Drawing is one of the earliest forms of communication and goes back much  ............... than the written word. 

However, despite its long history, it has not always been ............. of as a form of art. 

When paper became easily .............. in the 14th century, the use of drawing in the arts increased. 

Some of the great artists of the Renaissance produced drawings of the highest  .............. and 
presented the human body in a more realistic way than ever before. 

However, it was often practised  ........... order to plan a larger painting and wasn't taken very seriously as a form of art. 

Today, drawing is regarded as a ............. skill and no less important than oil painting or other creative works.