Use Cases + Permissions
The patternABC strives to be an open-source alphabet of all of nature’s patterns. However, there are scenarios in which you need to attribute usage, or even pay a licensing fee, to use it. Below, we have created plain-language scenarios to help you understand what you might need to do if you are using pABC at home, at school, or at work.
Use case | Permission needed or Action to take | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
I’m drawing in my room at home, or in art class | None | Personal usage, original work |
I'm using patterns in my paper at school | None | Personal usage, original work |
I'm a teacher at a school/camp/library wanting to make a treasure hunt for my class. I would make a worksheet for each participant. | None | Limited educational usage. |
I'm publishing my doctoral thesis and am using the patternABC chart. | Use the pABC chart and attribute © Alex Wolf 2026 (most recent version) | A doctoral thesis was done on the patternABC and the publisher of the Journal requested Alex Wolf sign off on usage of the artwork |
I'm designing a game; I will make a short run of a prototype that uses pABC icons | Use the pABC chart highlighting the icons, and attribute © Alex Wolf 2026 (most recent version) | Using the icons, like using the chart, for published work requires attribution. |
My prototype game is a winner! I will produce a larger run. | Time to pay a licensing fee. | |
Is there a pABC font available? | Not as of June 2026. | Please note we hope to release a font soon to make the usage easier across many platforms. |
What if I need pABC icon artwork for my project? | Contact us. |
Have we not answered your particular use case? Please write us at info@patternABC.com so we can help you get sorted.