Attributive adjectives are needed for the identification of the noun. They come after the article and before the noun unless they have a modifier, in which case they come after the noun.

Appositive adjectives are needed for extra information. There must be at least two of them; they may come before or after the noun.

Cumulative adjectives are those which are in a series. They identify the following categories, in this order:

determiner (article)

quality or character

size

age or temperature

participles

shape

color

origin or location

material made from

noun used as an adjective

Coordinate adjectives are two or more in a series, both or all of which are from ONE of the categories in the above list. (Test: put a silent "and" between them.)

Commas go between everything except attributive adjectives that are cumulative or have a modifier.

Examples:

Attributive adjective sentences

Cumulative (no comma):

The big old wooden rocking chair sat on the porch.

Coordinate (comma):

The honest, law-abiding citizen was my friend.

With a modifier (no comma):

People eager to get a suntan lie in tanning coffins.

Appositive adjective sentences

Cumulative (commas):

The tree, big, green, and leafy, stood in the yard.

Big, green, and leafy, the tree stood in the yard.

Coordinate (commas):

The citizen, honest, law-abiding, and happy, was my friend.