diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/actions/files.js b/client/modules/IDE/actions/files.js
index 1eead2ae..ea8f7078 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/actions/files.js
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/actions/files.js
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ export function updateFileContent(name, content) {
   };
 }
 
-// TODO make req to server
 export function createFile(formProps) {
   return (dispatch, getState) => {
     const state = getState();
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/actions/uploader.js b/client/modules/IDE/actions/uploader.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4f62901d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/actions/uploader.js
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+import axios from 'axios';
+
+const s3Bucket = 'http://p5js-web-editor-test.s3.amazonaws.com/';
+const ROOT_URL = location.href.indexOf('localhost') > 0 ? 'http://localhost:8000/api' : '/api';
+
+export function dropzoneAcceptCallback(file, done) {
+  file.postData = []; // eslint-disable-line
+  axios.post(`${ROOT_URL}/S3/sign`, {
+    name: file.name,
+    type: file.type,
+    size: file.size,
+    _csrf: document.findElementById('__createPostToken').value
+  },
+    {
+      withCredentials: true
+    })
+  .then(response => {
+    file.custom_status = 'ready'; // eslint-disable-line
+    file.postData = response.data; // eslint-disable-line
+    file.s3 = response.data.key; // eslint-disable-line
+    file.previewTemplate.className += ' uploading'; // eslint-disable-line
+    done();
+  })
+  .catch(response => {
+    file.custom_status = 'rejected'; // eslint-disable-line
+    if (response.data.responseText && response.data.responseText.message) {
+      done(response.data.responseText.message);
+    }
+    done('error preparing the upload');
+  });
+}
+
+export function dropzoneSendingCallback(file, xhr, formData) {
+  Object.keys(file.postData).forEach(key => {
+    formData.append(key, file.postData[key]);
+  });
+  formData.append('Content-type', '');
+  formData.append('Content-length', '');
+  formData.append('acl', 'public-read');
+}
+
+export function dropzoneCompleteCallback(file) {
+  let inputHidden = '<input type="hidden" name="attachments[]" value="';
+  const json = {
+    url: `${s3Bucket}${file.postData.key}`,
+    originalFilename: file.name
+  };
+  console.log(json, JSON.stringify(json), JSON.stringify(json).replace('"', '\\"'));
+  inputHidden += `${window.btoa(JSON.stringify(json))}" />`;
+  document.findElementById('createPost').appendChild(inputHidden);
+}
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/components/FileUploader.js b/client/modules/IDE/components/FileUploader.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19ae737a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/components/FileUploader.js
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import React from 'react';
+import Dropzone from 'dropzone';
+const s3Bucket = 'http://p5js-web-editor-test.s3.amazonaws.com/';
+import { dropzoneAcceptCallback,
+        dropzoneSendingCallback,
+        dropzoneCompleteCallback } from '../actions/uploader';
+
+class FileUploader extends React.Component {
+  componentDidMount() {
+    Dropzone.options.uploader = {
+      url: s3Bucket,
+      method: 'post',
+      autoProcessQueue: true,
+      clickable: true,
+      maxFiles: 1,
+      parallelUploads: 1,
+      maxFilesize: 10, // in mb
+      maxThumbnailFilesize: 8, // 3MB
+      thumbnailWidth: 150,
+      thumbnailHeight: 150,
+      acceptedMimeTypes: 'image/bmp,image/gif,image/jpg,image/jpeg,image/png',
+      accept: dropzoneAcceptCallback,
+      sending: dropzoneSendingCallback,
+      complete: dropzoneCompleteCallback
+    };
+  }
+
+  render() {
+    return (
+      <div id="uploader" className="uploader dropzone"></div>
+    );
+  }
+}
+
+export default FileUploader;
diff --git a/client/modules/IDE/components/NewFileModal.js b/client/modules/IDE/components/NewFileModal.js
index f24ae645..0c299203 100644
--- a/client/modules/IDE/components/NewFileModal.js
+++ b/client/modules/IDE/components/NewFileModal.js
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ import classNames from 'classnames';
 import InlineSVG from 'react-inlinesvg';
 const exitUrl = require('../../../images/exit.svg');
 
+import FileUploader from './FileUploader';
+
 // At some point this will probably be generalized to a generic modal
 // in which you can insert different content
 // but for now, let's just make this work
@@ -26,6 +28,8 @@ function NewFileModal(props) {
           </button>
         </div>
         <NewFileForm {...props} />
+        <p className="modal__divider">OR</p>
+        <FileUploader />
       </div>
     </section>
   );
diff --git a/client/styles/components/_modal.scss b/client/styles/components/_modal.scss
index 11f79db3..7831eaa7 100644
--- a/client/styles/components/_modal.scss
+++ b/client/styles/components/_modal.scss
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 .modal-content {
   border: 1px solid $light-modal-border-color;
   background-color: $light-button-background-color;
-  height: #{150 / $base-font-size}rem;
+  height: #{400 / $base-font-size}rem;
   width: #{400 / $base-font-size}rem;
   padding: #{20 / $base-font-size}rem;
 }
@@ -33,4 +33,14 @@
 
 .new-file-form__name-input {
