I keep thinking that if I look at enough artists' processes, I'll be able to draw like they do. I'm quickly learning that's not the case.
:(

Why not just take a mixture of everything you like with how you naturally see the world?

Haha I do my best :)

'Atta girl! …or boy….

'Atta you!

Ha! Gotta have your bases covered I suppose :P

Toshiaki Takayama is one of my favorite artists, he has such cool work. http://www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~t.com/
Most of his compositions (most fighting scenes) are composed as 3/4 and diagonally. A lot are wormseye perspective as well, but I think that's mostly due to subject matter on most, which are giant creatures or robots. Regardless, he knows how to make a scene look energetic. He also has a trend of using projectiles firing at or from the subject to create more interest and it lends a story element of (who is shooting at the character, or who is the character attacking). That combined with his saturated colors and detailed design work just make the character jump out at you. XD Makes sense when they are originally intended for card games.

I would say you'd might want to think about a more dynamic composition with either changing the perspective and/or using more diagonal(s) in composition. Right now, these thumbs are good but not dynamic enough, they feel too safe horizontal. The last thumb is nice, if you are going to go that route, think about how the environment can impact this character, or how he can impact it more. I'm not sure what you would have in mind, but I would add enemies getting trashed, or flying arrows whizzing past or getting caught in the shield, and even simple things like exaggerating the dirt kicking up as he touches the ground a bit.

Ah yes, that's the next step of the planning. I was just nailing the figure down before I dressed it up with effects.

Thanks for the critique and the artist link! I likes what I see.

dressing up? o: all part of the compositionnnnnnnn, the way those implied lines flow into the figure, wrap around and lead the eye through the background and back in to the focus.
http://www.h3.dion.ne.jp/~t.com/465.jpg

Here is where I'm coming from:

If you check the link in my description you'll see four images that are used to incorporate the desired style. I have notes to make the figure centralized, with composition elements that move around, dynamic POV, etc….

I kept these notes in mind while I was working on the figure, so I apologize if I came off as thinking the composition wasn't important. I promise there is thought here beyond what one can see in the sketches. :)

I know you know this stuff, just giving you a hard time.

b sure to refine the depth on axe otherwise itll look like he's holding it backwards!