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In short, you're free to share any sketches but not sell them. You must include the source. Adding a link to the site or tagging a relevant social profile is extra helpful.

It's great when people share Sketchplanations, so please use sketches to illustrate your points in:

...as long as you give credit. In fact, I'd love you to use them to make a point, help explain something for others, further your career, or teach something to your students. That's what they're for!

Can I use them in my article, newsletter, presentation, LinkedIn post, Instagram business post, Medium post, or course? (or the like)

Yes. Please include the source. Because content is often reshared, I prefer that you don't remove the Sketchplanations logo from the sketches.

If you can add a link, i.e. it's online, this works well, I think:

...ideally with the word Sketchplanations linking to the sketch page as it appears on the site, e.g. to https://sketchplanations.com/the-overview-effect

If you can't add a link, for example, because it's in a book or flyer, then this works well:

Context matters when adding sources, so please make it work for you.

Can I translate them and share them in my language?

Yes, please! Make sure to include the original source as above.

Probably, yes. But please contact me for this, as some sketches have restrictions for printed collections after Big Ideas Little Pictures was launched with my publisher. I expect your publisher may want an image permission request signed in any case.

If you're thinking of publishing a collection with many sketchplanations, reselling them, or some giant marketing campaign, billboard, selling prints or the like, please contact me at hello@sketchplanations.com, and we can discuss it.

Do you have high-resolution versions I can use?

Yes. You can use the download link underneath the sketch content on this site to get higher-resolution images if you need them.

Some older sketches may only give slightly higher resolutions when you download them. Feel free to contact me (hello@sketchplanations.com)—I will likely have a higher-res version.

I'm still not sure whether my use case is OK. What should I do?

Contact me at hello@sketchplanations with what you're planning, and I can let you know.

If the sketches have helped you, great! If you're in a position to support me on Patreon or buy me a coffee, it really helps, but it's absolutely not required. You can also contribute when downloading a high-resolution version if you choose. (OK, perhaps this isn't as frequently asked)

Good question. See here: https://sketchplanations.com/advise-vs-advice

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Trench warfare dominated the fighting in WW1. After the initial hasty digging of trenches in the early days of the war, as each side dug in to defend their lines, trenches evolved to be more complex and sophisticated, including digging them in a stepped or zigzag shape.

Why were trenches dug in a zigzag pattern? Zigzagging trenches with sharp corners helped remedy several fatal flaws learned from early trench warfare:

One of the key advantages of a zigzag trench is its ability to contain blasts. In a straight trench, the blast from mortar or artillery fire would travel unimpeded to either side. However, a trench with frequent bends could confine explosions to smaller portions of the trench, reducing casualties.

2. Zigzags help slow an enemy down after capturing a trench

A straight trench meant that breaching a portion of it gave a long line of sight and the ability to fire down the trench which could aid attackers. Angles and corners from the zigzag or wavy shape of a trench meant that line of sight was reduced and gave better defensive positions with cover and concealment.

So, the simple change from a straight trench to a zigzag gave defenders significant advantages, and both sides used the design during the war. It's painful to imagine the tragic lessons that led to this evolution in design.

I learned about zigzag trench design from a children's book about WW1: 50 Things You Should Know About The First World War, by Jim Eldridge. It's striking how such a simple design change can have a significant effect. It's also a great example of how a simple solution can seem so obvious in retrospect and yet may take time to develop.

One of the trends of evolution identified in the theory of inventive problem solving that always fascinated me and has myriad applications is how straight lines in products typically evolve to jointed or bent, then wavy lines. As the theory would say, a straight line has unused potential, and someone will find an advantage in introducing a bend or bends. I sketched a similar trend about flat surfaces having unused potential.

The Imperial War Museum has a great 9-minute video explaining trench warfare, which discusses the zigzag or stepped design in this sketch.

Zigzag trenches

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