Julie's Angel

I had a very hard time with this drawing. In the reference, Amy was photoshopped in, but the light source was from underneath instead of from above and behind her, like it is in the rest of the drawing. I'm satisfied with the outcome, but I wish I could have gotten Amy's likeness a little better.

Materials:
11x14 Strathmore Bristol Vellum
Blick Studio graphite pencils (6H-6B)
Cretacolor woodless graphite 8B and 9B
kneaded eraser
paper mate skinny eraser stick
Mars plastic eraser
camel hair brush
cotton make-up removal disk

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About 5 days before Julie died, she asked me to draw this picture for her best friend in the whole world, Amy. She told me it was very important. I have, ashamedly, put off drawing this picture until now because I needed a break from drawing Julie after drawing the series of 3 with her kids. It is quite painful to draw someone you love who is recently past.

Amy is a breast cancer survivor, and she helped Julie through her own battle. Julie told me that if not for Amy, she would not have made it to 4 years after her diagnosis. She said that Amy was her sister, more so than any of her actual siblings.

At Julie's funeral, her brother introduced Amy, and said that Amy was Julie's Angel. Truer words were never spoken. I only witnessed their friendship for brief moments, but it was obvious. And the way Julie spoke of Amy to me that day, belied a bond of friendship that will last an eternity.

I hope that my hands will be steady, and I will be able to create a drawing worthy of their loving friendship.

Reference
Progression