New is good :)

So I've been taking an art class every Thursday for the past month at the Aiken Center for the Arts and I gotta say, I'm improving a lot! The class is Acrylics - Photos to Paintings its taught by Sharon Taylor Padgett. Here's a link to her website http://oiloriginals.com/
She's super nice and teaches us so much in the little time we have. Her paintings are amazing! She did this beach scene painting from a vacation photo and its so good. The ladies in the class are really nice and everyone's experience level is different so it's cool to have such a mix of talent in the class. The first week I chose a picture out of a magazine, it was a photo of someones oil painting. I thought it would be easy but I was wrong lol, but thanks to Sharon's guidance, I was able to really  see how things are broken down.
Here is a pic I was going off of 

and this is my finished piece. What do ya think?





Next week is the last class for this session but I'm definitely going to sign up for more. I think the more I learn, the better I will become. I want painting to be my source of income, I cant imagine going back to a desk job that I hate and wasting away any talent I have. I have a long road ahead but I'm determined to make it happen!!

Update: 2/11/12 I started a new painting in class, im doing a portrait!! eeek!! I'm a little overwhelmed but again, my teacher helped me so much. So im working on it all weekend, ill post pics later.
Oh and my grandfathers bday just passed on the 5th, I never know what to get him and I finally got him something he doesn't have, an art set :) He sounds super excited to start painting, he said its something he has always wanted to do and im glad I got him on his way.
Enjoy your weekend!!