Patent-Your-Inventions.com

In a previous post I mentioned one of my favorite techniques for creating patent drawings — for free — using a simple technique with Photoshop and any digital camera. (If you’d like to see that post again, just click on: http://patent-your-inventions.com/?p=26 .)

Another handy technique, also with Photoshop, is a quick way to darken the lines of your digital artwork, so your drawings will look top-notch when you file a patent application with the U.S. Patent and Tradmark Office. Here’s the technique:

(1) Open your drawing with Photoshop.

(2) From top-level menu bar, select Image, then Adjustments, then Levels.

(3) Slide the middle arrow on the slider towards the right…maybe two-thirds to three-quarters of the way to the end. (On some very light drawings or line art, I’ll even slide the middle arrow all the way to the right. It all depends on the artwork you’re working with.)

(4) You can stop at Step (3) above if everything meets your satisfaction. However, if the lines seem a bit blurry after you’ve made the adjustment, you can also try sliding the right arrow a little bit to the left. (In many cases, this last step won’t be necessary.)

When you’re filing a patent on an idea, in my experience “neatness” really does count in your patent application. It conveys to the U.S. patent office examiner that you’ve made your very best effort. And this handy technique, to make your drawings look their very best, can only help.