What do the scribbles we unconsciously draw mean? What do you see first in the picture? Psychological definition of personality Psychological explanation of drawings.

The smallest “artists” (up to 3 years old) draw seemingly meaningless lines and circles on a piece of paper.

A little later (by the age of 4-5) the idea of ​​the drawing appears - mom, dad, animals, house. How he draws a person, what colors he uses - all this can provide a psychologist with sufficient information to interpret a child’s drawing.

A specialist, using children's psychological tests based on drawings, can feel the child's mood, identify the cause of fears, detect hidden tension and even serious problems of mental development. Parents who do not have professional skills in the psychology of children’s drawings can also get an idea of ​​the baby’s state of mind. To do this, just ask the child to draw a family, providing him with pencils or felt-tip pens of all possible colors.

Psychology of creativity: what children's drawings say

Interpretation of a drawing by color

Take a look at your child’s creation and try to guess what the child’s drawing says based on the main color. Psychology interprets colors as follows.

• The predominance of pastel shades in the drawing(blue, pink, purple) speaks of harmony and personal freedom. For “pink” babies, tactile sensations are important, hug them and kiss them more often.
• Predominance of red indicates the child’s openness and activity. As a rule, such a baby is excitable, restless and often disobedient. However, there is nothing to worry about, because this is just his individual feature. Such children are full of energy. As they grow up, they will be able to achieve success in life.
• If a child's drawing is made in blue, in psychology this is a sign of balance. Such children are calmer and more leisurely.
• Green– the color of stubbornness and perseverance. Light green indicates the need for protection. Dark green should alert parents – the child lacks attention and love. Such children grow up withdrawn, so from a very young age they need to be nurtured to be open and instill confidence in security.
• According to the psychology of children's drawings, yellow– the color of a dreamy baby with a lively imagination and a well-developed imagination. These kids love to play alone, using abstract toys (various twigs, pebbles, etc.).
• If a child draws orange sky, orange mom– this is a sign of excitement that has no outlet. It is difficult to calm such babies, so it is better to direct their energy to helping their parents around the house. It’s very good if among these things there is one that will arouse the child’s interest.
• Prevalence purple– an indicator of high sensitivity. This is a creative person with a rich inner world. These are vulnerable children who need affection and encouragement more than others.

The predominance of dark shades in a child’s drawing should definitely cause concern. Psychology says the following about this.

• Brown: negative emotions, health problems, experiencing family troubles.
• Grey: poverty, rejection, isolation.
• Black: Stress, threat and even psychological trauma.
• Dark red (burgundy with shades of black): depression, anxiety.

The predominance of these colors indicates problems for which it is better to immediately consult a psychologist.

Pressing the pencil

Weak pressure indicates timidity and passivity. If your baby constantly erases lines with an eraser, this is a sign of uncertainty and anxiety. Strong pressure is evidence of emotional tension. And if the pressure is so strong that the paper tears, this indicates conflict and...

Position and size of the picture

The image at the top of the sheet is a sign of high self-esteem or daydreaming. The location of the small picture at the bottom of the page means emotional distress, low self-esteem, depression.

If the drawing turned out to be so large that the child glued another piece of paper to it in order to complete the missing part, this is an indicator of an anxious state. Also, such drawings are often drawn by hyperactive children.

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Analysis of a child's drawing

Interpretation of a person’s drawing in psychology is carried out by art therapists, psychologists, and social workers. When interpreting a child's drawing, it is important to take into account the child's age. Three-year-olds turn out to be “cephalopods”, this is normal. However, it is still better to judge the psychology of children’s drawings from the point of view of the psycho-emotional state of the “artist” when the child is 4, 5 or 6 years old.

Joyless faces in the drawing or their absence, threatening facial expressions and gestures- may indicate emotional distress in the child. However, experts reassure: you shouldn’t judge by one picture. It’s a completely different matter when all the child’s drawings, created on different days and months, have a similar tendency towards gloom.

When analyzing a child's drawing, it is worth paying attention to its structure, comparing the real composition of the family with that depicted on paper. For example, the girl Olya did not draw her younger sister among other family members. There is jealousy towards the younger sister, a feeling of lack of attention. The same thing is said when Olya draws her sister larger in size than herself.

If the baby has not depicted himself, this is a sign of loneliness and a serious reason to think about family relationships.

Also note in what order does the child draw people?. The character drawn first is the main one for the child. A family member, depicted sideways or backwards, is in a tense relationship with the author of the drawing or in a quarrel with him.

During the psychological decoding of children's drawings, look at what the family members depicted are doing. When they are doing something together and are drawn close to each other, this is all a sign of family well-being. But the fragmentation of the characters speaks of discord in the family.

Children's psychological tests based on drawings

In their work, specialists often use children's psychological drawing tests for children, in which they ask the child to draw a family, the same girl, the same boy, or other situations. Based on the drawing, the psycho-emotional state and personal development of the baby are assessed. Let's look at examples.

Psychological analysis of children's drawings with an example.

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Surely each of us has scribbled something more than once during boring lectures, meetings, or while talking on the phone. We draw some curlicues, draw animals and little men and do not even suspect that they can say more about us than we know ourselves.

