Frequently Asked Questions

Curio is a curated visual exploration platform dedicated to showcasing fascinating patterns, designs, and visual curiosities from around the world. We bring together artists, designers, photographers, and enthusiasts who share a passion for the beauty found in everyday patterns and extraordinary visual phenomena. Our platform serves as both a gallery and a learning resource for anyone interested in the visual arts.

Curio was founded by a small team of visual artists and technologists based in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. Our team includes curators, educators, and developers who are passionate about making the world of visual patterns accessible to everyone. We collaborate with contributors and institutions worldwide to bring diverse visual content to our platform.

Yes, Curio is completely free to browse and explore. Our gallery, pattern categories, and introductory learning materials are available to everyone at no cost. We believe in making visual education and inspiration accessible. Some advanced learning modules and high-resolution downloads may require a free account registration so we can personalise your experience.

You can submit your work through our Submissions page. Simply create a free account, fill in the submission form with details about your work, upload your files, and our curatorial team will review it. We aim to acknowledge all submissions within 48 hours and provide a full review within two weeks.

We accept a wide range of visual formats including JPEG, PNG, SVG, TIFF, and WebP for static images. For animations and video, we support MP4, WebM, and GIF. Vector files in SVG, AI, or EPS formats are preferred for pattern submissions as they allow for the highest quality reproduction. Individual file uploads are limited to 50 MB, and we recommend a minimum resolution of 2000 pixels on the longest edge for raster images.

Every submission goes through a three-stage review. First, our team checks for technical quality and adherence to our guidelines. Next, our curatorial panel evaluates the work for originality, visual impact, and relevance to our categories. Finally, accepted works are categorised, tagged, and scheduled for publication. You will receive email updates at each stage. The entire process typically takes 10 to 14 business days.

You retain full copyright and ownership of all work you submit to Curio. By submitting, you grant us a non-exclusive licence to display, promote, and feature your work on our platform and associated channels. You may withdraw your work at any time by contacting us. We always credit creators and never sell or sub-licence submitted content without explicit written permission from the original creator.

We recommend starting with our Learn section, which features guided introductions to pattern recognition, colour theory, and visual composition. Our "Foundations" track is designed specifically for beginners and walks you through the basics with interactive examples. You can also browse the Gallery for inspiration and explore categories that interest you most.

At this time, Curio does not offer formal certificates or accredited qualifications. However, we are developing a badge system that will allow learners to track their progress and showcase completed learning paths on their profile. We are also exploring partnerships with educational institutions that may lead to accredited offerings in the future. Stay tuned for updates on this.

Absolutely! We welcome contributions from educators, artists, and knowledgeable enthusiasts. If you have expertise in a particular area of visual design, pattern making, or related fields, you can propose a tutorial or article through our submissions process. Select "Learning Resource" as the submission type, and include an outline of your proposed content. Our editorial team will review and work with you to develop it.

Currently, Curio is a web-based platform that requires an internet connection. However, we are developing a progressive web app that will allow you to save selected learning modules and gallery collections for offline viewing. Registered users will be able to bookmark content for offline access once this feature launches. We expect to roll this out later in 2026.