Brush Strokes
This is Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Here are some details from the ceiling.
How long do you think it took him to paint this?
How long do you think it took him to paint this? 4 years!
Brush Stroke #1
Painting with Participles A participle is an –ing verb tagged to the beginning or end of a sentence.
The diamond-scaled snake attacked its prey. Not so good: The diamond-scaled snake attacked its prey.
Better! Hissing and slithering, the diamond-scaled snake attacked its prey.
Class Example
Partner Example
Partner Example
Brush Stroke #2
Painting with Absolutes To use absolutes, you will add a noun in front of a participle.
The mountain climber edged along the cliff. Example 1 The mountain climber edged along the cliff.
Example 2 Hands trembling, feet shaking, the mountain climber edged along the cliff.
Class Example
Partner Example
Partner Example
Brush Stroke #3
Painting with Appositives An appositive adds a second image to a preceding noun.
The raccoon enjoys eating turtle eggs. Example 1 The raccoon enjoys eating turtle eggs.
The raccoon, a scavenger, enjoys eating turtle eggs. Example 2 The raccoon, a scavenger, enjoys eating turtle eggs.
Class Example
Partner Example
Partner Example
Brush Stroke #4
Painting with Prepositions Prepositional phrases begin with a preposition and end with a noun Prepositions are often words that can fit in the blank of the following sentence: Anything a monkey can to ___ a tree. (to, around, in, under, up, down, below, beneath, through, for, from, beside, etc.)
We went to the mall for last minute school shopping on the last day of summer.
We went to the mall for last minute school shopping on the last day of summer.
We went to the mall for last minute school shopping on the last day of summer.
We went to the mall for last minute school shopping on the last day of summer.
Class Example
Partner Example
Partner Example
We went to the mall for last minute school shopping on the last day of summer.
Brush Stroke #5
Painting with Adjectives shifted out of order Rather than making a list of adjectives and overloading the sentence, you can leave one adjective in its place and then place the other two after the noun.
The large, red-eyed, angry bull moose charged the intruder. Example 1 The large, red-eyed, angry bull moose charged the intruder.
The large bull moose, red-eyed and angry, charged the intruder. Example 2 The large bull moose, red-eyed and angry, charged the intruder.
Class Example
Partner Example
Partner Example
Brush Stroke #6
Painting with Action Verbs Rather than writing with passive verbs, or being verbs, when you write with action verbs, it makes your writing come alive.
Being/Passive verbs EXAMPLES: am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been
EXAMPLE with BE Verbs The runaway horse was ridden into town by an old, white-whiskered rancher. (This sentence sounds like a picture you are looking at.)
EXAMPLE- ACTION Verbs The old, white-whiskered rancher rode the runaway horse into town. (Now you can actually picture it happening. It makes your writing more interesting.)
Another Example BE Verb: The grocery store was robbed by two armed men. ACTION Verb: Two armed men robbed the grocery store.
Class Example
My Example
My Example
Write a paragraph describing this picture.