1. Image Grammar “Brushstrokes”
“The writer is an artist, painting images of life with specific and identifiable brush strokes, images as realistic as Wyeth and as abstract as Picasso. In the act of creation, the writer, like the artist, relies on fundamental elements.”
Harry R. Noden

3. 1. Absolute Brush Stroke Add a Noun + ing verb Function: adds action
Core Sentence: The car went into the parking lot.
Add a Noun + ing verb Function: adds action
Absolute Brush Stroke
•Noun + ing verb •Function: adds to the action Core: The car went into the parking lot.
Engine smoking, gears grinding,
the car went into the parking lot
Noun
-ing verb
Noun
-ing verb
Engine smoking, gears grinding,
the car went into the parking lot.

4. Add an :Absolute Brushstroke Instead of: The dog swam under water.
Write:

5. 2. Appositive Brushstroke Core sentence: The car went into the parking lot
Add an additional noun to restate the first noun
Function: Adds detail
The car, a 1936 Ford, went into the parking lot.

6. Add an Appositive Brushstoke
Instead of: The sports car is sleek. Write:

7. 3. Painting with Participles Core sentence: The car went into the parking lot.
Add an-ing or –ed word or phrase before the sentence
Function: adds action
Sliding on the loose gravel, the car went into the parking lot.

8. Add a Participle Brushstoke
Instead of: The lion roamed the savannah.
Write:

9. 4. Painting with Adjectives Out-of-Order Core sentence: The car went into the parking lot
Shift two adjectives after the noun
Function: Adds detail
(Avoid 3 adjectives in a row)
The old car, rusty and dented, went into the
parking lot.

10. Add Adjectives Out-of-Order
Instead of: The shark jumped out of the ocean. Write:

11. 5. Add Action Verbs Brushstrokes Core sentence: The car went into the parking lot
Verbs that do action
Function: Adds detail •The car chugged into the parking lot.

12. Add Action Verbs Brushstrokes
Instead of: The boat went across the lake. Write:

13. Practice Brushstrokes
Write a regular, boring base sentence about the photo:
Brushstroke
Rewrite it with the Brushstroke
Absolute
Appositive
Participle
Adjectives-Out-of-Order
Action Verb

14. Practice “Zooming In”
Boring base sentence:
Rewrite with a Brushstroke

15. Practice “Zooming In”
Boring base sentence:
Rewrite with a Brushstroke