diff --git a/skimage/novice/__init__.py b/skimage/novice/__init__.py
index 3256e22b..2ce10777 100644
--- a/skimage/novice/__init__.py
+++ b/skimage/novice/__init__.py
@@ -71,4 +71,4 @@ False
 """
 
 from . import colors
-from .novice import Picture, open, new, copy
+from .novice import Picture, open
diff --git a/skimage/novice/novice.py b/skimage/novice/novice.py
index 04a2d8ba..5757002a 100644
--- a/skimage/novice/novice.py
+++ b/skimage/novice/novice.py
@@ -8,25 +8,9 @@ from skimage.transform import resize
 
 
 def open(path):
-    """
-    Creates a new Picture object from the given image path
-    """
+    """Return Picture object from the given image path."""
     return Picture(path=os.path.abspath(path))
 
-def new(size, color=None):
-    """
-    Create a new RGB picture of the given size, initialized to the
-    given color or to black if none is provided.
-    """
-    return Picture(size=size, color=color)
-
-def copy(image):
-    """
-    Creates a Picture using the supplied image data
-    (e.g., skimage.data.elephant()).
-    """
-    return Picture(image=image)
-
 
 class Pixel(object):
     """A single pixel in a Picture.