The fact that you can learn a lot about a person’s personality, character, and mood from drawings has been confirmed by many psychological studies. Psychologists have been using various drawing tests and techniques in their diagnostics for a long time. The meaning of reflecting a person’s inner world on paper is this: any of our thoughts, processes, ideas in the psyche ends in movement. So, our fears, unconscious desires, feelings accumulate in the form of a certain energy in the muscles, and when a pencil and paper appear in front of us, the hand itself, as it were, splashes all this onto the surface of the sheet.

Pattern position Regarding the free space on paper, it can also say something, even if it is a small piece of a notebook page or a corner of a telephone directory. If it is located closer to the top edge, then you have a very high , but at the same time you may be dissatisfied with your position in society (at work, parties) and feel a lack of recognition from others. The picture at the bottom means that you are unsure of yourself, indecisive or uninterested in increasing your own importance. If the pictures are predominantly on the left, you are emphasizing your past experiences, focusing on past experience. The right edge of the sheet is drawn - this indicates a desire to quickly bring the events of the future closer; your life and emotions are always turned to something in the future.

If lines your drawings are “shaggy”, bold, then perhaps something is bothering you or you are very worried about some unresolved problem. Weak and thin “web-like” lines indicate energy savings, body fatigue, etc. If your drawings are rather angular, the lines are perpendicular, then this indicates some unexpressed aggression, that at the moment it is difficult for you to adapt to something or someone new. Jagged, uneven lines reveal insolence and hostility. And if the lines are smooth and rounded, then you are a soft, calm, feminine person. When you “draw” one contour for a long time, outlining a figure in one movement, this means that you require privacy, you strive for isolation from external events.

Sometimes it happens that we we shade some fragment of our drawing. Short strokes mean you are an excitable person, long strokes mean you are measured and calm. The strokes are straight and clear - you are persistent and persistent, and if they are sketchy and light - you are slightly anxious and unsure of yourself. When you slowly and rhythmically shade some fragment, you are relaxed and free. Horizontal strokes mean femininity and weakness, while vertical strokes mean stubbornness and determination.

Your “I” can easily be seen in size your creations. The picture is large - this indicates that you have quite high self-esteem, you are expansive, prone to vanity and even arrogance. And if you strive to occupy all the free space, then perhaps, with a feeling of self-doubt, you extol your status in your imagination in a compensatory way. A small drawing means anxiety, emotional dependence and stiffness.

If you are drawing stars, then you want to be the center of attention, it is important for you to be bright and always noticed. But if your star has too many rays or you depict them separately from it, this may indicate.

When you're drawing out patterns like wallpaper, this indicates that you are bored, tired of a telephone conversation or a lecture, or maybe even your whole lifestyle. Come up with something new, buy an interesting thing or clothes that are unusual for you, do an extravagant act - and the melancholy will go away by itself.

Build on paper honeycomb– you strive for peace, harmony, you want to streamline your life. It is also quite likely that.

Spirals, circles or wavy lines mean that other people's problems do not concern you too much or do not interest you at all. Maybe you are even experiencing a slight emotional crisis: you are walking in a circle of your ambiguous experiences. Now you need to monitor your behavior so as not to lose your temper and lash out at others.

Squares, triangles and other geometric shapes– you have clear goals and beliefs, you almost never hide your opinion, you are always persistent and persistent. You are usually overly vigilant and cautious, so try to keep things simple.

Circle figure(especially if empty) symbolizes a tendency towards secrecy and isolation. You close your inner world and do not want to give information about yourself. You don’t like it when not only strangers, but also fairly close ones, meddle in your life and your affairs.

If you are constantly doing something shade or draw grids, then you are probably in an awkward position or have entered into a risky business, and in such a situation you will not take the initiative into your own hands, but will agree to everything that is offered to you, endure the insult and restrain your irritation. The drawing resembles grille- then you feel driven into a corner or try to isolate yourself from such an obstacle.

When they appear on your piece of paper chess fields, then, apparently, you find yourself in a very unpleasant or at least difficult situation. If such images appear frequently, then you most likely suffer from hidden complexes associated with the inability to resolve some situation or are in search of yourself, your life path, and doubt the correctness of your life.

Interweaving circles– it seems to you that you are outside of some important events, you want to take part in something, join some kind of community. And here intertwining hearts means you are full of feelings and ready

Experts say that those drawings that we, without thinking, draw on a piece of paper that accidentally comes to hand, can tell a lot about our character or mood.

Spirals and wavy lines indicate that a person is not interested in other people's problems. When such a person is forced to take care of the affairs of others, he strives to finish them as quickly as possible. If a person draws spirals during a meeting or telephone conversation, he should remember that he needs to control himself so as not to offend his colleague, or even ruin the whole thing.

Nets usually appear at a time when a person finds himself in a risky or uncomfortable position. Each thick line in the drawing symbolizes an attack that the person is trying to launch. Such a person is prone to “swallowing” grievances, which is why disappointment accumulates in his soul and then he feels even more unhappy. Therefore, psychologists advise such people to sometimes complain to someone about their fate in order to “unburden themselves.”

