Today’s painting is of a scene that I have used before but practice does make perfect. I want the center of interest to be the area between the buildings where the impression of the three figures is painted. I have moved the viewers attention there with the slope of the buildings and the nicely stated trees over top of the figures. I have also put a lot of texture, value and color around the figures. Leave lots of white paper and use lively pigments, and a nice variety of energetic brushwork and the painting will be fun and exciting.
I start the painting with a colorful piece of yellows and greens, this start will set the mood for the entire painting. If you are timid here then the painting will never get off the ground, really move your brush around and forget the subject matter. Work on your edges a combination of hard, blended and rough brushed will guarantee interesting shapes.
Work in one direction across the paper, not finishing anyone area but getting a nice feeling of a continuous pieces of colors and value. 
Keep working on integrating the bottom of the foreground color mass into the white paper, using scrapes, lines, and a variety of edges. Work on this as you go not after the fact. If you wait to soften the edges until they are dry it really becomes a chore to modify them, so stay on top of the process.
Put in details of the figures, windows and doors, trying not to make them too dark.
Excellent! Practiced brush work and then started to redo my white building with shadows and garden. Got as far as the background trees and then saw this posting. Should be able to finish up tomorrow! 🙂
Extraordinary synthesis of tips about how to paint a good work successfully. Many thanks Steve