Black turkey shape on a ridge at sundownYellow, orange, black. Blend the sky, let it dry, then paint the bird and the hill as one black shape.
Bronze gobbler in profile, copper glazed over blackBronze, black, red, straw. Glaze thin copper over the dry black body so the feathers shine.
Folk-art turkey with dots and stripes for feathersTeal, mustard, rust, cream. Fill each feather flat, then decorate with cotton swab dots.
Line of three-toed turkey tracks crossing fresh frostPale blue, white, gray brown. Print each track with the edge of a small flat brush.
Round turkey built from one circle and a ring of feathersBrown, orange, yellow, red. Trace a bowl for the body, then press feathers on with the side of a flat brush.
Single barred tail feather, brown on creamCream, brown, black. Paint the feather pale first, then pull dark bars out from the shaft with a small flat brush.
Soft brown hen with chicks trailing down a dirt laneBrown, gray, tan, olive. Hens are duller than males, so keep her in soft browns and grays.
Tail feathers only, spread like a sunburst, no birdRust, ocher, cream, dark brown. Paint the feathers as long wedges from one point, darkest at the tips.
Turkey face close up, red wattle and one bright eyeRed, pink, brown, white. Keep the eye tiny and dark with a single white dot.
Turkey pair between oak trunks, peach light behind themUmber, gray, peach, black. Keep the birds small and dark and put the peach only between the trunks.
Turkey peeking around the edge of a barn doorBarn red, brown, cream, black. Show only the head, the neck and one edge of the fan.
Turkey wearing a gold paper party crownBrown, gold, red, cream. Paint the crown last in thick gold so it sits on top.
The table and the food 12
Basket of bread rolls under a folded napkinOcher, tan, cream, brown. Dry-brush pale cream over the tops of the dry rolls.
Bowl of cranberry sauce as one bright red circleCrimson, white, gray. Paint the red flat, then one curved white highlight near the rim.
Bowl of whole walnuts with a nutcracker beside itBrown, tan, silver gray, cream. Dab each shell in two browns and one pale highlight.
Cherry pie with star-shaped cutouts in its lidGolden tan, deep red, cream. Paint the red filling first, then the pastry around each star.
Lidded casserole with a wisp of steam at the rimGray blue, white, ocher. Scumble the steam in thin white with a dry brush over the dry background.
Name card and a single leaf on an empty plateWhite, gray, rust, gold. Paint the plate as two circles, then lay the leaf across the rim.
Pecan pie wedge on a blue plate, fork beside itBrown, tan, cobalt blue, cream. Dot the pecans dark, then put one pale highlight on each.
Row of plates and glasses receding down a harvest tableCream, rust, gold, dark green. Make the plates shrink toward the far end so the table recedes.
Salt and pepper shakers shaped like two small pumpkinsOrange, white, green, gray. Paint each as a round shape with a darker stripe down every groove.
Stack of three pies, each crust a different shadeOrange, deep red, tan, cream. Paint three flat ovals one above another with a crust line on each.
Three taper candles and their glow on a dark clothDeep brown, orange, yellow, cream. Glaze orange around each dry flame for the glow.
Whole pumpkin pie from above on a checked clothOrange brown, cream, tan, red. Trace a plate, fill it flat, then crimp the crust with short tan strokes.
Harvest still life 12
Acorns and oak leaves scattered on a gray plankTan, brown, rust, gray. Paint each acorn as an oval with a darker cross-hatched cap.
Bundle of wheat standing upright, heads bowedStraw, ocher, brown, cream. Pull each stalk with a liner brush and dab the heads with its tip.
Crate of apples tipped over on its sideRed, yellow green, brown, cream. Leave a small pale patch on each apple for the shine.
Door wreath of dried corn husks and red berriesTan, cream, red, slate. Fan the husks outward with a flat brush and dot the berries last.
Horn of plenty overflowing with pears, nuts and wheatOcher, yellow green, brown, straw. Paint the horn first, then overlap the pears and nuts from back to front.
Mixed gourds lined up by size along a porch railYellow, green, orange, white. Paint each gourd as one flat shape, then add a stripe or two.
One pale pumpkin on a doorstep beside a pair of bootsWhite, gray, green, tan. Shade the white pumpkin with pale gray grooves, never black.
Pears and walnuts arranged on a linen clothYellow green, brown, cream, gray. Block the shadow side of each pear first, then lay the light into it.
Single butter-yellow squash with a curling stemButter yellow, green, brown. Paint the body as a pear shape, then curl the stem with a liner brush.
Speckled corn hung by its husks on a nailMaroon, gold, cream, tan. Dot the kernels in rows with a cotton swab, mixing the three colors as you go.
Warty gourds heaped in a wooden bowlGreen, orange, yellow, brown. Stipple the warts with thick paint on the tip of a round brush.
Wheelbarrow heaped high with pumpkinsOrange, rust, gray, green. Overlap the pumpkins so each one hides part of the next.