Garlands, flowers, the sun, unfortunately, do not speak of a bright perception of the world. Most likely, such a person is not entirely happy in his soul; he subconsciously dreams of friendship, tenderness and someone’s attention. Experts advise such people to visit good friends, or at least be in the company of pleasant people.

Little people - how psychologists say- this is a sign of spontaneity or a desire to evade some responsibilities. In most cases, a person draws little people when he needs to say a decisive “no”, but he is unable to bring himself to say this word. Therefore, the “little men” should be regarded as a warning that you need to be unshakable and decisive.

Honeycombs speak of a person’s desire for peace, order in life, and harmony. They can also mean subconscious desire create a family nest.

Chess fields are usually drawn by those people who find themselves in a very difficult situation. They dream of a clear and reliable path that could get them out of a difficult situation.

The crosses in the pictures symbolize. Similar symbolism of the subconscious occurs quite often. Crosses do not have to be present in their usual form. Women most often hide them under jewelry designs, and men give them more severe outlines. The person who draws crosses is worried about something, perhaps he is punishing himself for something, or he was simply instilled with a feeling of guilt.

The interweaving of the contours of hearts reveals a person’s feelings. He wants to kiss the whole world, but in appearance he is modesty itself. And the more sparing the words a person speaks, the poorer the drawing, so you shouldn’t restrain yourself to such an extent. Experts recommend that such people express their feelings.

An ornament that repeats a pattern of sharp corners and smooth oval lines says that a person is bored, perhaps he is tired of a telephone conversation, perhaps the topic of a meeting, or a way of life in general. On a subconscious level, such a person expects changes, dreams of new experiences that should relieve him of the feeling of wasted time.

A drawing with a complex interweaving of lines most often reflects a person’s desire to take part in something. Perhaps this is the thought of a stable connection, but most likely the person simply feels that he is out of the game.

The meaning of drawings in psychology it is difficult to overestimate, so you should not treat them as some kind of superstition or prejudice. The drawings reflect our inner state. Through drawings, trying to warn of danger or simply drawing our attention to oneself. After all, sometimes we think about anyone, but not about ourselves...

Surely the first manifestations of human creativity were drawings, not writing. Today, while talking on the phone, being at a meeting, discussing a new hobby with a friend, we often draw. These designs can be abstract, consisting of individual lines and geometric shapes. What are we drawing and what does such modern “rock painting” mean?

While studying a fairly extensive scientific and popular literature, I noticed that often, when analyzing drawings, some scientists do not consider some of the factors that are interesting from a diagnostic point of view.Firstly , for example, not everyone studies the question of whetherwhen and under what conditions was the drawing made? , what happened at the same time. It’s one thing when the image was “born” in a relaxed atmosphere, and quite another if at the same time you had to listen, for example, to instructions from your boss. This situational mood will certainly be reflected in the theme of the drawing, the force of pressure on the surface of the sheet, the sharpness of some lines, and much more.Secondly , we must take into accountwas the topic predetermined? drawing: whether something specific was depicted or simply what the subconscious dictated.

While studying psychology, I obliged myself not to use vulgar popular publications for my work. The latter may entertain the reader, but at the same time they give a clearly erroneous interpretation of the psychological characteristics of the individual. This disappoints some and pleases the morbid ambition of others. Therefore, in this article I tried to present something that is both scientifically proven and may be of interest to those interested in studying other people.

Features of “unconscious drawings”

Unconscious drawing should be consideredas a psychophysiological act , defined by a conditioned reflex system of movements, and not as an image of a specific semantic object.

Forming the skill of fairly fast, clear and at the same time harmonious drawing movements (as well as writing) is associated with the formation of a certain image in the brain. Until this motor image of movement and the drawing itself are thought out and composed, carrying out the movement will be impossible. On this occasion, the famous psychophysiologist Nikolai Bernstein noted that when training any movement, it is not the hands that are trained first, but the brain. Those who are interested in psychophysiology know thatthe formation of an imaginary image of movement entails changes in the somatic, autonomic and psychological systems of the body .

Each movement is closely related to the corresponding processes in the psyche through the levels of construction of movements of the central nervous system (so called by N. Bernstein -approx. author). These levels provide individual movements during the drawing process. The individuality of such movements determines the specificity of the image of the drawing, which, in turn, depends on the same individuality of individual character traits.

Without delving into the scientific details of the theory of the levels of structure of the nervous system, we note the following. The areas of the brain and other organs of the body assigned to these levels provide the general tonic background of the writing limb. They support the necessary working position of the body, fine motor skills of the forearm muscles, and contribute to the gradual transition of tension from some muscles involved in drawing to others. In addition to these, at first glance, purely mechanical moments that help to draw, there is an analysis and semantic assessment of what will be drawn, because the image is not only a graphic configuration, but has a certain symbolic or concrete meaning. Since this is due to the psychophysiological characteristics of the body, the drawings, being a projection of our internal experiences, show purely personal interests, problems and much more. Thus, our drawings must be considered taking into account individual psychophysiological characteristics. According to scientists Lyudmila Lebedeva, Yulia Nikonorova and Natalya Tarakanova, the psychological principle of projection is found at the basis of all types of artistic creativity. A person who creates displays or projects in this way his unconscious or hidden complexes, experiences and motives. The main mechanism of visual activity is projection. That is, what we draw consciously or automatically, while doing other work along the way, is a reflection of our individual psychological properties and worldview.

