diff --git a/RELEASE_NOTES.md b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
index bc92738..dbb1a5e 100644
--- a/RELEASE_NOTES.md
+++ b/RELEASE_NOTES.md
@@ -1,5 +1,16 @@
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Added
+
+- Added `EllipseCloud.from_cov(...)` as the official constructor for
+  precomputed centres/covariances, and `EllipseCloud.distance_matrix()` as a
+  square-matrix convenience wrapper around `pdist_tangency`.
+
+### Changed
+
+- `ellphi.visualization.ellipse_patch(...)` now preserves explicit
+  `facecolor` / `fc` arguments while keeping hollow ellipses as the default.
+
 ### CI
 
 - Added Windows wheel build workflow (`win_amd64`, Python 3.10–3.12).
diff --git a/docs/guide/quickstart.md b/docs/guide/quickstart.md
index 8e0fa86..04e0a59 100644
--- a/docs/guide/quickstart.md
+++ b/docs/guide/quickstart.md
@@ -41,8 +41,7 @@ print(dists.shape)               # (N*(N-1)//2,)
 Convert to a square matrix when needed:
 
 ```python
-from scipy.spatial.distance import squareform
-D = squareform(dists)
+D = cloud.distance_matrix()
 ```
 
 ## Visualise
diff --git a/docs/guide/tda_workflow.md b/docs/guide/tda_workflow.md
index 308ee96..904d4cb 100644
--- a/docs/guide/tda_workflow.md
+++ b/docs/guide/tda_workflow.md
@@ -43,11 +43,10 @@ pd.histogram(1).plot()          # H₁ barcode
 ### Persistence diagram with Ripser
 
 ```python
-from scipy.spatial.distance import squareform
 from ripser import ripser
 from persim import plot_diagrams
 
-D = squareform(dists)
+D = cloud.distance_matrix()
 result = ripser(D, metric="precomputed", maxdim=1)
 plot_diagrams(result["dgms"])
 ```
diff --git a/docs/reference/ellcloud.md b/docs/reference/ellcloud.md
index cee9ade..f06ade4 100644
--- a/docs/reference/ellcloud.md
+++ b/docs/reference/ellcloud.md
@@ -9,4 +9,11 @@ from ellphi import ellipse_cloud
 cloud = ellipse_cloud(X, k=5)
 ```
 
+When centres and covariance matrices are already available, prefer the direct
+constructor:
+
+```python
+cloud = EllipseCloud.from_cov(centers, covs)
+```
+
 ::: ellphi.ellcloud
diff --git a/src/ellphi/ellcloud.py b/src/ellphi/ellcloud.py
index e532bc4..01df549 100644
--- a/src/ellphi/ellcloud.py
+++ b/src/ellphi/ellcloud.py
@@ -179,6 +179,39 @@ def pdist_tangency(
             backend=backend,
         )
 
+    def distance_matrix(
+        self,
+        *,
+        parallel: bool = True,
+        n_jobs: int | None = -1,
+        backend: str = "auto",
+    ) -> numpy.ndarray:
+        """Computes the square pairwise tangency distance matrix.
+
+        This is a convenience wrapper around `pdist_tangency` that returns the
+        full square matrix using the same layout as
+        `scipy.spatial.distance.squareform`.
+
+        Args:
+            parallel: If `True`, the computation is performed in parallel.
+            n_jobs: The number of jobs to run in parallel. See
+                `ellphi.solver.pdist_tangency` for more details.
+            backend: The backend to use for the computation. Can be one of
+                "auto", "python", or "cpp".
+
+        Returns:
+            A square matrix of tangency distances with shape `(n, n)`.
+        """
+        if self.n == 0:
+            return numpy.empty((0, 0), dtype=float)
+        return squareform(
+            self.pdist_tangency(
+                parallel=parallel,
+                n_jobs=n_jobs,
+                backend=backend,
+            )
+        )
+
     @classmethod
     def from_point_cloud(
         cls: type[EllipseCloud],
@@ -217,6 +250,47 @@ def from_point_cloud(
             ellcloud.rescale(method=rescaling)
         return ellcloud
 
+    @classmethod
+    def from_cov(
+        cls: type[EllipseCloud],
+        X: numpy.ndarray,
+        cov: numpy.ndarray,
+        *,
+        rescaling: str = "none",
+    ) -> EllipseCloud:
+        """Creates an `EllipseCloud` from centers and covariance matrices.