November fields and skies 12
Bare tree line under a pale gold November skyPale gold, gray, umber. Blend the sky, then pull the trees up with a liner brush, thinner toward the tips.
Corn shocks standing in rows at duskStraw, rust, violet, orange. Paint each shock as a cone and tie it with one dark stroke.
Empty road between brown fields toward a low sunTan, brown, yellow, orange. Narrow the road to a point under the sun.
First snow dusting the tops of leftover pumpkinsWhite, orange, gray, brown. Tap white over the dry pumpkins with a sponge, heaviest on top.
Frost along the furrows of a plowed field at sunrisePink, lilac, white, brown. Dry-brush white along the tops of the furrows only.
Full moon rising behind the ridge of a barn roofNavy, cream, black. Trace a jar lid for the moon and paint the roof across its lower edge.
Geese in a V high over a cut cornfieldGray blue, straw, black, white. Paint each goose as a small dark check mark, larger at the front.
Grain silo and a windmill small under a wide gray skyGray, white, rust, straw. Keep both shapes small and low so the sky takes most of the canvas.
Last few red leaves on a maple against slate cloudSlate gray, red, orange, umber. Dab the leaves with a cotton swab and leave most branches bare.
Lit farmhouse windows at dusk as guests arriveIndigo, yellow, orange, black. Paint the windows last in the brightest yellow.
Thin gray plume above a farmhouse on a windless dayGray, white, brick red, tan. Scumble the plume thinly with a dry brush over the dry sky.
Three gray bands of cloud over a stubble fieldLight gray, mid gray, straw. Lay three wide bands with a flat brush and leave their edges soft.
Thanks in your own lettering 12
Block capitals, every one a new fall shadeRust, mustard, olive, maroon, cream. Paint every letter as a flat block before adding any outline.
Chalk-style lettering on a matte black canvasBlack, white, pale gray. Paint the ground black and letter in white thinned with a little water.
Family names lettered along the feathers of a tail fanBrown, orange, yellow, red, white. Paint the feathers flat, let them dry, then letter one name on each.
Keepsake sign with this year's date and your townSlate, cream, gold. Center each line by lettering its middle letter first.
One big word of your own with a leaf each sideCream, rust, gold, brown. Pencil the word between two ruled lines, then paint it with a flat brush.
Swallowtail pennant across the canvas, your phrase insideCream, red, gold, brown. Paint the banner shape first and fit the letters to it.
Taped squares across the canvas, one guest per squareCream, tan, rust, olive. Tape a grid, fill each square flat, peel, then letter the names.
Your chosen word inside a hoop of oak leaves and acornsCream, orange, red, olive. Trace a plate for the hoop and letter inside it.
Your initial filled with tiny acorns and leavesCream, brown, rust, olive. Outline one large letter and fill it with the small pattern.
Your numbered list of thanks, one line per itemTan, white, dark brown. Rule the lines, write in white with a liner brush, then add the numbers.
Your word built from leaf prints instead of strokesRed, orange, yellow, brown. Press a leaf shape with the side of a round brush along each pencil stroke.
Your word curved over the top of a small pumpkinOrange, green, cream, brown. Trace a bowl for the curve and sit the letters on it.
How it works
Thanksgiving falls on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States, late in the fall. These canvases cover turkeys, the table, harvest still lifes, November skies and lettering.
Read the full guide
Thanksgiving painting ideas on canvas, by subject
Choose a subject from the list under the button. A male wild turkey has a fan-shaped tail, bronze wings and red wattles, so Bronze gobbler in profile, copper glazed over black brushes thin copper over a dry black body. A horn of plenty is a horn-shaped container overflowing with produce: paint the horn first, then overlap what spills out.
Lettering in your own words
No canvas here hands you a quotation. Each lettering idea is a layout for words you choose: Your numbered list of thanks, one line per item, or Family names lettered along the feathers of a tail fan. Pencil the letters between two ruled lines before any paint goes on.
Hens are duller than males, in browns and grays. Keep the bronze and red for the tom.
Questions and answers
What are some easy Thanksgiving canvas painting ideas?
Try Black turkey shape on a ridge at sundown or Whole pumpkin pie from above on a checked cloth. Each is a few flat shapes with no shading. The rest of the easy ones are under More filters, Level.
Are there fun Thanksgiving canvas painting ideas to share?
Yes. Folk-art turkey with dots and stripes for feathers can be passed around a table, one feather per painter, and Taped squares across the canvas, one guest per square gives every guest a square to letter.
What can I paint for Thanksgiving besides a turkey?
A pie from above, a horn of plenty, geese over a cut cornfield or a word of your own inside a hoop of oak leaves. The table, harvest and November sky groups have no turkey in them.
Which colors does a Thanksgiving painting need?
Brown, rust, ocher and cream run through the list, with orange for pumpkins and one red for wattles, cranberries and apples. Each idea names its own palette, so shop for the one you picked.