Principles for interpreting drawings

When interpreting drawings, the author’s previous emotional experience, his individuality, and possible neurotic reactions are assessed. For example, if in a simple conversation many people behave quite constrained, then in a drawing they can manifest themselves much more widely. Let us dwell on the consideration of drawings or scribbles made involuntarily during conversations with other people on the phone, at meetings in the process of thinking, etc. Such drawings, first of all, reflect the background emotional state of their author while drawing, and, consequently, the attitude to what was happening to him at that very moment or shortly before that.

Stages of interpretation

Images must be interpreted according to a certain scheme: from assessing the general appearance of the drawing to studying the details and features of the lines. Let's look at this scheme in more detail.

Evaluation of the drawing as a whole. First, the entire drawing is assessed for its integrity, harmony, aesthetic completeness, unusualness or ordinaryness. Such componentsdetermine the degree of a person’s giftedness, the development of mental abilities, the presence of taste, the level of internal culture .

Aesthetic completeness is evidence of the level of volitional development, the supply of neuropsychic energy, a person’s ability to work and the state of his nervous system as a whole. Strict adherence to the accepted canons of drawing does not demonstrate personal characteristics or indicates “average” abilities for everything. And in some cases, this indicates excessive pedantry, reluctance, and sometimes fear of change, and the manifestation of initiative.

The non-standard nature of the drawing shows the level of identity of the individual. The more noticeable the unusualness of the drawing, the more original the personality in different spheres of life. But everything is fine to a certain extent. Too unusual drawings, “encrypted” abstractions may indicate accentuation (overly pronounced mental qualities of one direction), a mental state close to pathology. Suffice it to recall the bright, incomprehensible paintings of Van Gogh, who suffered from psychopathology, Salvador Dali and some other famous artists whom society admires to this day.

Location of the drawing. The option of placing an image on a sheet of paper is psychologically associated with self-esteem and self-realization, the subjective perception of integration into the world around us.

When placing a picturein the central part of the sheet one can judge the desire and a certain ability to find a balance between one’s egoistic needs and the desires of others, the ability to find compromises, and defend one’s interests. In addition, this arrangement of the picture is evidence of a subjective feeling of security. If the drawing located in the center occupies almost the entire sheet of paper, then this indicates pronounced egocentrism, possibly aggressiveness and inflated self-esteem. The same can be said about a person posting his drawing.at the top of the sheet . This placement of the image indicates a desire to dominate and meet a high social standard. According to the above-mentioned scientists, drawings arranged in this way, related in theme to the depiction of people, often indicate a tendency to escape reality and the presence of defense mechanisms such as fantasy.

From the left sidePictures are posted by those who connect everything good in life with the past. For such people, the emotional sphere dominates. Most of them are dreamy introverts prone to inactivity.

Drawings on the right side of the sheet for the most part belong to those who have a predominant expression of the intellectual sphere, aspirations are directed towards the future. Such people are active and active. If the drawing is located in the upper right corner of the sheet, we can talk about the author’s tendency towards insubordination, unpredictability, and excessive conflict. Some scientists (Lyudmila Lebedeva, Yulia Nikonorova, Natalya Tarakanova) say that such people in extreme situations can direct aggression towards themselves. In my opinion, they may have injuries when performing activities in extreme conditions, for example, when skydiving or performing work related to urban mountaineering.

Posted at the bottom of the sheet the image shows a person with low self-esteem, who is constantly dissatisfied with himself and his life, feels dependent, oppressed and depressed. Such individuals often have depressive moods, feelings of insecurity, and sometimes increased levels of anxiety.

Emotional background of the drawing. Regardless of your own experiences, you should give it an objective assessment. For example, a smiling kind animal or a calm sea will indicate a similar state of the artist, and the wind tilting the trees to the ground, the toothy mouth of a shark, the crying sun will in no way be a sign of a peaceful attitude towards the process or event during which the drawing was created.

Drawings that express our emotions are a reflection of our internal state or situational attitude towards the time during which they were created. We can talk about a cheerful little devil as a projection of a good emotional background, a perky mood, a desire to “do something special.” A crying sun will be a sign of internal hidden or obvious frustration or resentment. In principle, it is not difficult to assess the emotional coloring of a drawing.

