1 Brainstorming and sketching

I want to paint an overcast day, but what do I want the viewer to see? I have different scenarios in mind that I scribble down quickly. Some ideas sound great initially, but turn out to be visually weak or even contradictory. I go back and forth between different techniques and art programs. I find it useful to do line drawings, volume drawings or renderings in 3D, because the technique influences my finished image. I also gather some photo references.