Can AI turn a product photo into a patent drawing?

Yes, if the workflow converts the photo into controlled line art and then checks the result. PatentFig AI is designed for that patent-specific loop rather than general image stylization.

What kind of photo works best?

Use a sharp image with the product isolated, minimal shadows, and a view that clearly shows the claimed structure.

Should I remove the background before uploading?

It is not required, but a clean background helps. Busy backgrounds, reflections, and cast shadows can be misread as edges and turn into stray lines that you then have to remove from the figure.

What happens to surface textures like rubber grips or knurling?

Photographic texture is stripped. Where a texture is structurally relevant — a knurled knob, a ribbed grip — it is rendered as line or stipple work; purely cosmetic finishes are dropped, which is what patent line art expects.