Thanksgiving Drawing Ideas

Turkeys, the table and thankful cards: 80 Thanksgiving subjects, each with a hint for the first lines, and 13 with a palette for paint.

Thanksgiving Drawing Ideas

Show all 80
  1. A place card cut in the shape of an oak leafRounded lobes either side of a centre vein. Write the name along the vein and leave the stalk as a handle.
  2. A turkey drawn in one continuous lineStart at the beak, loop the head and body, then zigzag out and back for each tail feather. Do not lift the pen.
  3. Save Room for Pie, hand-lettered over a pie sliceStack the four words in a block that narrows like a slice of pie. Crimp the crust along the wide end.

Next step Pies and more foods to drawNext in the calendar: Christmas card fronts

All 80 ideas

Easy 24

  • A bunch of sage tied with kitchen string Sage is the standard herb in stuffing. Long oval grey-green leaves with a pebbled surface, bound with three turns.
  • A card front with one acorn and a lot of space A smooth nut, a cross-hatched cap and a short stalk. Place it low and off-centre and leave the rest empty.
  • A cornucopia as a simple cone with a curled tip A cone on its side with the point curling up. Cross-hatch it for the weave and pile circles at the mouth.
  • A cylinder of cranberry jelly with ridges from the tin A short cylinder on a dish, ringed with evenly spaced ridges. One highlight along the top edge makes it wobble.
  • A hand turkey traced round your own hand The thumb is the head and four fingers are the tail. Add a beak, a red wattle and two stick legs under the palm.
  • A hand turkey with a different pattern in every finger Stripes, dots, zigzags and scales, one per finger. Keep the palm plain brown so the tail does the talking.
  • A handprint turkey in poster paint Paint it: a brown palm and a different colour on each finger, pressed onto 9 x 12 in paper. Add the face when dry.
  • A Happy Thanksgiving banner of paper pennants A sagging string of triangles with one letter on each. Alternate two colours and let the end pennants twist.
  • A kids' table placemat to colour in A turkey outline to finish, a small maze, a noughts and crosses grid and a box that says Draw your plate.
  • A place card cut in the shape of an oak leaf Rounded lobes either side of a centre vein. Write the name along the vein and leave the stalk as a handle.
  • A place card with a name and one tiny pumpkin Fold a small rectangle into a tent. Letter the name large and sit a thumbnail-sized pumpkin after the last letter.
  • A pumpkin, a butternut and an acorn squash in a row Round and ribbed, then a long neck with a bulb at the base, then a ridged dark green heart shape.
  • A roast turkey on an oval platter A dome with two drumsticks pointing up at one end. Tuck sprigs of herbs and a few cranberries round the base.
  • A row of gourds on a windowsill Paint it: olive, orange, cream and yellow on 6 x 12 in. Stripe each gourd along its curve with a fine brush.
  • A slice of pumpkin pie with a swirl of cream A triangle with a crimped crust along the short side. The cream is a soft spiral that ends in a point.
  • A sprig of cranberries on the vine Cranberries grow on low creeping vines with small evergreen leaves. Berries ripen from pale green to deep red.
  • A thankful jar filled with folded notes A jar with a label and its lid lying beside it. Fill it with small folded rectangles at different angles.
  • A trail of turkey footprints across the page Three long front toes and a shorter one pointing back. Alternate left and right prints in a wandering line.
  • A turkey drawn in one continuous line Start at the beak, loop the head and body, then zigzag out and back for each tail feather. Do not lift the pen.
  • A turkey hiding badly behind a pumpkin Draw the pumpkin first. The whole tail fan sticks up above it and two feet show underneath.
  • A turkey seen from the front, tail as a half circle A pear-shaped body in front of a half-circle fan. Rule the feathers as lines spreading from one centre point.
  • A turkey wing feather with white bars The primary wing feathers are dark with white bars. Draw one long curved quill, then bars across it like rungs.
  • A wishbone, whole and then snapped A forked bone shaped like a narrow V. Two people pull, and whoever keeps the larger piece makes the wish.
  • An illustrated thankful-for list of five small drawings Five boxes down the page, a quick drawing in each and a caption beside it. Pets and food usually come first.

