bThis richly illustrated book celebrates in words and pictures the beautiful work that award-winning artist Alan Lee produced for J.R.R. Tolkien's iThe Hobbit, i and includes dozens of brand-new paintings and pencil drawings exploring the world of Bilbo Baggins.b pSince iThe Hobbiti was first published in 1937, generations of readers have fallen under its spell. That magic was reignited sixty years later when Alan Lee was commissioned to produce a special illustrated edition, and his delicate pencil drawings and beautiful watercolor paintings have become for many the definitive vision of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. br In this sumptuous, large-format hardback, Alan Lee reveals in pictures and in words how he created these images, which would prove so powerful, matching perfectly with Tolkien's own vision, that they would eventually define the look of Peter Jackson's film adaptations and earn Alan a coveted Academy Award. briThe Hobbit Sketchbook iis filled with more than 100 of Lee's