DEFAULT:
             params["d"] = settings.AVATAR_GRAVATAR_DEFAULT
@@ -68,8 +68,30 @@ class FacebookAvatarProvider(object):
     """
 
     @classmethod
-    def get_avatar_url(self, user, size):
+    def get_avatar_url(cls, user, size):
         fb_id = get_facebook_id(user)
         if fb_id:
             url = "https://graph.facebook.com/{fb_id}/picture?type=square&width={size}&height={size}"
             return url.format(fb_id=fb_id, size=size)
+
+
+class InitialsAvatarProvider(object):
+    """
+    Returns a tuple with template_name and context for rendering the given user's avatar as their
+    initials in white against a background with random hue based on their primary key.
+    """
+
+    @classmethod
+    def get_avatar_url(cls, user, size):
+        initials = user.first_name[:1] + user.last_name[:1]
+        if not initials:
+            initials = user.username[:1]
+        initials = initials.upper()
+        context = {
+            "fontsize": (size * 1.1) / 2,
+            "initials": initials,
+            "hue": user.pk % 360,
+            "saturation": "65%",
+            "lightness": "60%",
+        }
+        return ("avatar/initials.html", context)
diff --git a/avatar/templates/avatar/initials.html b/avatar/templates/avatar/initials.html
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..12f4930
--- /dev/null
+++ b/avatar/templates/avatar/initials.html
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+<span style='background-color: hsla({{ hue }}, {{ saturation }}, {{ lightness }}, 1);
+             width: {{ size }}px;
+             height: {{ size }}px;
+             font-size: {{ fontsize }}px;
+             text-align: center;
+             color: white;
+             display: inline-block;
+             line-height: {{ size }}px;
+             {{ kwargs.style }}'
+      {% for key, value in kwargs.items %}{% if key != 'style' %}{{ key }}="{{ value }}" {% endif %}{% endfor %}>
+  {{ initials }}</span>
diff --git a/avatar/templatetags/avatar_tags.py b/avatar/templatetags/avatar_tags.py
index cb42072..3dddc92 100644
--- a/avatar/templatetags/avatar_tags.py
+++ b/avatar/templatetags/avatar_tags.py
@@ -45,11 +45,19 @@ def avatar(user, size=settings.AVATAR_DEFAULT_SIZE, **kwargs):
 
     context = {
         "user": user,
-        "url": url,
+        "alt": alt,
         "size": size,
         "kwargs": kwargs,
     }
-    return render_to_string("avatar/avatar_tag.html", context)
+    template_name = "avatar/avatar_tag.html"
+    ext_context = None
+    try:
+        template_name, ext_context = url
+    except ValueError:
+        context["url"] = url
+    if ext_context:
+        context = dict(context, **ext_context)
+    return render_to_string(template_name, context)
 
 
 @register.filter