diff --git a/crates/typst-library/src/layout/axes.rs b/crates/typst-library/src/layout/axes.rs
index 7a73ba796..e4303f98b 100644
--- a/crates/typst-library/src/layout/axes.rs
+++ b/crates/typst-library/src/layout/axes.rs
@@ -4,9 +4,12 @@ use std::ops::{BitAnd, BitAndAssign, BitOr, BitOrAssign, Deref, Not};
 
 use typst_utils::Get;
 
-use crate::diag::bail;
-use crate::foundations::{array, cast, Array, Resolve, Smart, StyleChain};
-use crate::layout::{Abs, Dir, Length, Ratio, Rel, Size};
+use crate::diag::{bail, HintedStrResult};
+use crate::foundations::{
+    array, cast, Array, CastInfo, FromValue, IntoValue, Reflect, Resolve, Smart,
+    StyleChain, Value,
+};
+use crate::layout::{Abs, Dir, Rel, Size};
 
 /// A container with a horizontal and vertical component.
 #[derive(Default, Copy, Clone, Eq, PartialEq, Hash)]
@@ -275,40 +278,39 @@ impl BitAndAssign for Axes<bool> {
     }
 }
 
-cast! {
-    Axes<Rel<Length>>,
-    self => array![self.x, self.y].into_value(),
-    array: Array => {
-        let mut iter = array.into_iter();
-        match (iter.next(), iter.next(), iter.next()) {
-            (Some(a), Some(b), None) => Axes::new(a.cast()?, b.cast()?),
-            _ => bail!("point array must contain exactly two entries"),
-        }
-    },
+impl<T: Reflect> Reflect for Axes<T> {
+    fn input() -> CastInfo {
+        Array::input()
+    }
+
+    fn output() -> CastInfo {
+        Array::output()
+    }
+
+    fn castable(value: &Value) -> bool {
+        Array::castable(value)
+    }
 }
 
-cast! {
-    Axes<Ratio>,
-    self => array![self.x, self.y].into_value(),
-    array: Array => {
+impl<T: FromValue> FromValue for Axes<T> {
+    fn from_value(value: Value) -> HintedStrResult<Self> {
+        let array = value.cast::<Array>()?;
         let mut iter = array.into_iter();
         match (iter.next(), iter.next(), iter.next()) {
-            (Some(a), Some(b), None) => Axes::new(a.cast()?, b.cast()?),
-            _ => bail!("ratio array must contain exactly two entries"),
+            (Some(a), Some(b), None) => Ok(Axes::new(a.cast()?, b.cast()?)),
+            _ => bail!(
+                "array must contain exactly two items";
+                hint: "the first item determines the value for the X axis \
+                       and the second item the value for the Y axis"
+            ),
         }
-    },
+    }
 }
 
-cast! {
-    Axes<Length>,
-    self => array![self.x, self.y].into_value(),
-    array: Array => {
-        let mut iter = array.into_iter();
-        match (iter.next(), iter.next(), iter.next()) {
-            (Some(a), Some(b), None) => Axes::new(a.cast()?, b.cast()?),
-            _ => bail!("length array must contain exactly two entries"),
-        }
-    },
+impl<T: IntoValue> IntoValue for Axes<T> {
+    fn into_value(self) -> Value {
+        array![self.x.into_value(), self.y.into_value()].into_value()
+    }
 }
 
 impl<T: Resolve> Resolve for Axes<T> {
diff --git a/tests/suite/visualize/line.typ b/tests/suite/visualize/line.typ
index 6cbbbb493..4c763030f 100644
--- a/tests/suite/visualize/line.typ
+++ b/tests/suite/visualize/line.typ
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@
 --- line-bad-point-array ---
 // Test errors.
 
-// Error: 12-19 point array must contain exactly two entries
+// Error: 12-19 array must contain exactly two items
+// Hint: 12-19 the first item determines the value for the X axis and the second item the value for the Y axis
 #line(end: (50pt,))
 
 --- line-bad-point-component-type ---
diff --git a/tests/suite/visualize/path.typ b/tests/suite/visualize/path.typ
index e44b2270e..795fde981 100644
--- a/tests/suite/visualize/path.typ
+++ b/tests/suite/visualize/path.typ
@@ -76,7 +76,8 @@
 #path(((0%, 0%), (0%, 0%), (0%, 0%), (0%, 0%)))
 
 --- path-bad-point-array ---
-// Error: 7-31 point array must contain exactly two entries
+// Error: 7-31 array must contain exactly two items
+// Hint: 7-31 the first item determines the value for the X axis and the second item the value for the Y axis
 // Warning: 2-6 the `path` function is deprecated, use `curve` instead
 #path(((0%, 0%), (0%, 0%, 0%)))
 
diff --git a/tests/suite/visualize/polygon.typ b/tests/suite/visualize/polygon.typ
index ec27194df..6cc243d2b 100644
--- a/tests/suite/visualize/polygon.typ
+++ b/tests/suite/visualize/polygon.typ
@@ -49,7 +49,8 @@
 )
 
 --- polygon-bad-point-array ---
-// Error: 10-17 point array must contain exactly two entries
+// Error: 10-17 array must contain exactly two items
+// Hint: 10-17 the first item determines the value for the X axis and the second item the value for the Y axis
 #polygon((50pt,))
 
 --- polygon-infinite-size ---