GPL License & Product Licensing
This page explains how GNU General Public License terms may apply to specifically identified software products on Brushes Pack, and why GPL licensing should not be confused with the licences that apply to other creative assets.
Not every digital product uses the same licence.
Not every product on Brushes Pack is licensed under the GNU GPL.
Brushes Pack offers different types of digital resources. These may include creative assets such as brushes, textures, actions, presets, templates, mockups and other files, as well as software-related products where applicable.
The GNU General Public License is a software licence and applies only where the relevant copyright holder has released the covered work under the GPL or where the product is otherwise lawfully distributed under GPL terms.
You should therefore never assume that a product is GPL-licensed merely because it appears on BrushesPack.com. Always review the licence information associated with the specific product.
What is the GNU General Public License?
The GNU General Public License is a free-software licence designed to preserve important freedoms to use, study, modify and redistribute software, subject to the conditions of the applicable GPL version.
Use the Software
GPL-licensed software generally provides broad freedom to run the covered program for permitted purposes without ordinary per-installation restrictions imposed by the GPL itself.
Study the Source
Access to corresponding source code is an important part of the GPL framework and enables users to understand how covered software works.
Modify It
The GPL permits modification of covered software, subject to the licence’s applicable conditions.
The GPL is not the same as “copyright free”
- Copyright still exists: GPL-licensed software remains copyrighted. The licence grants specified permissions under defined conditions.
- Licence conditions matter: redistribution or modification may create obligations concerning source code, copyright notices, licence notices, modified versions, or other matters depending on the GPL version and circumstances.
- Different GPL versions exist: software may use GPLv2, GPLv3, “or later” wording, or other GNU licences. The exact licence attached to the product matters.
- Other licences also exist: not all open-source or free software uses the GPL.
Freedom to use software does not mean the licence has no conditions.
When software is genuinely distributed under the GNU GPL, the licence provides significant freedoms while also establishing obligations designed to preserve those freedoms for recipients.
Use
Run GPL-covered software in accordance with the rights provided by the applicable licence.
Understand
Access to source code enables users to examine how covered software operates.
Change
Covered software can generally be modified subject to the relevant GPL requirements.
Redistribute
Copies and qualifying modified versions can be distributed when the applicable licence conditions are followed.
GPL software vs. creative digital assets
This distinction is especially important on Brushes Pack because the catalog contains many types of creative resources that should not automatically be treated as GPL software.
GPL-Licensed Software
A plugin, software component, extension, or other program may be GPL-licensed where the relevant rights holder has placed the covered work under the GNU GPL.
In that situation, your rights and obligations are determined by the applicable GPL version and any valid additional terms or exceptions that accompany the work.
Creative Assets
Procreate brushes, Photoshop brushes, textures, mockups, overlays, presets, palettes, graphics, templates and similar creative resources are not automatically covered by the GPL.
Their permitted use depends on the licence or usage terms that lawfully apply to the particular product.
How do I know whether a product is GPL-licensed?
Do not rely solely on the fact that a product is downloadable or software-related. Look for product-specific licence information.
Check for the following information
- Product description: look for an express statement identifying the applicable licence.
- Licence file: GPL software commonly includes a licence notice or licence file within the distributed package.
- Copyright notice: check notices supplied with the software for information about the copyright holder and licensing terms.
- Source information: where GPL obligations require corresponding source code to be supplied or made available, review the information accompanying the product.
- Additional terms: some software may contain multiple components, exceptions, third-party libraries, images, fonts, trademarks, documentation, or other material subject to different terms.
- Ask before purchasing: if the licensing information is unclear and licensing is important to your intended use, contact Brushes Pack before completing the purchase.
GPL rights and licence keys are different issues
A software licence key, activation code, subscription account, automatic-update service, or vendor support plan should not automatically be confused with the copyright permissions granted by the GNU GPL.
A GPL licence does not automatically entitle you to every commercial service offered by the original developer.
Software rights, activation systems, hosted services, automatic updates, premium support, cloud functionality and commercial subscriptions can involve separate arrangements.
Do Brushes Pack products include licence keys?
Only where a product page expressly states that a licence key, activation code, account, subscription, or similar credential is included should you expect to receive one.
A product being GPL-licensed does not itself mean that Brushes Pack must provide a commercial activation key issued by the original developer.
Does GPL software require a key to be legally used?
Your copyright permissions to use GPL-covered software arise from the applicable GPL terms, not from possession of a commercial vendor’s licence key. However, particular software features or third-party services may still use technical activation or accounts.
What about premium support and automatic updates?
Direct developer support, automatic updates, cloud services, premium accounts, update servers, templates, proprietary add-ons, or other commercial services are not automatically granted by the GPL. They are included only where expressly stated for the product or separately provided by the relevant service provider.
