1. A method for creating a two-dimensional (2D) image-based design rule (IBDR) comprising: using a computer system which comprises at least one processor and is programmed or configured for: identifying a search pattern that is representative of a 2D pattern of interest of a design; creating a pattern representation for the 2D image-based design rule based at least in part on the search pattern; identifying a plurality of elements in the pattern representation; and assigning a correlation value to at least one element of the plurality of elements based at least in part upon whether or not the at least one element is to be considered in the pattern representation for a design rule check with the 2D image-based design rule.