Book excerpt: Master the Essentials of Realistic Drawings With Lee Hammond's Big Book of Drawing, your art will spring to life! From laughing children and frolicking tigers to fruit so vivid it makes your mouth water, you'll discover how to realistically draw your favorite subjects and how to draw them well! Learn to: Use easy-to-master graphing and shaping techniques to better portray your subject Replicate the effects of light through blending and shading Accurately render the personalities of people and animals Realistically draw flowers and natural elements by applying hard or soft edges Achieve a range of effects by using different brands of colored and graphite pencils Whether you're a beginner or a professional, with Lee Hammond's instruction you'll find the arsenal of tools you need to create stunning, real-life drawings that will captivate your audience.