Analysis of individual parts of the image. If the drawing consists of multiple details, then this indicates the author’s energy, activity, and initiative. Hands or paws characterize the communicative sphere of the individual. They are typically portrayed as extroverts. The absence of arms or paws expresses problems in the sphere of communication, or simply the author’s inability to draw these parts of the body. For example, tentacles indicate courage and, possibly, enterprise, ears indicate the desire to receive and possess information. Horns express aggressive defensive aspirations. Paws, if they are stable and clear, show an attentive attitude to the basics of activity and the validity of decision-making. Weak, unconnected with the body, on the contrary, thoughtlessness of decisions, inability to be consistent. Eyes are the mirror of the soul. In a drawing of an adult, empty eye sockets drawn in the form of identical circles may indicate internal emotional emptiness, dullness, sometimes degradation, asociality and fear. Beautiful and well-drawn - a symbol of the desire to please others, to be attractive. “Dots” or “dashes” instead of eyes indicate an internal prohibition on showing emotions, possibly paranoid traits. Blackening the eyes and depicting them in dark glasses are associated with the fears of the author of the drawing, Lyudmila Lebedeva, Yulia Nikonorova, Natalya Tarakanova talk about this in the book “Encyclopedia of signs and interpretations in projective drawing and art therapy.”

Analysis of drawing lines. Next, the lines of the drawn image are evaluated: broken, sharp-angled or smooth, rounded, individual clear and neat, or multiple, randomly intersecting each other. As a rule, the features of drawing lines reflect such properties of the nervous system as its strength or weakness, inertia, dynamism. Some psychologists, analyzing the lines, associate them with the properties of a person’s temperament and say that the sharpness of the lines is evidence of a choleric temperament, and excessive smoothness - a phlegmatic one. In my opinion, such an assessment “works” when interpreting the characteristics of handwriting, but not always when studying a drawing.

In general, when depicting something, we, without realizing it, are drawing either ourselves or our inner state, or rather both. As a result, the outer lines (contours) of the central or only figure in the drawing are initially a symbolic boundary between us and the world around us, and the nature of these lines often reflects our attitude to this world, its subjective perception. For example,confident, bright and light lines indicate self-confidence to the point of self-confidence.

Uneven, unclear lines indicate fearfulness and timidity, especially clearlyunderlined and highlighted - a sign of increased self-control, the desire to hide one’s problems and experiences from others.Darkening, "smudging" - expresses increased levels of fear and anxiety.Clear, framing the image of lines drawn as if in one movement is an indicator of self-isolation from society, or the subjective perception of one’s state as isolated.Unfinishedlines, as if the author did not have enough strength to complete them - a frequent sign of an asthenic* state. Unconscious tendencies towards extreme economy of strength, the desire to conserve the remainder of psychic energy.

Pressure force.I always additionally consider such a feature of the drawing as pressure. With the help of pressure, you can evaluate the nature of the author’s external emotional and volitional manifestations. Both in handwriting and in drawingstrong pressureis characteristic of people who are emotionally active, mobile, distinguished by bright gestures and articulation. Those who draw withlight pressure, are in an emotionally depressed mood, do not like to speak in front of an audience, and are “pale” in emotional manifestations. Such weak pressure characterizes an anxious person. If these lines can be called “web-like,” then there is an asthenic, weakened state both physically and mentally, depression. A tree trunk drawn with the help of such lines indicates a person’s fear of self-affirmation and avoidance of independent actions. Foliage depicted in this way speaks of developed sensitivity, impressionability, and susceptibility to outside influence.

Impulsive, fickle In terms of force, the pressure of the drawing is the most undesirable. After all, constant, sustained pressure is evidence of a balanced character, the ability to think through your decisions. And fickle indicates nervousness, impulsiveness, excessive emotionality when making vital decisions, impetuosity, and often an inability to work systematically. If the pressure in the lines of the drawing is weak and at the same time uneven, then this may indicate uncertainty, sometimes neurasthenicness and, possibly, mental masochism. The last statement is usually confirmed if the picture as a whole is emotionally “sad” and expresses negative moods or tendencies.

Strong, but not very differentiated pressure is observed in individuals who are characterized by fixation on a problem, some experience, and a difficult transition from one type of activity to another. But such people successfully get to the bottom of certain ideas and almost never give up what they have started.

Very strong pressure on the drawing indicates that a person has a sharp rise in anxiety, probably attempts to aggressively suppress the source of fear, and great emotional tension. Broken and shaky lines drawn slowly indicate indecisiveness, self-doubt, increased levels of anxiety or even pronounced anxiety. Howeverthin and graceful lines drawn quickly and energetically are proof of the author’s confidence in what he is doing, the absence of embarrassment, and the desire to achieve the goal.

Thick lines framing the central figure of the picture indicate a tendency to impulsive behavior, sometimes thoughtlessness of actions and deeds, and some aggressiveness, including verbal. In part, this may be a desire to maintain independence from the environment, as if to preserve one’s integrity and originality. But sometimes, the desire to draw with very thick, bold lines has not entirely socially acceptable forms.

Thick lines, without strong pressure, can be found in those who like to eat delicious food and get some physical pleasures from life.

In many drawings, their authors not only depict the contours of a figure or a drawing as a whole, but also hatch, highlight some parts by blackening, in this way indicating shadows, etc. Dark tones that predominate in shading, tracing the internal space with broken lines of different lengths and directions indicate the presence of internal conflict and an increased level of anxiety. If such shading is done with strong pressure, then the author may be in a state of forced aggression towards someone.