+
+        This class method is the recommended entry point when ellipsoid
+        covariances are already known and no k-nearest-neighbour structure is
+        involved.
+
+        Args:
+            X: An array of centers with shape `(n, d)` or a single center with
+                shape `(d,)`.
+            cov: An array of covariance matrices with shape `(n, d, d)` or a
+                single covariance matrix with shape `(d, d)`.
+            rescaling: The method to use for rescaling the ellipses. Can be
+                one of "none", "median", or "average".
+
+        Returns:
+            An `EllipseCloud` object created from the provided centers and
+            covariances.
+        """
+        centers = numpy.array(X, dtype=float, copy=True)
+        covariances = numpy.array(cov, dtype=float, copy=True)
+
+        if centers.ndim == 1:
+            centers = centers[numpy.newaxis, :]
+        if covariances.ndim == 2:
+            covariances = covariances[numpy.newaxis, :, :]
+
+        coefs = coef_from_cov(centers, covariances)
+        nbd = numpy.empty((centers.shape[0], 0), dtype=int)
+        ellcloud = cls(coefs, centers, covariances, k=0, nbd=nbd)
+        if rescaling != "none":
+            ellcloud.rescale(method=rescaling)
+        return ellcloud
+
     @classmethod
     def from_local_cov(
         cls: type[EllipseCloud], X: numpy.ndarray, *, k: int = 5
diff --git a/src/ellphi/ellcloud.pyi b/src/ellphi/ellcloud.pyi
index 9003e22..108c98d 100644
--- a/src/ellphi/ellcloud.pyi
+++ b/src/ellphi/ellcloud.pyi
@@ -32,6 +32,9 @@ class EllipseCloud:
     def pdist_tangency(
         self, *, parallel: bool = True, n_jobs: int | None = -1, backend: str = "auto"
     ) -> FloatArray: ...
+    def distance_matrix(
+        self, *, parallel: bool = True, n_jobs: int | None = -1, backend: str = "auto"
+    ) -> FloatArray: ...
     @classmethod
     def from_point_cloud(
         cls,
@@ -42,6 +45,14 @@ class EllipseCloud:
         **kwgs: Any,
     ) -> EllipseCloud: ...
     @classmethod
+    def from_cov(
+        cls,
+        X: FloatArray,
+        cov: FloatArray,
+        *,
+        rescaling: str = "none",
+    ) -> EllipseCloud: ...
+    @classmethod
     def from_local_cov(cls, X: FloatArray, *, k: int = 5) -> EllipseCloud: ...
     def rescale(self, *, method: str = "median") -> float: ...
 
diff --git a/src/ellphi/visualization.py b/src/ellphi/visualization.py
index 7ae67d1..5f4f83c 100644
--- a/src/ellphi/visualization.py
+++ b/src/ellphi/visualization.py
@@ -39,12 +39,13 @@ def ellipse_patch(X, r_major=1, r_minor=1, theta=0, *, cov=None, scale=1, **kwgs
     """
     if cov is not None:
         r_major, r_minor, theta = axes_from_cov(cov)
+    if "facecolor" not in kwgs and "fc" not in kwgs:
+        kwgs["facecolor"] = "none"
     ellipse = plt.matplotlib.patches.Ellipse(
         X,
         width=2 * r_major * scale,
         height=2 * r_minor * scale,
         angle=numpy.degrees(theta),
-        facecolor="none",
         **kwgs,
     )
     return ellipse
diff --git a/tests/test_ellcloud.py b/tests/test_ellcloud.py
index 41cea05..0a3f5a8 100644
--- a/tests/test_ellcloud.py
+++ b/tests/test_ellcloud.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pytest
 import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+from scipy.spatial.distance import squareform
 
 from ellphi.ellcloud import EllipseCloud
 from ellphi.geometry import coef_from_axes, coef_from_cov
@@ -178,6 +179,55 @@ def test_plot_creates_axes_and_patches():
     plt.close(ax.figure)
 
 
+def test_from_cov_accepts_single_2d_sample():
+    center = np.array([1.0, 2.0])
+    cov = np.array([[2.0, 0.1], [0.1, 1.5]])
+
+    cloud = EllipseCloud.from_cov(center, cov)
+
+    assert cloud.k == 0
+    assert cloud.n == 1
+    assert cloud.nbd.shape == (1, 0)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.mean, center[np.newaxis, :])
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.cov, cov[np.newaxis, :, :])
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.coef, coef_from_cov(center, cov))
