/ic/ - Artwork/Critique

Please help me out d/ic/ks i dont know what to do.
I want to produce some more "finished" pictures to get that patreon dough rolling in the future.
When sketching / studying i dont mind the feeling that the pics are merely a by-product of me learning to draw, but my inability to produce something appealing when i try to is frustrating and i dont know how to deal with that inability.

Trying to paint somthing (1) its obvious i severly lack in everything value and colour, but dicking around i produce something thats slightly finished looking (3) which i personally like a lot - but i doubt people will be digging this "style".

Picture (2) shows what i dont want to go back to. It sickens me enough that i was drawing like this in the past.

(Obviously (1) and (2) i did not finish)

I feel by the time i have the fundamentals down so i can go to study colours, refine some kind of rendering technique let alone a personal style i will have starved, i kind of hope there is a feasable way to start producing appealing images while im still a beginner (as stated above, id like to get around $100-$200 a month, that would covor all my bills and i could avoid working while still in university).

Any and all thoughts and advice very much appreciated.