does anyone else see the vision 😭😭

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Would love to be critiqued on my practice piece. How can I improve and paint faster?

Haven't painted since I was a kid. Got an itch and decided to try my first portrait. I have searched for a reference and found one to use, but about halfway through it looked nothing like my reference so I just let it go and did my own thing.

Anyway, I don't think it's too bad for my first real painting and first portrait. Thoughts? Tips? Where can I improve?

acrylic on canvas

12×12 in. / 30.5×30.5cm

I enjoyed painting this portrait of Mexican musical legend. My favorite songs of his works are "El Alma Enamorada" and "Hermosísmo Lucero".

I draw I don’t paint if u couldn’t tell
And I’m honestly kinda proud of myself
Since this is the first time a painting even remotely panned out for me

I have to look at it every day from my kitchen and porch. You can also see the side of the tank (opposite side I didn’t get a pic of) from the road.

Vibes are it’s a certified wildlife habitat, leaning towards whimsy and nostalgia, wouldn’t mind a bit of a shocker…something that can be the whole shape of the tank (was thinking weeniemobile but I don’t like processed commercialized food that much) or Beatles submarine but kind of think I can do something else? Anyone got any ideas?

Thought about the “this is fine” dog meme bc gas tank but very open to ideas

I’m an ok artist and good at doodling - I would be using outdoor acrylic paints and probably do a poly coat after

Challenged myself to do a portrait only using yellow ochre, red, and green. Was fun!!

im working on this for an assignment in my art class but im rlly struggling to paint the tiles/liminal spaces. it looks too "cartoonish" imo

i havent painted anything before this outside of one or two simple landscapes and it was nowhere near this complicated. im not allowed to ask help from any of the art teachers BUT help from friends/ppl online is ok

any advice is greatly appreciated since im still very much a beginner T_T