+
+
+def test_from_cov_matches_manual_constructor_3d(rng):
+    expected = random_cloud(rng, n_ellipses=4, dim=3)
+
+    cloud = EllipseCloud.from_cov(expected.mean, expected.cov)
+
+    assert cloud.k == 0
+    assert cloud.nbd.shape == (expected.n, 0)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.mean, expected.mean)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.cov, expected.cov)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.coef, expected.coef)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("method", ["median", "average"])
+def test_from_cov_rescaling_matches_manual_rescale(rng, method):
+    original = random_cloud(rng, n_ellipses=5)
+    manual = EllipseCloud(
+        coef=original.coef.copy(),
+        mean=original.mean.copy(),
+        cov=original.cov.copy(),
+        k=0,
+        nbd=np.empty((original.n, 0), dtype=int),
+    )
+    manual.rescale(method=method)
+
+    cloud = EllipseCloud.from_cov(
+        original.mean.copy(),
+        original.cov.copy(),
+        rescaling=method,
+    )
+
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.mean, manual.mean)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.cov, manual.cov)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(cloud.coef, manual.coef)
+
+
 def test_pdist_tangency_wrapper_matches_solver(rng):
     cloud = random_cloud(rng, n_ellipses=4)
     wrapper = cloud.pdist_tangency(backend="python", parallel=False)
@@ -185,6 +235,45 @@ def test_pdist_tangency_wrapper_matches_solver(rng):
     np.testing.assert_allclose(wrapper, direct)
 
 
+def test_distance_matrix_matches_squareform(rng):
+    cloud = random_cloud(rng, n_ellipses=4)
+
+    matrix = cloud.distance_matrix(backend="python", parallel=False)
+    expected = squareform(cloud.pdist_tangency(backend="python", parallel=False))
+
+    assert matrix.shape == (cloud.n, cloud.n)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(matrix, expected)
+
+
+def test_distance_matrix_empty_cloud_returns_empty_square():
+    cloud = EllipseCloud(
+        coef=np.empty((0, 6), dtype=float),
+        mean=np.empty((0, 2), dtype=float),
+        cov=np.empty((0, 2, 2), dtype=float),
+        k=0,
+        nbd=np.empty((0, 0), dtype=int),
+    )
+
+    matrix = cloud.distance_matrix()
+
+    assert matrix.shape == (0, 0)
+
+
+def test_from_cov_rescaling_does_not_mutate_inputs(rng):
+    original = random_cloud(rng, n_ellipses=5)
+    means = original.mean.copy()
+    covs = original.cov.copy()
+    means_before = means.copy()
+    covs_before = covs.copy()
+
+    cloud = EllipseCloud.from_cov(means, covs, rescaling="median")
+
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(means, means_before)
+    np.testing.assert_allclose(covs, covs_before)
+    assert not np.shares_memory(cloud.mean, means)
+    assert not np.shares_memory(cloud.cov, covs)
+
+
 def test_str_method():
     X = np.array([[0.0, 0.0], [1.0, 1.0], [2.0, 0.0]])
     ellcloud = EllipseCloud.from_local_cov(X, k=3)
diff --git a/tests/test_visualization.py b/tests/test_visualization.py
index b9a1641..09ef1f5 100644
--- a/tests/test_visualization.py
+++ b/tests/test_visualization.py
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 """Tests for the ellphi visualization module."""
 
 import numpy as np
+from matplotlib.colors import to_rgba
 from matplotlib.patches import Ellipse
 from ellphi.visualization import ellipse_patch
 
@@ -38,3 +39,18 @@ def test_ellipse_patch_direct_params():
     assert np.isclose(patch.width, 2 * r_major)
     assert np.isclose(patch.height, 2 * r_minor)
     assert np.isclose(patch.angle, np.degrees(theta))
+    assert np.allclose(patch.get_facecolor(), to_rgba("none"))
+
+
+def test_ellipse_patch_respects_explicit_facecolor():
+    """Explicit facecolor/fill arguments should not be overridden."""
+    patch = ellipse_patch(
+        [0.0, 0.0],
+        r_major=1.5,
+        r_minor=0.5,
+        theta=0.0,
+        facecolor="steelblue",
+        alpha=0.4,
+    )
+
+    assert np.allclose(patch.get_facecolor(), to_rgba("steelblue", alpha=0.4))