Independent Artists

Just wondering what kinda money can an Independent artist make ? If anyone knows. I was good at art since a kid but, only got a taste of it. I went to a short summer course in Ballyfermot and I tried portfolio preparation in a college. Unfortunately I had to drop out. I have always wanted to go back but, don't really have the money. I'd love maybe to learn a part time course and then work on my own stuff in my spare time. Full time would be a dream but as I said money is the the issue. I'm not employed at the moment and I feel like bumming from my Father is wrong because, he is on a pension. To be honest I feel like a bit of a Bo##cks asking me father for money. Plan would be to do the basics of a course part time and skip the masters and do my own work or go full time if my father could help me and maybe even go for a masters.