How do you proceed when styling?

As im pretty lost with a few trees, I was wondering what you do when style trees. I know its mostly the same with most people, maybe select the major branches, and think out a plan, wire it, place it all, and then remove what doesnt fit in the final image.
But, I have a few pines. They are quite small, about 30 cm tall, have a dense growth, but, the branches are leggy.
Like this one. Most of the branches have been grown from a whorl. They are maybe 20 cm long, and have needles are the ends. Do you prune and prune and hope for backbudding? Do you use exstensive bending and shaping to make it fit? Ive been staring at this tree for a long time, but doesnt give me any ideas. Btw, is it a bad thing that those small black ants are starting to make houses in my pots? First I thought that they just caught the bad bugs, but now they are pretty many..
Think many beginners could get alot out of hearing this. Atleast us who dont have a possibility to join a big society and see demos etc.

The whorls will cause reverse taper, so you need to reduce each to one branch. Some pines are not big on Backbudding I think I would try wiring to bring the branches in closer to the trunk. If you get backbudding you can prune then. You might consider removing everything above the first branch, that would result in more taper.

To clarify, one branch and one trunk, or two branches. Chose your trunkline and try to pick a branch on the outside of the resulting curve.. as long as that fits with your overall design.