1. Brush Strokes

2. Brush Strokes
Using Brush Strokes will allow you to paint dynamic images with your writing.
There are five different types of brush strokes...

3. Brush Strokes Sample Sentence: The car went into the parking lot.
Absolute Engine smoking, gears grinding, the car went into the parking lot.
Appositive The car, a 1936 Ford, went into the parking lot.
Participle Sliding on the loose gravel, the car went into the parking lot.
Adjectives Out of Order The car, dented and rusty, went into the parking lot.
Active Verb The car chugged into the parking lot.

4. Absolute Brush Strokes
-Consists of a noun and an -ing word.
-Usually, you can add one or two absolute brush strokes to the beginning or end of a sentence. Engine smoking, gears grinding, the car went into the parking lot. The car went into the parking lot, wheels squeaking, bumper dragging.

5. Absolute Brush Stroke
Examine the image. Try to use an absolute brush stroke to describe what you see. If it helps, try starting out with a simple sentence and then add the brush stroke later. The surfer rode the wave. Heart pounding, nerves tingling, the surfer rode the wave.

6. Appositive Brush Strokes
-After a noun (or noun phrase) in a basic sentence, you can add another noun, set it off with commas, and paint a second image in the mind of your reader.
Example:
The soldier wondered when he would go home. The soldier, a father of two, wondered when he would go home.

7. Appositive Brush Strokes

8. Participle Brush Strokes
-Similar to the absolute, but without the noun.
-Adding an -ing word (or phrase) onto the beginning or end of a sentence to enhance a description.
The snake spotted his prey.
Slithering along the branch, the snake spotted his prey.

9. Participle Brush Strokes

10. Adjectives Out of Order Brush Strokes
-When two consecutive adjectives are positioned after the noun
-Gives the description more power and a sophisticated feel.
The lion roared across the plain.
The lion, proud and mighty, roared across the plain.

11. Adjectives Out of Order Brush Strokes

12. Active Verb Brush Strokes
-Helps the image move in your mind like a movie.
-One solid verb that provides a level of description. The road was next to the coast.
The road weaved alongside the coast.
The waves met the beach.
The waves crashed onto the beach.

13. Active Verb Brush Strokes

14. Noden, Harry R. Image Grammar: Activity Book
Noden, Harry R. Image Grammar: Activity Book. Logan, IA: Perfection Learning, Print.