My idea

[Apts]

Well I think I am about to start this picture properly and i was just wondering if anyone has any ideas especially about the general placement of the main parts of the picture as now is while the picture is still in its very basic stage is the time for me to change these things, anyway thank you for any thoughts or ideas.

[MephistoLV]

The top part of the painting has all of the strongest diagonals running off to the upper right. That, coupled with the large dark mass of the tree is causing the scene to be terribly unbalanced. It literally feels like it is going to fall over. I suggest finding a way to pull the eye back over toward the left a bit.

[Apts]

Here's my newer version of this picture,I tried to balance the picture a bit like you mentioned mephisto, cheers for your advice anymore help would be appreciated especially if anyone has any ideas what i should do about the tree as i want something there but it just doesnt look right.

[sowens2008]

A good decision moving the guy over to the left. The ledge he is standing on looks really flat. Did you have reference lines? Correct me if I'm wrong but the vanishing point appears to be the sun. I would draw guide lines from that point and use those to redo the ledge.

[Ive]

Hi Apts, I like your idea, but I'd like to explain some things. First off, I think the picture frame is too narrow for this kinda theme your going for. Maybe try "landscape view" so you could put all those elements without each one poking your eye
Next, the composition and perspective are boring and I don't have a feeling like something grand is going on. Now it looks more like this guy went fishing and saw three pyramids in the sky and said "Look, three pyramids in the sky. Oh well, I'd better be home before dinner." I hope you understand what I meant to say.
A good way to achieve something grand and majestic is a contrast between a giant and a fly, in this case pyramids and that guy. Try making the pyramids and the beam take up like 50-60% of the image. A little diagonal horizon helps too. Oh and take some references on the net for the sunset and study how the colors behave.
Here, I made a quick sketch in PS, hope this helps!
Cheers, Ive.

[Apts]

hey thanks both of you for your help it's greatly appreciated, by the way this idea kinda came out of a surreal scene that i was trying to draw so I never changed the shape of the canvas but if I was drawing this out from scratch then I probably would have done the picture in landscape, thanks for your thoughts about the grand scale idea as that was what i was really trying to get from this picture and i kept failing, i have made the character smaller 3 times now in an attempt to do this with a little sucess now but your probably right that the vertical canvas isn't the right way to do this. I did take a look at some references for the sunsets but i didn't really follow any specific one so it looks a little mish mashed and the colours aren't as intense as i would have liked. Oh and if you wouldn't mind could you explain why vertical horizon, i'm not arguing as to whether it looks good or not i just don't understand the artistic reason for doing this. Anyway thanks for taking the time to do the sketch thats definately helpful, just wondering would you include any other elements in that or do you think that just those that you've included would be enough? Oh i have tried to correct the problems with the ledge and i will post what i changed tommorow

Appologies for probable lack of punctuation and incorrect spelling but its late and im tired anyway thanks again for your help

[Ive]

on the diagonal horizon: as I see it, it represents the shaking of the camera (think of dynamic action scenes) thus creating a intense atmosphere...
as for the additional elements, I dunno, maybe a flock of seagulls in the distance and some foliage details.. It's up to you