I can’t draw to save my life. However, patent applications require very detailed drawings of submitted inventions. And hiring an artist or draftsperson to do the patent drawings can costs hundreds (or, for complex inventions) thousands of dollars. For many inventors, that’s an immediate budget killer.
My goal was to find a way to do the patent drawings for free.
I was determined to find a way to create patent drawings without hiring someone to do the drawings. And I have. Once you try the method a couple of times, you can create a professional-looking patent drawing in just minutes. Really!
Here’s how you can do your own patent drawings with just a digital camera and the most popular image-editing software, Adobe Photoshop:
Step One: Select a room that has lots of natural light so you won’t need to use your camera’s flash. Now place sheets of white paper (like photocopy paper) on a table to make a large white surface. (Tip: An even better way is to buy a “flip chart” pad of 30? x 25? sheets of white paper.)
Step Two: Place your invention on the white paper. Try your very best to minimize (or eliminate) shadows of your invention on the white paper. You can do this by not having the invention directly near a window or any bright lights.
Step Three: Use any digital camera (image resolution is not critical) to take photographs of your invention.
Step Four: Open one of your photographs with Photoshop.
(Note: The following steps may vary slightly, depending on what version of Photoshop you’re using.)
Step Five: Select from Photoshop’s top-level menu the “Filter” option. Then select the option labeled “Other”. Then select the “High Pass” option. Change the radius setting to 4.5 pixels. (You can try other settings to suite your drawing preference later — but try 4.5 pixels first.) Then click the “OK” button. (The image may look very strange at this point, but you’re almost done.)
Step Six: Go back to Photoshop’s top-level menu and select the “Image” option. Then select “Adjustments”. Then select “Threshold”. Tweak the Threshold Level setting (either by entering a new number or by moving the slider if your version of Photoshop has that feature) until you like the way the “drawn” image looks. My favorite Threshold Level setting, for many pictures, is 128. But you’re the “artist”. Select what looks best to you, then click the “OK” button.
Step Seven: If necessary, clean up the image by removing any straggly lines with Photoshop’s Eraser Tool. Then save the image under a different name (like invention_drawing1.jpg). Now you’re done!
Again, with a little practice you can whip through this photograph-to-drawing conversion process to create patent drawings in just a few minutes. It’s amazing. And it is one of my very favorite tips to pass along to my fellow inventors. Enjoy!
– Eric
[...] (9) Drawings. If it takes drawings to understand the operation or principles of your invention, you’ll need to provide them. Good news on this front: I’ve discovered a few handy-dandy techniques that help people who can’t draw (like me!) create professional-quality drawings in minutes — literally — using any digital camera and Adobe’s wonderful Photoshop program. I’ve described those techniques in some of my other postings. Click on the following links for some great tricks and techniques: http://howtopatent.pro/2010/03/create-patent-drawings-in-minuteswith-a-digital-camera-and-this-neat-... [...]
I have an idea. It makes perfect sense to me and the relatives I have shared it with..I just don’t have a clue how to draw it. There are things involved in this invention that are too complicated for me to draw out how it works. I can draw the outer parts, but the inside parts are going to be difficult. I know that this invention is a hit…It will benefit the world in many ways and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were all over the TV someday if I could get it patented…I just need someone to help me draw it or I need gaudance on how I need to draw it. I am not at a level of intellegance where I can do all of this on my own…and I do not want to be tooken advantage of…This idea is too valueable. Can you help me?
I DON’T EVEN HAVE A CLUE AS TO HOW TO TURN MY IDEA INTO SOMETHING PHYSICAL EITHER. MY IDEA IS TOO COMPLEX AND MY SKILLS ARE NOT GOOD ENOUGH.
I COULD DRAW A PICTURE TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY(WITHOUT THE COMPLEX COMPONENTS OF THE INVENTION IDEA)…AND I COULD EXPLAIN IN GREAT DETAIL HOW IT WORKS, WHAT IT IS FOR, ETC…..,BUT WOULD THIS BE GOOD ENOUGH TO GET A PATENT? DOES IT HAVE TO BE COMPLETE OR COULD IT BE ACCEPTABLE PARTLY DONE AS LONG AS MOST PEOPLE LOOKING AT MY WORK UNDERSTAND WHAT IT IS AND KNOW HOW TO PHYSICALLY MAKE IT.
THANKS FOR ALL OF YOUR HELP IN ADVANCE.
Hi Trish.
You’re certainly on the right path. In my opinion, the post you are reading is the best way for us non-artists to create patent drawings. I also have another post that is helpful. See below for the two links:
http://howtopatent.pro/2010/03/create-patent-drawings-in-minuteswith-a-digital-camera-and-this-neat-photoshop-trick/
http://howtopatent.pro/2010/03/another-photoshop-technique-to-create-great-patent-application-drawings/
Filing a patent application, and receiving a patent on an invention, is a very structured process. I suggest that you read through the various posts in this Web site for some additional background information.
Ultimately, you do have to create a physical, working prototype. Again, this Web site will provide you with some additional information in this regard.
Best of luck with your invention, Trish. Feel free to jot me another note. Glad to provide as much advice as I can.
– Eric