   margin-right: #{10 / $base-font-size}rem;
+}
+
+.modal__divider {
+  text-align: center;
+  margin: #{20 / $base-font-size}rem 0;
+}
+
+.uploader {
+  height: #{200 / $base-font-size}rem;
+  width: 100%;
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/client/styles/main.scss b/client/styles/main.scss
index 64dc92ab..f93a6f35 100644
--- a/client/styles/main.scss
+++ b/client/styles/main.scss
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 
 @import 'vendors/codemirror';
 @import 'vendors/lint';
+@import 'vendors/dropzone';
 
 @import 'components/p5-widget-codemirror-theme';
 @import 'components/editor';
diff --git a/client/styles/vendors/_dropzone.scss b/client/styles/vendors/_dropzone.scss
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0494d1cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/styles/vendors/_dropzone.scss
@@ -0,0 +1,388 @@
+/*
+ * The MIT License
+ * Copyright (c) 2012 Matias Meno <m@tias.me>
+ */
+@-webkit-keyframes passing-through {
+  0% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(40px);
+    transform: translateY(40px); }
+  30%, 70% {
+    opacity: 1;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(0px);
+    transform: translateY(0px); }
+  100% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    transform: translateY(-40px); } }
+@-moz-keyframes passing-through {
+  0% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(40px);
+    transform: translateY(40px); }
+  30%, 70% {
+    opacity: 1;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(0px);
+    transform: translateY(0px); }
+  100% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    transform: translateY(-40px); } }
+@keyframes passing-through {
+  0% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(40px);
+    transform: translateY(40px); }
+  30%, 70% {
+    opacity: 1;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(0px);
+    transform: translateY(0px); }
+  100% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(-40px);
+    transform: translateY(-40px); } }
+@-webkit-keyframes slide-in {
+  0% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(40px);
+    transform: translateY(40px); }
+  30% {
+    opacity: 1;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(0px);
+    transform: translateY(0px); } }
+@-moz-keyframes slide-in {
+  0% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(40px);
+    transform: translateY(40px); }
+  30% {
+    opacity: 1;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(0px);
+    transform: translateY(0px); } }
+@keyframes slide-in {
+  0% {
+    opacity: 0;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(40px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(40px);
+    transform: translateY(40px); }
+  30% {
+    opacity: 1;
+    -webkit-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -moz-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -ms-transform: translateY(0px);
+    -o-transform: translateY(0px);
+    transform: translateY(0px); } }
+@-webkit-keyframes pulse {
+  0% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1);
+    transform: scale(1); }
+  10% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1.1);
+    transform: scale(1.1); }
+  20% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1);
+    transform: scale(1); } }
+@-moz-keyframes pulse {
+  0% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1);
+    transform: scale(1); }
+  10% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1.1);
+    transform: scale(1.1); }
+  20% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1);
+    transform: scale(1); } }
+@keyframes pulse {
+  0% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1);
+    transform: scale(1); }
+  10% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1.1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1.1);
+    transform: scale(1.1); }
+  20% {
+    -webkit-transform: scale(1);
+    -moz-transform: scale(1);
+    -ms-transform: scale(1);
+    -o-transform: scale(1);
+    transform: scale(1); } }
+.dropzone, .dropzone * {
+  box-sizing: border-box; }
+
+.dropzone {
+  min-height: 150px;
+  border: 2px solid rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.3);
+  background: white;
+  padding: 20px 20px; }
+  .dropzone.dz-clickable {
+    cursor: pointer; }
+    .dropzone.dz-clickable * {
+      cursor: default; }
+    .dropzone.dz-clickable .dz-message, .dropzone.dz-clickable .dz-message * {
+      cursor: pointer; }
+  .dropzone.dz-started .dz-message {
+    display: none; }
+  .dropzone.dz-drag-hover {
+    border-style: solid; }
+    .dropzone.dz-drag-hover .dz-message {
+      opacity: 0.5; }
+  .dropzone .dz-message {
+    text-align: center;
+    margin: 2em 0; }
+  .dropzone .dz-preview {
+    position: relative;
+    display: inline-block;
+    vertical-align: top;
+    margin: 16px;
+    min-height: 100px; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview:hover {
+      z-index: 1000; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview:hover .dz-details {
+        opacity: 1; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-file-preview .dz-image {
+      border-radius: 20px;
+      background: #999;
+      background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #eee, #ddd); }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-file-preview .dz-details {
+      opacity: 1; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-image-preview {
