This is a charcoal drawing done in our Art College Portfolio Prep program.
A good example to show some foundation skills, a lot of college admission look for creativity, of course, but foundation skills as an important factor.
When familiar as a medium, charcoal is a fast medium that can get your drawing process done swiftly. Easy to render and blend in, as well as to erase, it is also an ideal medium to show dramatic value shifts.
This drawing shows good contrast throughout the composition, with the figure (the student themselves) in a pose from a dramatic angle. Another important thing to note is that this drawing shows a foreshortening element with the student looking upward as if they are holding a camera for a selfie. That said, if you pay close attention to the arm, you would notice how it is exaggerated to the extent it looks distorted.
If you have ever taken a selfie from a dramatic angle, you would notice how certain aspects look bigger and/or smaller based on how far away you are from the lens. Foreshortening is a good study that shows not only body proportions but also perspective with fluid curvatures like human bodies.
Observe and draw how your body looks and how you can make it interesting and dramatic by shifting from one sharp angle to another.