Turkeys 14

  • A flock of hand turkeys, one for each person at the table Trace every hand, biggest at the back. Letter each name inside the palm and overlap the wrists.
  • A hand turkey whose feathers list what you are thankful for Write one thing along each finger before you colour it. Pale colours keep the words readable.
  • A hen turkey leading a line of poults Hens are smaller and duller than toms, in browns and greys. The young are called poults: fluffy ovals on thin legs.
  • A runner in a turkey costume at a turkey trot Turkey trots are Thanksgiving footraces. The oldest, from 1896, is in Buffalo, New York. Costumes are common.
  • A tom and a jake side by side A jake is a young male. The middle feathers of his tail fan stick up longer, while a grown tom's fan is even.
  • A tom turkey strutting with its tail fanned A strutting tom puffs its feathers, spreads its tail and drags its wingtips. His tail feathers are all one length.
  • A tom's tail fan filling the whole canvas Paint it: burnt umber, copper, cream and black on 12 x 12 in. Drybrush the pale tips last for a scratchy edge.
  • A turkey holding a sign that says Eat Pie Give it a wing like a mitten to grip the stick. Letter the words first, then draw the board round them.
  • A turkey in silhouette against a sunset Paint it: orange, magenta, yellow and black on 8 x 10 in. Blend the sky wet-on-wet, then add the bird flat black.
  • A turkey with a tail of real leaf shapes Fan maple, oak and birch leaves behind a plain brown body. Every stalk points to the same spot on its back.
  • A turkey's head in profile with snood, wattle and caruncles The snood is a fleshy flap over the bill, wattles hang at the throat and the bumps are caruncles. No feathers.
  • A wild turkey flying low over a stubble field Wild turkeys are fast, agile fliers over short distances and stay near the ground. Wings short, broad and barred.
  • The pardoned turkey standing at a podium Each year two turkeys are presented at the White House and spared. They are usually Broad Breasted Whites.
  • Wild turkeys roosting in a bare tree at dusk Wild turkeys see poorly at night, so at twilight they roost high in trees. Draw round silhouettes on the branches.

On the table 17

  • The 1621 harvest menu laid out: venison, wildfowl, fish and shellfish The 1621 feast at Plymouth lasted three days. The Wampanoag brought five deer. There were no potatoes or pies.
  • A cornucopia spilling gourds, grapes and corn From the Latin cornu, horn, and copia, abundance. Today it is usually drawn as a horn-shaped wicker basket.
  • A cornucopia still life in earth colours Paint it: yellow ochre, burnt sienna, olive, plum and cream on 11 x 14 in. Block in the horn, then the fruit.
  • A cranberry bog at harvest with the berries afloat Growers flood the beds and the loosened berries float. Paint it: crimson, grey-blue, ochre and white, 8 x 10 in.
  • A gravy boat caught mid-pour A low jug with a long lip and a looped handle. Gravy should be thick but pourable, so draw one smooth ribbon.
  • A lattice pie crust seen from directly above Weave the strips over and under, breaking the line each time one passes beneath. Crimp the rim in small scallops.
  • A leftover turkey sandwich cut in half Turkey, stuffing and cranberry sauce between bread. Draw the cut face so that every layer shows as a stripe.
  • A loaded dinner plate seen from above One circle, six foods, no gaps. Let the gravy run into whatever sits next to it, as it does on a real plate.
  • A place setting with a folded napkin and a name card Plate in the centre, fork on the left, knife and spoon on the right, glass above the knife.
  • A pumpkin pie slice with a long cast shadow Paint it: burnt sienna, orange, cream and blue-grey on 6 x 6 in. Keep the shadow blue-grey, never black.
  • An ear of flint corn with the husk pulled back Flint corn, named for hard kernels, is mostly multicoloured. In the US it is a Thanksgiving decoration.
  • Flint corn close up, every kernel one dab Paint it: maroon, ochre, cream and slate blue on 6 x 6 in. Dab the rows with a cotton bud, changing colour often.
  • Green bean casserole with a crisp onion top The recipe dates from 1955. Draw the topping as a tangle of small broken rings over a dish with two handles.
  • Sweet potato casserole under toasted marshmallows Rows of puffed cushions, each browned on top and pale at the sides. Show orange mash at one scooped corner.
  • Three ears of corn tied together for a door Husks pulled back and bound with twine so they flare at the top. Mix maroon, gold and cream kernels on each ear.
  • Three pies in a row: pumpkin, pecan and apple Pumpkin is smooth, pecan is tiled with nut halves and apple wears a lattice. Same dish, three surfaces.
  • The whole Thanksgiving table from directly above Plates are circles, glasses are rings and serving dishes are ovals. Put the turkey platter in the middle.

For cards 11

  • A border of fallen leaves round a blank middle Overlap oak, maple and birch leaves in a frame about two fingers wide. The empty centre is for your message.
  • A family tree drawn as a real tree with names on the leaves Grandparents on the lowest branches, children toward the tips. Give the trunk roots so it does not float.
  • A Friendsgiving invitation with a ring of mismatched dishes Friendsgiving is a potluck among friends near the day. Every dish in the ring should look like a different cook's.
  • A front door with a harvest wreath and guests arriving Seen from the path. The door is open a crack with warm light inside, and the first guest carries a covered dish.
  • A gratitude alphabet with one tiny drawing per letter Rule a grid of 26 boxes. A for apple pie, B for blankets. Choose things you are really glad of, not the obvious.
  • A menu card with a border of tiny dishes List the courses down the middle in neat capitals. Ring them with twenty thumbnail pies, rolls, jugs and spoons.
  • A thankful tree with a paper leaf for each thing Bare branches in a jar, with leaf-shaped tags tied on by thread. Letter one word on each tag.
  • A wreath of wheat ears and berries round the word Thanks Pencil the ring and the word first. Wheat ears all lean the same way round, with berries in groups of three.
  • Give Thanks in brush lettering with a leaf dotting the i Pencil the words, then thicken every downstroke. A small leaf takes the place of the dot.
  • Give Thanks lettered on a wood-grain ground Paint it: raw umber, cream and white on 8 x 10 in. Drybrush long streaks for the planks, then letter on top.
  • Save Room for Pie, hand-lettered over a pie slice Stack the four words in a block that narrows like a slice of pie. Crimp the crust along the wide end.

