How to Draw a Turkey

Gobble through today's step-by-step tutorial to learn how to draw a turkey. Thanksgiving is a particular time to gather and share a feast with loved ones. One of the most iconic symbols of this holiday is the turkey. Turn your turkey drawing into unique sublimated decor and accessories, and add it to your Thanksgiving clipart collection.

Build a collection of fall-themed illustrations with our FREE drawing guides. Follow these step-by-step tutorials to draw a pumpkin or learn how to draw a maple leaf in three simple steps.

To use this animal drawing tutorial, you will also need some supplies. Artists of any skill level can follow along with any drawing medium they like. Illustrate digital artwork using Procreate, or create traditional art with pencils, paint, or markers.

Step 1 - Sketch the Turkey Body

Start drawing a large circle on your drawing area, with a small teardrop shape on the top right, as in our example below.

Shape the Neck

Next, draw a curved line connecting the head to the lower side of the body. Sketch another line to add shape to the neck.

Add Legs

Draw basic lines on the bottom side of the body to plan the shape of the legs and feet. From our example, we drew a bent line for the leg and three short lines for the foot.

Step 2 - Create the Wing and Tail

With the base body shape of your turkey sketch, it's time to add the wing and tail shapes. Begin with the wing and draw two curved lines from the body's center. These curved lines should stretch past the body's left side and come together to make a point.

Draw a large oval on the back of your sketch for the turkey's tail shape.

Step 3 - Add the Turkey Details

In our third step, we will add details to our turkey drawings, such as feathers, eyes, snood, and the shape of the legs.

Create the Feathers

Draw bumps for the feather shapes along the edge of the tail and wing. For our wing, we only added bumps along the bottom and a small section of the top.

Then, draw angled lines toward the body from each bump to create the individual feather sides. Do the same on the wing, but only draw lines on the end.

Add the Pattern

Create your turkey pattern on the tail and wing by drawing more bumpy lines. You can add any extra details to create your unique turkey illustration.

Face and Legs

On your turkey's head, draw a small circle for its eye, with a drooping shape close to the beak. This will be the snood. Then, form the legs and feet by drawing around the lines to thicken them.

Step 4 - Define the Turkey Sketches

Your turkey is sketched and ready for you to define. With a monoline Procreate brush, pen, or permanent marker, trace your sketch lines and create a crisp animal outline.

Main Outline

Start your lining by going over the tail and wing of your turkey.

Continue your line art by defining the head, neck, body, and legs. Make sure to trace the lines that you want included in your drawing.

Add Details

Use your lining medium to add extra detail to your turkey clipart. Apply texture to the body, neck, and legs by drawing bumps, curves, and dots.

Step 5 - Color your Illustration

Make your artwork vibrant with a fall color palette. You can use your favorite coloring mediums to color your turkey in shades of brown and red.

Your turkey drawing is complete! We hope you had a fantastic time following along with our step-by-step turkey drawing exercise. Apply your newly created fall element to decorate and make all kinds of items. Imagine how adorable your bird will look with Thanksgiving backgrounds and a custom quote.