Patent Attorney and Founder
When you hire a patent illustrator, bring more than a quick sketch. Bring anything that helps them see your idea.
If you’re filing on your own, give them as much detail as you can. Tell them what you built. Share what the invention does. If you have already written your draft application, hand over the full write-up or at least a short summary of what you plan to claim.
If you’re working on a full (non-provisional) application, remember that your claims shape what you own. The drawings need to match the claims, so your illustrator has to see the parts you’re talking about. They also need enough detail to write the “description of drawings” section. That means every part shown in the drawings must appear in your written description.
Drawings can feel like a “nice to have,” but they’re required. The good news? They’re usually not that pricey. I’ve paid about eighty bucks per drawing for trade dress images. They were clean, detailed, and pulled from simple photos. Most people are surprised at how fast and affordable that process is.
Design patents are a different story. Those drawings need more detail, shading, angles, and all the views, because the drawings are the protection. Expect more work and more care on those.
If you’re working with an attorney, let them carry the load. At our firm, we act as the go-between. We make sure the illustrator gets what they need and that the drawings match the application. We’re the ones who have to defend it later, so we make sure it’s right.
And yes, ChatGPT got one tip spot on: give your illustrator photos, sketches, even rough shots of a prototype. If there’s a similar product or an issued patent you know about, send that too. No need to reinvent the wheel when someone else has already shown the parts.