Detailed 12

  • A backyard football game in fallen leaves Football on Thanksgiving dates back to the late 19th century. Catch one figure mid-leap with leaves kicked up.
  • A Canadian Thanksgiving table beside a window of red maples In Canada the holiday is the second Monday in October, so the leaves outside are still on the trees.
  • A candlelit table edge with glasses catching the light Paint it: black, burnt umber, orange and pale yellow on 8 x 10 in. Each glass needs only two bright marks.
  • A car back seat packed with covered dishes Foil-topped trays wedged in with towels, a pie on a lap and a seat belt round the biggest pot.
  • A dog under the table watching for dropped food Draw at floor level: chair legs, shoes and a tablecloth hem, with one hopeful face looking up between them.
  • A giant parade balloon floating between tall buildings The big Thanksgiving parades began in the 1920s, Philadelphia's first. Invent the balloon and draw its handlers tiny.
  • A kitchen in full swing with every burner lit Pans on the hob, a timer, a list taped to a cupboard and steam on the window. Three cooks share one small space.
  • Hands passing a dish across the table Draw only forearms and the dish. Fingers overlap the rim on both sides, and the dish tilts toward the taker.
  • The kids' table with paper cups and a wobbly leg Lower chairs, smaller plates and a folded napkin under one table leg. Someone is building a tower out of rolls.
  • The oven window with a turkey glowing inside Paint it: burnt sienna, orange, yellow ochre and black on 8 x 8 in. Dark kitchen, one warm rectangle of light.
  • Relatives asleep on the sofa after dinner Heads tipped back, feet up, one blanket shared between two. The television lights the room and nobody watches it.
  • Your view from one seat: your plate, then every face round the table Your own plate sits large at the bottom edge. Faces shrink with distance and the far end of the table narrows.

To paint 2

  • A stubble field under a cold November sky Paint it: yellow ochre, grey, white and burnt umber on 8 x 10 in. Drybrush the stubble in rows toward one point.
  • A white pumpkin with a twisted stem on a dark cloth Paint it: cream, grey, olive and burnt umber on 8 x 8 in. Shade the grooves between the ribs, not the ribs.

How it works

Thanksgiving drawing ideas ought to stay near the table, and these do: turkeys, pies, corn, place cards and the people who turn up. Every one of the 80 has a hint for the first lines, and the bird, cranberry and corn facts were checked. Deal three, then choose Turkeys from the list.

Read the full guide

Turkey drawing ideas, from a traced hand to a strutting tom

The Turkeys group holds 22 birds. Five are hand turkey drawing ideas: trace your hand, make the thumb the head and let four fingers be the tail. On a real bird, a grown tom's tail feathers are all one length, a young jake's middle feathers stick up, and the bare head carries a snood, wattles and caruncles.

To paint, in burnt orange, ochre and cream

Thirteen subjects sit under To paint. Each hint opens with Paint it, names its colours and gives a size in inches. Turkey painting ideas start with A turkey in silhouette against a sunset: blend the sky wet, let it dry, add the bird in flat black. Drybrush, a nearly dry brush dragged across, leaves the scratchy mark that suits feather tips and stubble.

  • Easy Thanksgiving drawing ideas number 24, under Easy. A wishbone, whole and then snapped is one: a narrow V, drawn twice.
  • Draw place cards at final size. Fold the tent first, letter the name large, then fit one thumbnail pumpkin or acorn after the last letter.
  • US Thanksgiving is the fourth Thursday of November and Canada's is the second Monday in October. Count back from it when you plan cards.

Questions and answers

What are good Thanksgiving things to draw with children?

Start with a hand turkey, since every child already owns the stencil. A kids' table placemat to colour in keeps small hands busy before the meal, and An illustrated thankful-for list of five small drawings gives older children something to think about. All three sit under Easy.

Were turkey and pumpkin pie at the 1621 harvest feast?

Accounts of the 1621 harvest celebration at Plymouth describe three days of eating with Massasoit and some ninety Wampanoag men, who brought five deer. Wild turkey was likely on the table. Potatoes and pies were not. One subject lays that menu out as it was, so things to draw for Thanksgiving need not all be modern.

Can a class use these as Thanksgiving art ideas?

Deal three ideas, pick one, and the whole room shares a subject. A five-minute timer suits a warm-up. A longer lesson can use the For cards group: A thankful tree with a paper leaf for each thing is one of its 24.

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