How to Paint Pottery & Ceramics:  Modern Turkey

Think you can't draw a modern turkey? Think again! We'll show you an easy way to draw and paint a modern looking turkey. Use this turkey plate for the big Thanksgiving Day dinner and proudly display it the rest of the year! 

Supplies

• Coupe Dinner Plate Bisque
• Paint Colors: Yellow (3); Orange (9); Red (20); Blue (37); Green (52); Brown (71); and Dark Brown (72)
• Fun Writer Colors: Yellow (3); Red (20); Dark Brown (72); and Black
• Pencil
• Small, Medium, and Large Brushes

Steps

1. Draw the turkey with a pencil

• Draw a semi-circle on the bottom third of the plate
• Draw 5 ovals for the feathers. Start with a large oval in the middle and then work your way out left and right

2. Paint the feathers – with a small brush, brush from the outside of the oval to just before the center. Use one coat of paint for a faded, fall look.  When you are done, paint a stripe down the middle of the feather.  Repeat with other colors.

3. Paint the body Brown (71) with a large, flat brush. Apply 3 coats of paint.

4. Once the Brown in step 3 above is totally dry, draw a figure 8 with a pencil. Make sure the top of the figure 8 is small and the bottom is big. 

5. Paint the figure 8 Dark Brown (72). Apply 3 coats of paint.

6. Details:

• With a Dark Brown (72) fun writer, outline the feathers
• With a Black fun writer, make dots for the eyes
• With a Yellow fun writer, draw a triangle for the beak
• With a Red fun writer, draw a squiggly line for the gobbler

Learn how to paint your own pottery and ceramics at Polka Dot Pots! We are located in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin, Smoky Mountains, Tennessee, and Poconos, Pennsylvania. We'll teach you techniques that are so easy, anyone can create a masterpiece!