I appreciate you asking/thinking I’m of any merit to ask!!!hlsdakjf I feel honored-
So YES a lot of my portfolio was working from reference and such. It doesn’t necessarily have to be people, just showing that you have observational skills!
Still life, drawing animals, environmental drawings, ect- But I also recommend starting to study real-life humans too! Measurements are your friend! There’s lots of guides and tutorials online, so use that to your advantage!
Best of luck to you!!!!!