Can GPL software be redistributed?
GPL-covered software can generally be redistributed, including for a fee, provided the distributor complies with the requirements of the applicable GPL version.
Preserve the Licence
Recipients must receive the rights required by the applicable GPL, and required licence and copyright notices must be handled correctly.
Source Obligations
Distribution of covered object code may create obligations concerning corresponding source code. The exact requirements depend on the applicable GPL version and method of distribution.
Modified Versions
If you distribute a modified version, additional GPL requirements can apply, including requirements concerning notices, licensing, and identification of modifications.
These redistribution rights apply only to material actually covered by the GPL.
Do not assume that accompanying photographs, graphics, fonts, trademarks, documentation, templates, stock content, creative assets, commercial services, or other separate material is GPL-licensed merely because it is packaged with or associated with GPL software.
Authenticity and product descriptions
We aim to describe products accurately and provide customers with useful information about the files they are purchasing. However, licensing and authenticity claims should always be product-specific rather than assumed across the entire catalog.
Product-Specific Information
Review the individual product page for the title, included files, compatibility, licence information, and other material details.
No Blanket GPL Claim
Brushes Pack does not treat every product in its catalog as GPL-licensed simply because some software may use GPL licensing.
Third-Party Brands
Product names, software names, trademarks, and brand references remain the property of their respective owners.
Independent Platform
Reference to a third-party developer or software product does not by itself imply sponsorship, endorsement, partnership, or official affiliation.
Are we the original developer?
Unless a product expressly identifies Brushes Pack as the creator or developer, you should not assume that Brushes Pack developed the underlying third-party software or creative resource.
- Independent platform: Brushes Pack operates independently unless an individual product or relationship expressly states otherwise.
- Original authors: copyright and other intellectual property rights remain with their respective owners.
- Trademarks: references to third-party trademarks may be used to identify products, software compatibility, developers, or other relevant information.
- No implied endorsement: displaying or referring to a third-party product does not automatically establish an official relationship with its developer.
- Developer services: direct support, subscriptions, warranties, automatic updates, accounts, hosted services, and other benefits from an original developer are not included unless expressly stated.
Are GPL files always completely unmodified?
We do not make a blanket promise that every file distributed through Brushes Pack is byte-for-byte identical to a package available from another source unless that is expressly stated and verified for the specific product.
Avoid assumptions about third-party packages.
A distributed package may sometimes require packaging changes, compatibility adjustments, documentation, installation files, metadata, or other legitimate changes. GPL licensing itself also permits modification of covered software subject to its conditions.
Where a modification is relevant and the applicable licence requires notices concerning modified versions, those requirements should be followed.
If the exact provenance or modification status of a particular product is important to you, contact us before purchasing so we can review the information available for that specific item.
Product updates
GPL licensing does not itself require Brushes Pack or an original developer to provide customers with unlimited future updates, automatic updates, or support services.
Updates May Be Offered
Where an updated version becomes available through Brushes Pack, the relevant product information or customer download may be updated when appropriate.
Timing Can Vary
We do not guarantee that every third-party update will appear immediately or that every product will continue receiving updates indefinitely.
Direct Updates May Differ
Automatic updates or direct vendor update services may require an account, subscription, activation system, or purchase from the original provider.
Does GPL mean unlimited commercial use of everything?
No. GPL permissions apply to the work actually covered by the GPL. They should not be extended automatically to unrelated creative assets or third-party material.
Commercial Activity Is Not Automatically Prohibited
The GPL does not prohibit commercial use or charging money for copies of GPL-covered software.
However, redistribution and modification remain subject to the applicable GPL requirements.
Check the Applicable Asset Licence
Commercial use of brushes, graphics, templates, textures, fonts, stock resources, mockups and other non-GPL assets depends on the licence applicable to that particular product.
Do not rely on this GPL information page as permission to commercially exploit a product that is governed by different terms.
Your licensing responsibilities
If licensing is important to your project, business, client work, redistribution, or software development, review the actual licence associated with the product rather than relying on assumptions.
- Identify the licence: determine which licence actually applies to the product or component you intend to use.
- Read the licence: review the applicable licence terms before modifying or redistributing covered material.
- Separate components: remember that a package can contain components governed by different licences.
- Preserve required notices: do not remove copyright, attribution, licence, or modification notices where the applicable licence requires them to remain.
- Source-code obligations: if you redistribute GPL-covered software, determine whether and how corresponding source-code obligations apply.
- Creative assets: do not assume GPL permissions apply to images, brushes, fonts, templates, graphics, or other resources unless they are actually licensed that way.
- Get professional advice: if licensing compliance is important to a commercial distribution or complex software project, consider obtaining advice from a qualified legal professional.
What if I believe a product is being distributed without permission?
