I thought I knew what a turkey looked like, but when tried to draw one from memory, it turns out I was way off. I wrote a whole post on memory vs observation drawing here. But this post isn’t about memory vs. observation. It’s about turkeys.
As we all learn as children, sticking pieces of paper together with glue is fun I made this guy as a twist on the classic “hand turkey” that you may remember from kindergarten:
In any medium, a turkey’s textures, colors, shapes are a sensory delight! It’s fun to capture all the energy in the feature patterns:
Below is another type of Turkey that I sketched with a yellow marker, splashed color on top, then add details on top with a fountain pen. There truly are no rules!
Turkey-drawing tips
Think about your goal. Do you want a realistic, detailed observational drawing or to make a scrappy sketch for fun?
Notice the features you’re drawn to. Color? Shape? Feather pattern? Focus on drawing the ones that make you excited about mark-making! For me, it’s feather pattern and color!
Print it out. If I draw from photos online, it’s a guarantee I’ll get distracted by the pull of the internet. I like to print 4 - 6 photos on a page to work from. It’s a game-changer!
Take some risks! That’s what practicing is for — Get WILD!
Whichever way you practice drawing a turkey is the right way, as long as you’re having fun.
Prompt: Draw a turkey!
I’ll make a chat for us to share our drawings, techniques, materials and tips!
P.S. Playful Mixed Media Retreat in France has a few spots left. Check it out!