+      background: white; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-image-preview .dz-details {
+        -webkit-transition: opacity 0.2s linear;
+        -moz-transition: opacity 0.2s linear;
+        -ms-transition: opacity 0.2s linear;
+        -o-transition: opacity 0.2s linear;
+        transition: opacity 0.2s linear; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-remove {
+      font-size: 14px;
+      text-align: center;
+      display: block;
+      cursor: pointer;
+      border: none; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-remove:hover {
+        text-decoration: underline; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview:hover .dz-details {
+      opacity: 1; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-details {
+      z-index: 20;
+      position: absolute;
+      top: 0;
+      left: 0;
+      opacity: 0;
+      font-size: 13px;
+      min-width: 100%;
+      max-width: 100%;
+      padding: 2em 1em;
+      text-align: center;
+      color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.9);
+      line-height: 150%; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-details .dz-size {
+        margin-bottom: 1em;
+        font-size: 16px; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-details .dz-filename {
+        white-space: nowrap; }
+        .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-details .dz-filename:hover span {
+          border: 1px solid rgba(200, 200, 200, 0.8);
+          background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8); }
+        .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-details .dz-filename:not(:hover) {
+          overflow: hidden;
+          text-overflow: ellipsis; }
+          .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-details .dz-filename:not(:hover) span {
+            border: 1px solid transparent; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-details .dz-filename span, .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-details .dz-size span {
+        background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4);
+        padding: 0 0.4em;
+        border-radius: 3px; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview:hover .dz-image img {
+      -webkit-transform: scale(1.05, 1.05);
+      -moz-transform: scale(1.05, 1.05);
+      -ms-transform: scale(1.05, 1.05);
+      -o-transform: scale(1.05, 1.05);
+      transform: scale(1.05, 1.05);
+      -webkit-filter: blur(8px);
+      filter: blur(8px); }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-image {
+      border-radius: 20px;
+      overflow: hidden;
+      width: 120px;
+      height: 120px;
+      position: relative;
+      display: block;
+      z-index: 10; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-image img {
+        display: block; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-success .dz-success-mark {
+      -webkit-animation: passing-through 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+      -moz-animation: passing-through 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+      -ms-animation: passing-through 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+      -o-animation: passing-through 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+      animation: passing-through 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1); }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-error .dz-error-mark {
+      opacity: 1;
+      -webkit-animation: slide-in 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+      -moz-animation: slide-in 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+      -ms-animation: slide-in 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+      -o-animation: slide-in 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1);
+      animation: slide-in 3s cubic-bezier(0.77, 0, 0.175, 1); }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-success-mark, .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-error-mark {
+      pointer-events: none;
+      opacity: 0;
+      z-index: 500;
+      position: absolute;
+      display: block;
+      top: 50%;
+      left: 50%;
+      margin-left: -27px;
+      margin-top: -27px; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-success-mark svg, .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-error-mark svg {
+        display: block;
+        width: 54px;
+        height: 54px; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-processing .dz-progress {
+      opacity: 1;
+      -webkit-transition: all 0.2s linear;
+      -moz-transition: all 0.2s linear;
+      -ms-transition: all 0.2s linear;
+      -o-transition: all 0.2s linear;
+      transition: all 0.2s linear; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-complete .dz-progress {
+      opacity: 0;
+      -webkit-transition: opacity 0.4s ease-in;
+      -moz-transition: opacity 0.4s ease-in;
+      -ms-transition: opacity 0.4s ease-in;
+      -o-transition: opacity 0.4s ease-in;
+      transition: opacity 0.4s ease-in; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview:not(.dz-processing) .dz-progress {
+      -webkit-animation: pulse 6s ease infinite;
+      -moz-animation: pulse 6s ease infinite;
+      -ms-animation: pulse 6s ease infinite;
+      -o-animation: pulse 6s ease infinite;
+      animation: pulse 6s ease infinite; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-progress {
