diff --git a/IPython/lib/pylabtools.py b/IPython/lib/pylabtools.py
index 3becc23..c38171c 100644
--- a/IPython/lib/pylabtools.py
+++ b/IPython/lib/pylabtools.py
@@ -109,8 +109,14 @@ def import_pylab(user_ns, backend, import_all=True, shell=None):
         # function that will pick up the results for display.  This can only be
         # done with access to the real shell object.
         if backend == backends['inline']:
-            from IPython.zmq.pylab.backend_inline import flush_svg
+            from IPython.zmq.pylab.backend_inline import flush_svg, figsize
+            from matplotlib import pyplot
             shell.register_post_execute(flush_svg)
+            # The typical default figure size is too large for inline use.  We
+            # might make this a user-configurable parameter later.
+            figsize(6.0, 4.0)
+            # Add 'figsize' to pyplot and to the user's namespace
+            user_ns['figsize'] = pyplot.figsize = figsize
         else:
             from IPython.zmq.pylab.backend_inline import pastefig
             from matplotlib import pyplot
diff --git a/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_inline.py b/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_inline.py
index 9d14e2e..f401aae 100644
--- a/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_inline.py
+++ b/IPython/zmq/pylab/backend_inline.py
@@ -38,6 +38,16 @@ def show(close=True):
 show._draw_called = False
 
 
+def figsize(sizex, sizey):
+    """Set the default figure size to be [sizex, sizey].
+
+    This is just an easy to remember, convenience wrapper that sets::
+
+      matplotlib.rcParams['figure.figsize'] = [sizex, sizey]
+    """
+    matplotlib.rcParams['figure.figsize'] = [sizex, sizey]
+    
+
 def pastefig(*figs):
     """Paste one or more figures into the console workspace.
 
@@ -68,9 +78,6 @@ def pastefig(*figs):
 def send_svg_canvas(canvas):
     """Draw the current canvas and send it as an SVG payload.
     """
-    # Make the background transparent.
-    # figure_manager.canvas.figure.patch.set_alpha(0.0)
-
     # Set the background to white instead so it looks good on black.  We store
     # the current values to restore them at the end.
     fc = canvas.figure.get_facecolor()