# Spray Painted Turkey Resist Art
> Lay paper turkey feathers on thick watercolor paper and spray diluted liquid watercolors around them, then lift the feathers to reveal white negative-space feathers. Finish with a construction paper turkey body and googly eyes, and use the colorful removed feathers to make a second turkey.
- URL: https://www.funlittles.com/thanksgiving-crafts-for-kids-spray-painted-turkey-art/
- Ages: 4+ · Difficulty: easy · Mess: high
- Time: prep 30 min, activity 30 min
- Works for: one-on-one, small group, whole class
- Skills: art, negative-space, resist-technique, fine-motor, colors

## Materials (one batch)
- 1 sheet Thick, high-quality watercolor paper (large/jumbo/XL pad)
- 1 sheet Thicker art paper for the feather cut-outs
- 1 piece Printable turkey feather pattern (household)
- 2 tbsp Liquid watercolors
- 4 tbsp Water (household)
- Small spray bottles or 2 oz mist bottles
- 1 sheet Construction paper (brown for the body)
- Turkey body template (optional) (household)
- Markers
- 2 piece Googly eyes
- Glue stick (household)
- 1 piece Scissors (household)

## Substitutions
- Instead of feather paper: Contact paper feathers stuck onto the watercolor paper (Keeps the feathers from moving and the paint from seeping under, so you get cleaner feathers. You won't get loose colored feathers for a second turkey.)
- Instead of feather paper: A sheet from the watercolor pad (If you don't mind losing a sheet from your pad.)

## Safety
- Spray away from faces and eyes, and keep each child's nozzle pointed down at the paper.
- Liquid watercolors can stain hands, clothes and surfaces. Cover the table and dress for mess.
- Googly eyes are small parts and a choking hazard for young children. Supervise closely.
- An adult or older child handles the scissors when cutting templates.

## Before you start
- Print a simple turkey feather pattern and cut the feathers from thicker art paper (not printer paper).
- Cut turkey bodies (and beaks and feet) from construction paper.
- Fill small spray bottles with diluted liquid watercolors: 2 tbsp liquid watercolor + 4 tbsp water, one bottle per color.

## Steps
1. Set out the spray bottles of diluted liquid watercolors, one per color.
2. Place a sheet of thick watercolor paper on your art space.
3. Lay the turkey feather cut-outs in a fan shape on the paper.
4. Hold the feathers down one by one and spray all around them, one color at a time.
5. Keep every feather in place until the whole turkey is sprayed.
6. Give it a second, then gently remove the feathers one by one.
7. Admire the white turkey feathers left behind on the colorful background.
8. Glue on a brown construction paper turkey body, then add googly eyes and draw details with markers.
9. Let the removed colorful feathers dry, then use them to make a second turkey.

## Tips
- Don't make the same mistake my child did! Leave the feathers in place until the entire turkey art is done.
- Don't print the feathers on regular printer paper. It buckles up as soon as the liquid hits it. A little thicker art paper keeps the feathers in place.
- You really need super thick, high-quality watercolor paper. Go for a larger/jumbo/XL size since your turkey is wider.
- You don't need a lot of paint. We still had leftovers for another art project.
- Some of the feathers got spray paint on them. They are still adorable! Use contact paper feathers if you want clean edges.
- Love that each turkey has a different personality.
- Write the month and year on one to keep as a Turkey Keepsake.

## The original post by TurkeyMom (2016)

Time to pull out your small spritzer/spray bottles and create gorgeous, colorful negative space turkey art for Thanksgiving. You know, any kind of [**resist art**](https://www.funlittles.com/tag/resist-art/) always turn out amazing! That's its charm. There is no going wrong with resist art projects and we have done a fair share of ours - [**heart resist art**](https://www.funlittles.com/valentine-art-tape-resist-toddler-art/), **animal figures resist art**, [**crayon resist art**](https://www.funlittles.com/halloween-art-projects-crayon-resist-spider-web/), **s[pray bottle resist art with letters](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-for-kids-easy-negative-space-art/),** **[glue resist art](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-kids-glue-resist-art/),** [**cracked wax resist art**](https://www.funlittles.com/art-activities-kids-cracked-wax-resist-art/) For this Turkey season, we are creating colorful turkeys with spray bottles and resist technique. We end up with 2 beautiful turkey art projects. **Materials** **[Watercolor Pad](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049UXGD0/?tag=blmemo-20)** Liquid Watercolors Spray Bottles **[Construction Paper](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0013CDJTS/?tag=blmemo-20)** **[Googly Eyes](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F8V66O/?tag=blmemo-20)**



Turkey Art Project for Thanksgiving : Using spray bottles and liquid watercolors Set up: Fill your mini spray bottles with diluted liquid watercolors.Either small spray bottles or even 2oz mist bottles are perfect for this project. Mix 2 TBSP of liquid watercolors + 4 TBSP of water in each bottle { one bottle per color}. Adjust the quantity according to your needs. I just added 1 TBSP of watercolors and just enough to get a good color. Scroll down and the 3rd picture has the entire amount I made for the project. We still have left over that we are going to use for another art project. You don't need a lot and you WILL not be sorry that you purchased the amazing liquid watercolors linked above. The colors are simply stunning. Place a high quality **[Watercolor Pad](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0049UXGD0/?tag=blmemo-20)** on your art space. Really, you need a super thick high quality watercolor paper. Go for a larger/Jumbo/XL variety since your turkey is wider. Use a simple turkey feather pattern or template. I used this [**easy pattern**](http://patternuniverse.com/download/turkey-feather-pattern/) to print and cut out my turkey feathers. The paper you use to print and cut out the turkey feathers also matters - you don't want to use regular printer paper since it will immediately buckle up as soon as the liquid hits it. I used a little thicker art paper so that turkey feathers stay in place. If you don't mind losing a sheet from your watercolor pad, take a sheet from that pad and use it to cut out your turkey feathers. *Alternatively you can also cut out the turkey feathers from a sheet of contact paper and stick it on the watercolor paper/pad to ensure that the feathers do not move during the art project. That way you get cleaners feathers when you are done.* Now time to SPRAY! Hold on to the feathers one by one and spray all around the feathers choosing one color at a time.



Don't make the same mistake my child did {lol} and NOT remove the feathers until the entire turkey art is done.



Your turkey art project will look like this once all the feathers are sprayed over.



Give it a second.



and admire the amazing colors of the turkey's feathers.



Gently remove the turkey feather one by one



Hopefully the watercolors did not seep through. {If you use contact paper as feathers then you can be guaranteed that the water will not seep through as long as you stick it right}



There you have your turkey feathers resist art



Now time to turn that into a turkey with some brown construction paper, markers and googly eyes. I used this turkey template for this turkey art project.



Love that each of my child's turkey has a different personality.



Some of the feather's got the spray paint on them. They still cute adorable though!



Such a happy little turkey.



We placed one on our mantle and wrote the year and month on it. This is only our second [**Turkey Keepsake.**](https://www.funlittles.com/thanksgiving-art/)



We placed the rest near the fire place and it instantly gave our fireplace a much needed festive look. Those cute pumpkins are from our popular [**pumpkin fizzy art.**](https://www.funlittles.com/fall-art-activities-pumpkin-fizzy-art-kids/)



Let the leaves you removed from the art dry for a bit and create another set of turkeys with them.



That's my 8 year old designer who loves lettering currently.



Thanks for reading

Happy Thanksgiving!

All our **[Thanksgiving crafts and activities](https://www.funlittles.com/category/holidays/thanksgiving-holidays/)** here