+      opacity: 1;
+      z-index: 1000;
+      pointer-events: none;
+      position: absolute;
+      height: 16px;
+      left: 50%;
+      top: 50%;
+      margin-top: -8px;
+      width: 80px;
+      margin-left: -40px;
+      background: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9);
+      -webkit-transform: scale(1);
+      border-radius: 8px;
+      overflow: hidden; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-progress .dz-upload {
+        background: #333;
+        background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #666, #444);
+        position: absolute;
+        top: 0;
+        left: 0;
+        bottom: 0;
+        width: 0;
+        -webkit-transition: width 300ms ease-in-out;
+        -moz-transition: width 300ms ease-in-out;
+        -ms-transition: width 300ms ease-in-out;
+        -o-transition: width 300ms ease-in-out;
+        transition: width 300ms ease-in-out; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-error .dz-error-message {
+      display: block; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview.dz-error:hover .dz-error-message {
+      opacity: 1;
+      pointer-events: auto; }
+    .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-error-message {
+      pointer-events: none;
+      z-index: 1000;
+      position: absolute;
+      display: block;
+      display: none;
+      opacity: 0;
+      -webkit-transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
+      -moz-transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
+      -ms-transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
+      -o-transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
+      transition: opacity 0.3s ease;
+      border-radius: 8px;
+      font-size: 13px;
+      top: 130px;
+      left: -10px;
+      width: 140px;
+      background: #be2626;
+      background: linear-gradient(to bottom, #be2626, #a92222);
+      padding: 0.5em 1.2em;
+      color: white; }
+      .dropzone .dz-preview .dz-error-message:after {
+        content: '';
+        position: absolute;
+        top: -6px;
+        left: 64px;
+        width: 0;
+        height: 0;
+        border-left: 6px solid transparent;
+        border-right: 6px solid transparent;
+        border-bottom: 6px solid #be2626; }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f92b3565..be925864 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@
     "cookie-parser": "^1.4.1",
     "csslint": "^0.10.0",
     "dotenv": "^2.0.0",
+    "dropzone": "^4.3.0",
     "escape-string-regexp": "^1.0.5",
     "eslint-loader": "^1.3.0",
     "express": "^4.13.4",
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@
     "jszip": "^3.0.0",
     "moment": "^2.14.1",
     "mongoose": "^4.4.16",
+    "node-uuid": "^1.4.7",
     "passport": "^0.3.2",
     "passport-github": "^1.1.0",
     "passport-local": "^1.0.0",
@@ -88,6 +90,7 @@
     "redux": "^3.5.2",
     "redux-form": "^5.2.5",
     "redux-thunk": "^2.1.0",
+    "s3-policy": "^0.2.0",
     "shortid": "^2.2.6",
     "srcdoc-polyfill": "^0.2.0",
     "throttle-debounce": "^1.0.1"
diff --git a/server/controllers/aws.controller.js b/server/controllers/aws.controller.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..69dc81ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/controllers/aws.controller.js
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+import uuid from 'node-uuid';
+import policy from 's3-policy';
+
+function getExtension(filename) {
+  const i = filename.lastIndexOf('.');
+  return (i < 0) ? '' : filename.substr(i);
+}
+
+export function signS3(req, res) {
+  const fileExtension = getExtension(req.body.name),
+    filename = uuid.v4() + fileExtension,
+    acl = 'public-read',
+    p = policy({
+      acl: acl,
+      secret: process.env.AWS_SECRET_KEY,
+      length: 5000000, // in bytes?
+      bucket: process.env.S3_BUCKET,
+      key: filename,
+      expires: new Date(Date.now() + 60000),
+    }),
+    result = {
+      'AWSAccessKeyId': process.env.AWS_ACCESS_KEY,
+      'key': filename,
+      'policy': p.policy,
+      'signature': p.signature
+    };
+  return res.json(result);
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/routes/aws.routes.js b/server/routes/aws.routes.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f80ca4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/routes/aws.routes.js
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import { Router } from 'express';
+import * as AWSController from '../controllers/aws.controller';
+
+const router = new Router();
+
+router.route('/S3/sign').post(AWSController.signS3);
+
+export default router;
diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index 3d59d285..22c2c2a5 100644
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import users from './routes/user.routes';
 import sessions from './routes/session.routes';
 import projects from './routes/project.routes';
 import files from './routes/file.routes';
+import aws from './routes/aws.routes';
 import serverRoutes from './routes/server.routes';
 
 // Body parser, cookie parser, sessions, serve public assets
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ app.use('/api', users);
 app.use('/api', sessions);
 app.use('/api', projects);
 app.use('/api', files);
+app.use('/api', aws);
 // this is supposed to be TEMPORARY -- until i figure out
 // isomorphic rendering
 app.use('/', serverRoutes);