Learning to draw impressive Jedi battles or the intricate details on the Death Star just got a lot easier with the new book You Can Draw: Star Wars from DK Publishing, on shelves now and available here at StarWarsShop.com.

Written by author Bonnie Burton and illustrated by Star Wars artists Matt Busch and Tom Hodges, You Can Draw: Star Wars has something for all fans and artists alike.

When parents and kids attending Star Wars drawing workshops at Comic-Con asked about where they could find more drawing instructions, Burton --also an Online Content Developer for Lucas Online -- decided to start the Learn to Draw tutorial section on starwars.com. Burton recruited Star Wars artists, each with their own unique style, to show step-by-step guides on everything from the Rancor monster to LEGO-style stormtroopers. "After the How to Draw section really took off, we'd get tons of mail and envelope art sent to Bantha Tracks from kids who were teaching themselves how to draw just from those online lessons," Burton says. "So it was only a matter of time before we got a Star Wars drawing book off the ground."

As the illustrators of You Can Draw: Star Wars, Busch and Hodges were excited to bring their own expertise in traditional art, comic book illustration and manga drawing techniques to the comprehensive book. "There is so much variety in the techniques presented in the book, as well as subject matter, that I never got tired of working on it," Busch says. "I love to draw Star Wars, so from beginning to end, the book was a dream to work on."

"It's an excellent piece of reference for an adult who draws on a regular basis, as well as appealing to the random doodler," Hodges adds.

The book features tutorials on how to draw major characters from the entire saga including Han Solo, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, Darth Maul, Darth Vader, Padmé Amidala, Princess Leia, Emperor Palpatine, Yoda, Jabba the Hutt, C-3PO and R2-D2 -- just to name a few. Other droids, characters and creatures such as a Gonk power droid, Bib Fortuna, the Sarlacc, Watto and Tion Medon are also included. For fans who love to sketch space battles, the book also offers tips on how to draw the Millennium Falcon, Slave I, X-wings, TIE fighters, Podracers and other vehicles and starships. Various weapons including blasters and signature lightsabers are also featured.

"As a child, I would have appreciated this kind of book," Hodges says. "I was drawing Star Wars characters and ships from the day I saw the movie on opening weekend. And at the time, there was little more to go on than my memories from the film and adverts in magazines and newspapers."

"Star Wars is the whole reason I got into drawing in the first place," Busch adds. "I remember quite vividly drawing stick TIE fighters on my bedroom walls with crayons and getting grounded for it! This is the book that every Star Wars fan with even a remote interest in drawing has always wanted."

The book is organized by easy-to-read sections about drawing characters and vehicles from start to finish. Learn to develop drawing skills using step-by-step instructions, trace overlays, foldout pages and stencils. Discover how to draw clothing and weapons for your characters. Get the same penciling, inking and coloring techniques professional comic book artists use. Plus get useful tips on how to make your own comic book!

Working on the book for months at a time, the book's creators often couldn't help but favor some characters and content over others. "The battle scene section with Obi-Wan Kenobi and the clones with Durge rampaging on to them was my favorite piece to illustrate for the book," Hodges says. "I really enjoyed putting that piece together. I went through about five to six ideas for that piece before settling on that."

"I really fought for Gonk to be in the book," Burton smiles. "He's one of those droids that people tend to overlook. I'm a big fan of drawing minor and obscure characters from the saga like the Sarlacc and mouse droids. I'm also proud to say we made sure clone troopers and stormtroopers are also in the book so the fans in the 501st Legion can practice drawing themselves!"

Creating a drawing book that appeals to fans of every artistic skill set wasn't easy, but the end result proved rewarding for the author and illustrators. "We wanted to cover as many aspects of solid drawing fundamentals that we could, while at the same time really focus on as many Star Wars characters, vehicles, aliens, and locations as possible, " Busch says. "It's hard to accomplish either of those into a single book, even for one as big and thorough as this. But there really is lot of material covered in the book, ranging from exercises that young beginners can use, as well as advanced tips for more seasoned aspiring artists."

"This book is much more than just instructions on how to sketch your favorite Star Wars characters," Burton explains. "I also wanted to explain basic drawing techniques right down to the best pencils to use. Most people want to jump right in and draw, but this book teaches you the basics that help you become a better artist including information on figure proportions and anatomy, dramatic lighting, perspective, foreshortening, shading, inking and coloring."

Even though the book is jam-packed full of drawing tips and art theory, the illustrators and author still have plenty of advice for any budding and accomplished artists wanting to use You Can Draw: Star Wars as a resource. "Don't be afraid to try learning something from this book!" Hodges says. "Look to reality as well for inspiration. Draw everything you can think of whether it be folds in clothing, cars driving down the street, or whatever you see on your block. Looking to reality will help you create fantasy."

"The biggest tip I can give to beginning artists is to start building your characters and starships three-dimensionally out of basic shapes, then tighten up the details," Busch says. "Too often beginners will just get antsy and want to start drawing the nitty-gritty details. You really need to slow down and build your objects as simplified shapes, and go from there."

"Drawing, like any other skill, takes a lot of practice to master," Burton adds. "Be willing to make mistakes and not get too frustrated, even if your first attempt at drawing R2-D2 looks like a baked potato on wheels. As long as you are determined and patient with yourself as an artist, drawing will begin to come to you naturally. And remember most of all to have fun!"

To learn more about the book, be sure to read First Look: You Can Draw: Star Wars. To read the book's illustrator blogs, check out their Myspace page here. Also click for the web sites of Matt Busch and Tom Hodges.

You Can Draw: Star Wars is currently available from DK Publishing at local bookstores and online at StarWarsShop.com here.