A long time drawing student who has become a friend hit a metaphorical speed-bump in life. Her body has betrayed her; one of the symptoms is weakness and a tremor in her dominant hand. We’re not going to talk about diagnosis or the emotional wallop, only about our time together drawing. She is without a doubt the best student I have ever had.
When she stopped coming to lessons, she had 2 drawings that were almost finished. People who don’t draw, or who don’t draw as well as she does, might have thought the drawings were finished.
She asked if I would finish the drawings for her. My first thought was that I would be happy to help her in any way, and of course I would finish the drawings. After thinking more, I proposed that we work on the drawings together. She could do the parts that she is able to do, and then she could tell me exactly what else she would like to be done.
It was just like drawing lessons, except this time she was doing the instructing, and I was following the instructions. After many years of drawing together, this went like clockwork; we were like a well-oiled machine.
Almost three hours flew by, and these two drawings are the result.