Color drawings. A separate topic is the color of the drawing, lines or sketches, if any. As a rule, drawings that “came to light” during a telephone conversation or meeting are made in one color, whatever is at hand. Therefore, the appearance of color is in itself evidence that a person wanted to especially emphasize something. Preference for the color black indicates compensatory behavior, a desire to reject (for example, what is being discussed at the time of drawing), to show aggression, and active opposition.

White color is a symbol of purity and openness. If you mix all the colors of the rainbow, you get white. It is important to know that the attitude towards these, and some other colors, is different, for example, among Europeans and the peoples of the East. In China, white is the color of mourning, and black, on the contrary, is the color of joy and celebration. Therefore, studying the drawings of representatives of other nations requires knowledge about their archetypal and national attitude to color.

Red is the color of aggressiveness, offensive activity and sexuality, sensual passion, but also anger and violence. Sometimes the choice of this color indicates the presence of a “burning” problem, emotional tension, reaction to danger,

According to I. Goethe, the orange color of the picture creates the impression of warmth and satisfaction, as it is a shade of fire, characteristic of the setting sun.

Blue color is a projection of depth, the desire to withdraw into oneself, peace and quiet, reliability, harmony and hope. It is also the color of introspection and self-deepening.

All the same authors express the idea of ​​the association of yellow with warmth and light, the sun, which feeds life with energy. This is the color of clarity, joy and fun, openness, determination and the desire for active creation, as well as pleasure from the results of this activity. Commenting on the drawings with a predominance of yellow color, we can say that their author is an inquisitive, active person, sometimes fickle in his secondary attachments, striving for new interesting activities and hobbies. Such people easily establish contacts with others and often try to take relationships into a relaxed direction. It can also be assumed that the author has a visual-figurative, artistic type of thinking. It is quite possible that those selected by the author sent to the competitionFigures 6–9the background and color of the paper indirectly indicate the presence of the mentioned qualities and aspirations.

The same I. Goethe associated his idea of ​​harmony with the color green, believing that in it there is a reconciliation of opposites, male and female, black and white, soul and body.

When talking about the use of color, it is necessary to pay attention to the fact that green grass, red or yellow sun are natural uses of color. It’s another matter when a person with normal color perception (not colorblind) draws a black sea with a blue pencil, brown grass, etc.

Theme of the drawing.And the last thing that is evaluated and interpreted is the theme of the drawing, what is depicted in it. What we draw directly reflects our inner world and its state.

We have already talked about lines. However, I would like to add that drawing straight lines with sufficient pressure shows a certain degree of irritation towards the subject of the conversation or the person with whom it is being conducted. This is especially noticeable when the lines cross each other. A typical example isFigure 6. Such drawings are created by people who endure long enough and try to avoid conflicts, but experience them inside and sooner or later throw out all their emotions on the offender. Such an offender can be either a specific person or a job. On the other hand, such drawings are a reaction to aggression, a kind of protective, psycho-corrective technique that promotes relaxation.

Wavy lines are evidence of peace, calm, diplomacy, and the ability to find reasonable compromises in the current situation.

A drawing of the sun with a kind expression on your face indicates that you are in a good mood, full of energy, communication at the moment is enjoyable or promises good prospects.

Let's pay attention toFigure 7. It shows two faces from the front. Such an image reveals a person who knows how to communicate, who easily finds common ground with other people; a similar interpretation is outlined by Alina Lanskaya in the book “The Language of Drawing. A person’s character is in full view.” But the faces are clearly distorted, which indicates an interpersonal conflict with a loved one, dissatisfaction with oneself. The specificity of the image of eyes (glasses) is a sign of the author’s awareness of his wrongness in this conflict. Either the author is tired of frequent discussions of common mistakes in relationships, stupidity that can ruin them. The drawing also expresses a certain degree of internal anxiety and tension. Other drawings by this author speak of conflict not only interpersonal, but also within oneself.

Author Figures 1–5clearly loves to depict polygons, complementing them with ornate lines that decorate the picture. Polygons are drawn by people who are quite demanding of themselves and others, who achieve success in life not only thanks to patronage, but also to their own strength. When polygons have five, six or more angles, and are connected with decorations, then we can say that they were drawn by an emotional person who sometimes makes intuitive decisions. If such people are not raised correctly in childhood, they can be conflicting, uncompromising, and picky. Analyzing the drawings of our contestant, painted in color, we can assume that she is active and cheerful, sometimes she is overwhelmed with energy, but there is not always a person nearby who can understand and accept her wishes and aspirations.

Figures 10–11They give off as a sociable, interesting person, inquisitive, who loves to travel. Such people know how to give gifts, not only material ones, but also emotional ones. In combination with the chosen color of the drawing, we can talk about a large supply of neuropsychic energy and the sexuality of the author.

Our drawings are a treasure trove of information. Having studied unconsciously made drawings, you can “read a person” like an open book, understanding his problems and joys, states and hidden desires.

