1. A Brief Overview of Brushstrokes
(Image Grammar)

2. The dog walked across the lawn.
Core Sentence:
The dog walked across the lawn.

3. #1 Painting with Absolutes
Simple Definition: a noun + an “-ing” verb
Example: “Ears drooping”
New Sentence: Ears drooping, the dog walked across the lawn.

4. #2 Painting with Appositives
Simple Definition: a noun that renames the noun before it (use an article-the,an,a- to be sure it is an appositive)
Example: “a mixed Lab and Collie”
New Sentence: The dog, a mixed Lab and Collie, walked across the lawn.

5. # 3 Painting with Participles
Simple Definition: “-ing” or “-ed” form of a verb
Example: “Foaming at the mouth”
New Sentence: Foaming at the mouth, the dog, a mixed Lab and Collie, walked across the lawn.

6. # 4 Painting with Prepositions
Simple Definition: a phrase with an introductory “direction, time, space” word
Example: “with her puppies”
New Sentence: The dog, a mixed Lab and Collie, walked with her puppies across the lawn.

7. # 5 Painting with Adjectives out of Order
Simple Definition: placing adjectives somewhere other than before the noun
Example: “parched and hungry”
New Sentence: The dog, parched and hungry, walked with her puppies across the lawn.

8. # 6 Painting with Action Verbs
Simple Definition: Use strong action verbs whenever possible
Example: “limped”
New Sentence: Ears drooping, the dog, parched and hungry, limped with her puppies across the lawn.