How To Draw Turkey Step By Step
Getting a turkey to take shape on a piece of paper isn’t as easy as it sounds. It requires a few keen tips and tricks as well as steady and gentle hands to get the lines right. This guide to drawing turkeys should help you get started on producing your own, unique versions of this bird.
First things first – let’s get the materials you need reared up! Make sure you have a pencil, eraser, and something to draw on. Grab a piece of paper you don’t mind ruining, and get ready to get creative.
Now, if you’re asking yourself how to draw a turkey step by step, you’ve come to the right place. Before you begin to draw, take a few moments to appreciate your turkey’s anatomy – how it’s curved and moves gracefully. Take out a few feathers in your head and draw them, as turkeys love to show off their feathers!
Next, draw a large oval shape for the bird’s body. Right about where its neck would be, add a line curving upward for the beak. From there, draw smaller oval shapes for the eyes and around the beak.
Next, continue to draw the turkey’s body by drawing curved lines that come together to form the body and wings of the bird, and add curved lines inside of the oval shapes of the turkey’s body
As the turkey’s body is beginning to take shape, it’s time to add details such as the feathers. Just keep drawing a few curved lines to make it look like feathers and sketch in some individual feathers as well. Use light strokes, and make sure not to overdo it!
Lastly, add some legs and feet and the turkey is ready to be presented! Start with the legs, drawing a short, curved line and ending with a curved line that forms a kind of “J” shape for the feet. Add three sharp lines for the toes, and the turkey is complete.
Bringing Out The Colors
After you properly draw the turkey, you can now get to work with the colors! With some bright and vivid colors, your turkey will be the standout of any paper. Start by picking out a light brown for the turkey’s body and get to coloring.
Create lighter and darker browns by emphasizing some spots. For example, when you color the feathers, alternate the shades to make them look puffier. Adding white on some areas of the turkey’s face can make it look more realistic as well.
Next, pick out a lighter purple for the shadows of the bird and create a more three-dimensional look. Again, try not to be too light or too dark here – if you use too light of a color, it won’t stand out, while if you use too dark it will be too harsh.
Next, draw a few different red and orange dots to add a bit of shine. Though it seems small, these little details go a long way. Use darker and lighter shades of the same color to create a more realistic effect.
For its feet, add some yellow and green to give the turkey a more lively look. The yellow will make the toes stand out and the green will balance the color palette. And voila! Your turkey is now ready to take center stage.
Getting The Facial Expressions Right
Now you have a turkey, but what good is it if it doesn’t show its personality? Add a few strokes of your pencil and create a unique facial expression. Making your turkey look angry, happy, calm, or suspicious will add even more life to it.
For example, if you’d like to make your turkey look suspicious, try sketching two angled lines below the eyes which will ultimately create the illusion of eyebrows. The beak would also be dropped down and your turkey will be ready to cause a double take from its observers.
If your goal is to make them happy, draw a curved beak and two straight vertical lines for the eyes before adding a few vertical lines below the eyes to show happiness. You can also try to make your turkey look contented by drawing small circles for the eyes and an upturned beak.
Meanwhile, to make your turkey look angry, draw pointed eyebrows in lieu of curved ones, and a beak positioned downward. Make a few horizontal lines around the beak to add extra emphasis.
These are just a few facial expressions to choose from. Ultimately, it’s up to you to bring out the mood through the eyes, beak, and eyebrows. With these tips, achieving the right expression won’t be a challenge.
Colors and Textures
If you want to make your turkey even more realistic, try adding some texture and color. Draw in some darker lines in between the feathers, as some may be sticking out more than the others. You can also try to replicate some lighthered feathers, as well as their underlying plumage.
For the legs and feet, trying drawing multiple circles and giving the crease between the toes a triangular shape. You can also draw a thin, curved line for the claws and add some simple lines for the feathers of the legs.
Finally, use a few different color gradients to add more depth to the turkey. For example, you could go from light to dark for the wings, from white to varying shades of brown for the stomach, and from light to dark gray for the feathers. Doing this makes your drawings look a bit more realistic and more alive.
Bringing It All Together
By following the right steps, it should be easier to draw a turkey the right way. Make sure to keep your hands steady and use comfy materials that you won’t mind ruining. Keep track of the anatomy of the bird you are replicating so that it looks natural, and add some unique strokes to make it extra realistic.
Colors are also important to make your turkey stand out. Use multiple layers of color gradients to make the turkey look more three-dimensional and make sure to work on the features of the facial expressions. By giving your turkey the right details, you are ready to show off your turkey-drawing skills.
In the end, drawing a turkey can be both challenging and inspiring. As you practice and get better, your creations will only keep getting better. Have patience, take your swings, and get creative – with these tips, you will soon be able to make your own unique turkeys for the world to see.
