When considering what painting to start next, I typically create some paint studies to do a trial run and see what I think could work as a larger painting.
Why do a paint study? Because they are smaller in size and therefore take less time and effort to complete. They also allow me to try out the colours, shapes and style of my painting, which helps me decide what could work best for a larger painting.
Recently, I did a couple of these paint studies. Both are based on photographs that I took in the past year. 
This painting of crab apple trees was based on a photo I had taken on Leiken Drive in Ottawa just a short distance from my house. It was in the evening and the sun was just setting over the houses in the background and the light was catching the trees in an eye catching effect.
This next painting of some poplar along a foot path near the Ottawa river was based on a photograph that really wasn’t much to look at in reality, but I felt if I could brighten up the colours and warm up the tone maybe it could be something nice. Here was the original:
As you can see, it wasn’t much to look at originally, and I wasn’t sure if it would make a good painting, but something said to me to give it a chance. I’m glad I did. 
Amanda Bennett Art 