Judging by the nature of the lines and arrows (which contain numbers) in the figure, their direction in different directions from the same center, we can say that the author of this figure (rice. 1) person is sufficient, proactive and decisive . But in life prefers second roles , wanting to stay “behind the scenes.” Sketches in the form of rectangles with smoothed edges are one of the evidencesresponsible attitude to business , in particular to the one shown in numbers and letters in the figure. However, for the author, this work is already boring, or is associated with communication with unpleasant people, or insufficient appreciation of her contribution. However, there may be many reasons, but the essence is the same - something in this process causes negative emotions. A small, carefully hidden and sometimes unconscious anxiety arises, which haunts from all sides, both from leaders and from the environment. In the figure, this is manifested in careful shading, darkening with straight and broken lines of almost all corners and sides of rectangles. The author seems to be hiding in these rectangles, closing himself off from everyone. Small “spiny” hedgehogs or stars from many lines are another confirmation of this.

Despite the above, the authoran optimistic and lively person, active and attentive to work, down to the smallest detail, eager for changes that will help harmonize relationships, first of all, with himself .

The unusual configuration of the various components of the picture indicatescreativity, good level of intelligence . But the ability to create is not used for various reasons, full self-realization does not occur, which may be the cause of the already mentioned anxiety. The girl who drew this drawing is quite stubborn, always strives to finish the job she has started and achieve her goal, putting a lot of effort into achieving it. But, often, she hides her desires, grievances, and sorrows, while others take it for granted, regardless of her.

A drawing depicting a flower reaching towards the sun (rice. 2) - harmonious and holistic. It contains not only a form depicting flowers, the sun, grass, but also a unique, visually perceptible movement. Such kinesthetic features of drawings are rare. A person who is able to express them is distinguished by artistic taste, imagination, and often lives in a world of abstract ideas, as the famous German psychologist Hermann Rorschach believes. Most likely this is expresseddesire to pay more attention to the spiritual side of life, originality in relationships and at work . Based on the general assessment of the nature of the drawing, we can say thatthe creator of the drawing wants more warmth, intimacy, something that will touch the delicate strings of the soul, and not everyday routine . This warmth and attention is lacking primarily from a figure that is stronger, in the author’s subjective understanding. Perhaps this person or organization is not attentive to the artist and is to a certain extent authoritarian. If we consider the drawn sun as a source of heat, then in most cultures close to us, primarily Slavic ones, the sun personifies the male, strong, energetic half. In our case, the sun can just be a symbolic image of a person, whose warmth and understanding helps to find psychological peace and balance. For such complete balancethe author lacks emotionally warm communication, sincere understanding of emotions .

It can be said with a reasonable degree of certainty that the author is goodcopes with work that requires creativity, the ability to use associative thinking, see well and highlight the main thing . The girl probably needs it more oftenlisten to your intuition and to your dreams, peculiar clues from the unconscious. She can be receptive to inner experiences and contemplations, without which both scientific discoveries and deep feelings are impossible.

Well crafted shapes and patternsfigure 3 They say about the desire for harmony, about a calm and organized life , which does not at all indicate a desire to do nothing and sit with arms folded. But some people like constant travel, noisy entertainment and big companies, but our author would probably preferlook at the sea, the sunset and the fire in a group of close friends . She's got enoughhigh level of intelligence , but it is not fully used in everyday work. She alsocapable of long concentration of attention, has good performance, prefers quiet work , where thoughtfulness and attentiveness of activities with simple results are required. The author is a personsociable, romantic .

Figure 4, depicting a clown with wings, is interesting because its author actually painted herself and her inner state. It can be assumed, thatthe artist has a high supply of neuropsychic energy, is interested in many areas of human activity, tries to take part in as many different activities and events as possible . All this is aimed at winning a place in the sun, explainspassion for your activities .

The author expresses wellcommunication skills , communication for her means work, rest, development, and much more. Whereinshe is interested in all aspects of communication , be it a meeting with friends or a discussion of the latest interesting films and exhibitions, a one-on-one conversation. Such communication also performs a kind of protective function. The shading of the picture indicatesconstant fear . It's quite possible thisassociated with the fear of not being accepted, misunderstood or abandoned by a psychologically significant person . Therefore, in order to establish and maintain the contacts she needs,Both light coquetry and childish whims are used . Multifaceted communication gives self-confidence, and the main way she uses to maintain relationships is to be an interesting interlocutor with a lot of knowledge,the ability to present oneself , just be an interesting person.The author has a very well developed active imagination, her curiosity “fuels” the intellect, makes it possible to generate ideas, be inspired and inspire others, and be interesting to the interlocutor.

Based on the nature of the drawing and its theme, we can say that the artist still, when making vital decisions, subconsciously turns to a psychologically stronger female figure for approval. For example, to your mother, grandmother, sister, friend. On the one hand, there is nothing wrong with this, but on the other, the author finds herself in a situation of a kind of psychological prison, from which she is not allowed to leave, or she herself does not want to,afraid of responsibility for decisions made , the likelihood of a conflict occurring. Perhaps you need to win, and not beg, the respect of this person, stop being afraid of being misunderstood or not accepted, becoming yourself, stop suppressing those wonderful impulses that prevent you from living the way you want.