GPL licensing does not provide permission to distribute a work that was never placed under the GPL by the relevant rights holder.
Copyright concerns can be reported to Brushes Pack.
If you own copyright in material available through Brushes Pack, or are authorized to act for the rights holder, and believe the material is being distributed without appropriate authorization, please use our Copyright & DMCA Policy.
Provide the exact Brushes Pack URL and enough information to identify the copyrighted work and your claim.
View DMCA PolicyCommon questions about GPL products and creative-asset licensing.
The answers below explain general licensing concepts. The specific licence accompanying an individual product remains important.
Are all products on Brushes Pack GPL-licensed?
No. Brushes Pack contains different kinds of digital products. GPL licensing applies only where a particular work is actually released or distributed under the GNU GPL. Creative assets such as brushes, graphics, textures, mockups, presets and templates should not automatically be treated as GPL software.
What does GPL mean?
The GNU General Public License is a free-software licence that provides broad rights to use, study, modify and redistribute covered software while imposing conditions intended to preserve those freedoms for recipients.
Does “free software” mean the product must cost $0?
No. In the GNU licensing context, “free” refers primarily to user freedoms rather than price. GPL-covered software may be distributed for a fee, provided the applicable licence requirements are followed.
Can GPL software be used commercially?
The GPL does not generally prohibit commercial use of software that it covers. However, redistribution, modification and distribution of derivative or combined works can raise additional GPL requirements depending on the circumstances.
Can GPL software be redistributed?
Generally yes, provided the conditions of the applicable GPL version are followed. These can include requirements concerning licence notices, recipients’ rights, source code, and modified versions.
Can someone charge money for GPL software?
Yes. GPL licensing does not itself prohibit charging a fee for distributing copies. The distributor must still comply with the applicable GPL obligations.
Do GPL products require a commercial licence key?
Your rights under the GPL do not arise from a commercial activation key. However, a particular developer may use activation systems for separate services or functionality, such as automatic updates, hosted features, premium support, accounts, or other commercial services.
Does Brushes Pack provide licence keys?
Do not assume a licence key is included unless the individual product page expressly states that one is provided. If a key, account, subscription, or activation service is important to you, confirm this before purchasing.
Does GPL guarantee automatic updates?
No. GPL licensing concerns rights in covered software; it does not itself guarantee automatic updates, future versions, premium support, cloud services, or continued access to an original developer’s infrastructure.
Does GPL guarantee support from the original developer?
No. A GPL licence does not automatically require an original developer to provide technical support to every recipient of a redistributed copy.
Can I modify GPL software?
GPL-covered software generally may be modified. If you distribute the modified version, additional licence requirements may apply, including requirements relating to notices, licensing and source code.
Can I remove the original copyright notices?
Do not assume you can remove copyright or licence notices. GPL redistribution and modification include requirements concerning appropriate notices, and the exact requirements depend on the applicable version and circumstances.
Are Procreate brushes automatically GPL because they are sold on Brushes Pack?
No. A Procreate brush or other creative asset is not automatically GPL-licensed simply because it is downloadable or sold through Brushes Pack. Check the licence applicable to the particular product.
Are Photoshop brushes and actions automatically GPL?
No. Their licence depends on the rights and terms associated with the specific product. This GPL information page should not be interpreted as placing unrelated creative assets under the GNU GPL.
What if a download contains GPL software and non-GPL assets?
Different components of a package can be subject to different licensing terms. The fact that one component is GPL-covered does not automatically determine the licence of every separate image, font, trademark, dataset, template, service, or other resource packaged with it.
Can I resell a creative asset because the website has a GPL page?
No. The existence of this GPL information page does not grant redistribution rights for every Brushes Pack product. You must determine the licence that actually applies to the specific asset.
Are GPL products copyright-free?
No. GPL software remains protected by copyright. The copyright holder uses the GPL to grant specified permissions subject to licence conditions.
What should I do if a product’s licence is unclear?
Contact Brushes Pack before purchasing or before relying on a particular licensing permission. Identify the exact product and explain what licensing information you need clarified.
What if I believe my copyrighted work is being distributed without permission?
Please review our DMCA & Copyright Policy and submit a copyright complaint identifying the copyrighted work and the exact Brushes Pack URL at issue.
Unsure which licence applies? Ask before you rely on it.
If licensing is important to your project, send us the exact Brushes Pack product URL and tell us what you need to know. We can help clarify the product information available to us.
For licensing questions, include the product name or URL and explain whether your question concerns installation, commercial use, modification, redistribution, updates, or another licensing issue.
Contact SupportLicensing information: This page provides general information about the GNU GPL and licensing practices on Brushes Pack. It does not itself change the licence of any product and does not constitute legal advice. The licence and notices applicable to the specific product or component control where they differ from this general explanation.