Here's an update on the progression of my design. The first one is the most current. The second one is how it looked before I took the ladder out and replaced it with the band name.

I added swirly chrome and a chrome earth to the face plate of the helmet. I also added a chrome overlay to the space suit and a headphone cord. These are the photos that I used.

http://background-pictures.feedio.net/liquid-chrome-graphics-code-liquid-chrome-comments-pictures/i665.photobucket.com*albums*vv19*michaelmayberry77346*Fluid20Metal.jpg/

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Griffin-Auxiliary-Audio-Coiled-Cable/17032548

 http://masteringphoto.com/creating-a-cover-image-for-photoshop-essential-skills/

http://blueblots.com/freebies/40-metal-textures-for-designers/

 I found a photograph of an astronaut sitting, so I recreated the design with a realistic astronaut instead of the drawing to see how it would look. I think I like the drawing though, so I'm going to stick with that one. Below are the photographs that I used for the alternate design.

http://mrmillersstudent207.edublogs.org/2013/02/23/dreaming/

http://www.occultcenter.com/2011/01/reversed_soundtrack_jonas_brothers_satanic_song/

http://www.red5.co.uk/zumreed-x2-hybrid-headphones.aspx

Here are some revised sketches that focus in more on the space guy. I think I'm leaning towards the first one because I like the look of the long ladder. I put the band name vertically to kind of mirror the ladder.

The other two sketches focus in closer. They're both pretty much the same, I just changed the way the guy is facing. Normally I would want a figure  to be facing into the scene, but here I think it might be  better that he's facing away because it reinforces the idea that he wants to be alone. When he's facing the ladder it looks like he's waiting for someone to join him, but it might be a little more visually pleasing. In this version I put the band name on a shooting star.

I also changed the ladder from a yellow one to a shiny silver one.

http://www.aplusrstore.com/product/858/drab-ladder-hanger

The name of my band is “emergency earth escape plan”. I was reading the horoscopes at the onion.com and the Aquarius horoscope was: “Don't take it personally: Someone had to be the cutoff point for who does and doesn't get on the Emergency Earth-Escape Rocket.” I could picture it being the name of a hipster band, so I decided to use it. 

My first design idea was a rocket taking off, but I thought it was too literal. I wanted it to be more of a fantasy, so I changed “rocket” to “plan” and made the escape plan a rickety stack of ladders to the moon where he goes to listen to his records. It may not be a very good escape plan, but it’s his. I think its common for people who love music to immerse themselves in it to escape from the world from time to time, so I think this design is something that its intended audience will identify with. 

I might add some clouds above the band name. I didn’t like how they looked in the sketch so I took them out, but I think I’ll try adding some to the final design to see how they look. 

http://www.glogster.com/carolineislegit/i-wish/g-6ma7su1iqn3sls27ojo77a0

http://www.wallpapervortex.com/tag-earth.html

http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/3w0gmxF1yVX/Planet+Venus+Appears+Close+Crescent+Moon/H08UVeyFKhy

http://blog.sigmamarketing.com/2011/12/email-best-practices-ladder-of-consent/

http://retrowonders.com/crosleyportableusbturntable.aspx