An artist at heart, positivelyambitious and ambitious , with desire achieve and possess . For this she is ready to work hard and well, to grow upward like her flower (rice. 5).

Very often, during a conversation on the phone, a meeting, a boring lecture, or just during a break at work, many people begin to draw various patterns, figures and faces on a piece of paper. This process occurs mostly unconsciously - we draw without realizing it. Meanwhile, these drawings, according to psychologists, speak very eloquently about our state at the moment when we draw. So, let's try to figure out what our drawings say.

Wavy lines, spirals and circles may indicate a slight crisis; the person drawing such patterns is not very concerned about the concerns of the people around him, he is immersed in his experiences and it is very difficult for him to find a way out of the current situation.
The sun, flowers, garlands, contrary to all logic, convey that the soul of the author of such a drawing is not in a very festive mood. Such a person craves care and attention.

The grid is drawn by people who are in a not very pleasant situation; it involves risk or puts a person in an awkward position. Such people very often hold back negativity, they are easily offended, and they do not know how to stand up for themselves.
The intertwining of hearts is drawn by people who experience strong, joyful feelings and are experiencing a state of love.
But drawing a pattern “like on wallpaper” communicates that the painter is bored.

If a person draws crosses, it means he is consumed by a feeling of guilt.
The drawn little men indicate that a person wants to evade responsibilities or feels helpless in the situation that has arisen.
Geometric shapes with angles (squares, triangles, rhombuses, etc.) give clear goals and firm beliefs. Such figures are often drawn by people who openly express their point of view.

Honeycombs communicate a person’s desire for peace and harmony.
Chess fields are drawn by people who find themselves in a difficult situation.
The interweaving of circles speaks of a desire to participate in something; such a picture would be drawn by a person who believes that he is not participating in any significant events

SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT OF DRAWINGS

Most often, involuntary drawings appear in the margins of notebooks, on empty diary pages, on foggy windows, and on sticky notes. In all these cases, the drawings take up free space. Therefore, the first parameter that is usually paid attention to is the distance (proximity) of the drawing from the edge of the sheet.

It is customary in projective techniques that the left vertical border symbolizes the past (memories, experiences); the right vertical border is the future (prospects, aspirations); upper horizontal limit - planning, carelessness; lower horizontal - internal conflict, heaviness in the soul. Thus, based on the boundary to which the drawing is shifted, one can draw conclusions about what a person is experiencing - whether he is worried about the past, whether the burden of responsibility is pressing on him, etc.

The location of the picture at the left vertical border is a sign that the person is ready to act, but at the same time, the person’s actions must be supported by past experience; he will act only in well-known situations. Such people value peace, they strive to insure themselves against any surprises, and do not take unnecessary risks.

The location of the picture at the right vertical border reveals a person who is spontaneous, forward-looking, he is open to everything new, he craves new impressions, and is well-versed in new conditions. Routine scares such a person. Such a person does not complete many things, being carried away by something new. If the picture is shifted upward, this may indicate high self-esteem, a desire for self-realization, and ambition. The location of the picture at the bottom indicates uncertainty, a pessimistic attitude, and an inability to solve problems.

CHARACTER OF DRAWINGS

Often people draw not only abstract doodles, but also very real objects. We will discover the meaning of such drawings in this chapter.
The image of a house speaks of a person’s love for a homely atmosphere, his desire for comfort. Often such drawings are drawn by lonely people. However, when they are drawn by married people, this indicates a lack of warmth in the relationship. Moreover, if the door of the house is located frontally, this indicates the openness of the person.

The location of the door on the side on the right is a focus on the future, on the side on the left is a fixation on the past.
If the windows are covered with curtains, blinds, shutters - isolation, reluctance to let into your inner world.
The absence of a chimney means a lack of warmth in a relationship.
The house is too long - many memories and many plans.
Too clear, repeatedly outlined outline of the house - attempts to control your actions and emotions.

The image of leaves and flowers reveals a kind and sympathetic nature. These people help others, often neglecting their own interests. They have a soft character and a little low self-esteem.
If a flower is placed in a vase, a person tends to avoid conflicts; he needs support and nourishment.
A flower with a cut stem - a person is lost in his fantasies, he does not adapt well to situations, does not feel support and support.
If a person draws a tree with a lot of leaves, it means that he is sociable and outgoing.
If the branches of a tree are broken, there are difficulties in the past that have left an indelible mark on the soul.
The tree has no roots - lack of support.

Drawing of a river, if the direction of flow is from left to right - aspiration to the future; from right to left - a lot of unfinished business in the past.
The river bed is straight - clearly defined goals, the ability to achieve them.
Bending of the channel - inability to concentrate on solving problems.
A stone in the river, a dam, rapids - someone has a significant influence on decision making.
The same is true for analyzing the road pattern.

Profiles of people, beautiful faces - sociability, altruism, love for people.
Ugly, frightening faces are a sign of severe frustration, an unpleasant internal state, and resentment.
The star is a sign of optimism; a person does not give up even when faced with a very serious problem. Birds, fish and animals, richly decorated and funny - a vivid imagination, a sense of humor. Musical notes, treble clef - a penchant for music, excellent taste.