How to draw a person for a 5 year old child. Step-by-step instructions on how to draw a person

Drawing for a child is an activity that not only brings pleasure, but also promotes the development of fine motor skills, as well as thinking, memory, and attention.

When portraying a person for the first time, most children act on the principle “stick, stick, cucumber - here comes the little man.” They do not yet know how to correctly assess perspective and correlate the sizes of different parts of the body. Children draw a huge (or, conversely, too small) head and do not bother themselves with drawing the details. But over time, preschoolers, and then schoolchildren, have a desire to learn how to portray a person correctly. Fortunately, today you don’t have to go to an art school or take individual lessons from fine art teachers. In the article you will find explanations and detailed diagrams of drawing a person for children and adults, using which you can learn how to create completely recognizable images.

Drawing a person with children: from simple to complex

At first glance, step-by-step drawing seems to be an uncreative activity that is not capable of having a positive impact on the development of a child. But this is not true at all.

Performing sequential actions, the child:

learns to follow instructions;
learns to decompose a whole image into individual parts;
fantasizes, makes his own changes to the drawing;
becomes more independent.

It is very simple to prepare for a lesson in drawing a person for children: all you need is pencils (simple and colored), a sheet of paper and an eraser. The child only needs to follow all the instructions, gradually reproducing on paper the individual details of the drawing. So, pick up a simple pencil and get started!

Draw an oval, in the place of which the head will later appear.
A little lower, draw a rectangle (body) and use a segment to connect it to the oval.
We schematically depict the legs - draw lines starting in the lower corners of the rectangle, and draw arms in the form of lines that start in the upper corners of the rectangle.
With the help of additional lines we make the hands more realistic and voluminous. We schematically outline the future hands.
We add volume to the legs - we widen them and draw the feet in the form of small ovals.
Now we draw ears for our little man - two small semicircles on the sides of the head.
We depict a hairstyle and add a couple of curls inside the ears to make the image realistic.
It's time to draw the character's face: beady eyes, nose, mouth and eyebrow stripes.
We dress the little man: we draw the details of the shirt, paying special attention to the collar and sleeves, and also finish drawing the hands.
Draw trousers and boots with laces. Our little man is ready!

Our man is almost ready! All that remains is to erase all the extra lines, draw an outline and color. For children, drawing a person step by step is a fun way to learn how to create similar images. In the future, they will be able to draw people, independently inventing the details of the future picture and correctly arranging them on a sheet of paper.

Good day, dear readers. Today we will talk about how to teach a child to draw a person step by step. You just need to keep in mind that you can’t immediately start with such complex drawings; you need to start with something simpler that’s easier to understand, for example, a flower.

The benefits of step-by-step drawing

Parents should understand that it is much easier to teach a child to portray people using sequential actions than through observations and sketches. In addition, you need to remember the benefits of this method of drawing:

developing the ability to follow clear instructions;
the ability to separate an entire object into individual parts;
the ability to bring your own vision into the picture;
manifestation of independence.

Required Tools

Before creating your first painting, you need to make sure you have the necessary equipment:

a workplace with good lighting;
a simple pencil, you can immediately purchase both a soft and hard version, for a small child - preferably with edges;
paper - individual sheets or album;
eraser;
sharpener;
colour pencils.

Age characteristics

You can start drawing people step by step until you are four years old. The main thing is that the baby can already hold a pencil and be familiar with the existence of simple geometric shapes. What are the features of drawing at different ages:

up to 3 years old, a child will be able to draw a basic man if he uses a prepared template;
from 3 to 4 years - you can start drawing a person with an image of a snowman or matryoshka doll;
from 4 to 5 – complicate the picture, add detail to your nesting doll;
from 5 to 6 – draw a person using simple shapes: ovals, circles, rectangles, lines;
From 6 years old you can begin to depict people in more detail, draw them in different poses, in motion or at rest.

Simple algorithm

If you are wondering how to teach a 5-year-old child to draw a person, especially if he has no previous experience in such drawings, then you should start with a simple plan of action. Moreover, it will be correct if you first show how to portray a person, and then, if necessary, guide the baby’s hand, helping to repeat the sequence of actions and the correctness of the lines.

I’ll tell you about myself: I’ve never been able to draw people, or maybe I just didn’t want to learn it. Animals, nature, still lifes - that's it, please. My son also has not yet shown interest in this kind of drawings. He loves to depict various types of transport, buildings and nature.

Basics of Proportions

How to teach a 7-year-old child to draw a person if he already has good experience behind him? It's time to introduce him to the correct proportions of the human body.

The head is outlined.
A vertical line is lowered, which will include seven more ovals of the same size.
The center of the chest is at a distance of two measured units (ovals below the main one, which is the head).
Three units will lead to the navel.
The pubic bone is marked after four units.
The center of the knees will be indicated by a measured area of five heads and the distance from the top of the head to the future eyes.
The middle part of the lower leg is 7 units.

It is also important to consider the following points:

the width of the head and the female shoulder are equal;
The shoulder width of men is equal to one measured unit;
the width of the chest corresponds to three units;
the elbow of the person depicted should be at the level where the thigh begins;
the oval, which represents the torso, should be larger than the one that represents the pelvis.

Drawing of an experienced kid

Older children who understand what human figures are like will be able to draw more detailed pictures with a pencil.

Parents should understand that teaching a child to draw a human figure can be a difficult task. In this case, the following points must be observed:

do not push the child, do not expect quick results;
do not criticize his first attempts, much less laugh at him;
diligence and consistency of actions, regular training will bear fruit;
you must always follow the algorithm of actions, do not change points;
during your first attempts, you can use a template, then samples, and then move on to drawing on your own;
Praise your child even for the smallest victories.

Now you know how to teach a child to draw a person. Remember the need for consistent training. Never put pressure on your child, demanding quick and high-quality results from him. Do not force drawing if the child does not like this type of activity at all. Creative impulses must come from the heart and be filled with the emotional experiences of the little one.

Man is the most amazing and unique creature in the world. And also one of the most beautiful. This is evidenced by the fact that images of men or women are present in almost every known painting belonging to masterpieces of fine art. A child thinks about how to draw a person: mom, dad or himself from an early age. Some children inspiredly draw circles and squiggles on their own, while others require training.

They teach how to draw a person, starting from early preschool age. The children's first sketches resemble scribbles. If a child constantly trains, then in the preparatory group he is able to quickly draw a drawing of a person in different poses. It is great if at the same time the young artist conveys facial expressions, portrait resemblance and individual characteristics.

The task of teachers in secondary and art schools is to teach how to draw the human body in accordance with the anatomical structure. For this purpose, several hours in the curriculum are allocated for academic drawing. The best learning effect comes from sketching from life.

You can learn to draw people well at home on your own. For a beginner, all options are good: drawing from photos, video tutorials, using paintings and reproductions for sketching, the main thing is to choose a drawing technique to your liking. Many beginning artists always take a sketchbook with them and sketch in 5 minutes at any time. If you don’t want to sketch on the street, you can draw relatives and friends, or your reflection in the mirror.

From this article you will learn

How to build an image of a person using geometric shapes

The methodology of a lesson on a given topic in kindergarten is based on the similarity of certain parts of the body with geometric shapes. So, babies’ heads are round, adults’ heads are oval, legs and arms look like rectangles, etc.

You can make a silhouette of a person from any shapes - circles, rectangles, squares.

To solve this problem, the preschooler is given blanks made of paper or cardboard, and he draws up a layout according to a given scheme or comes up with his own sketch. A more difficult task is to draw a person yourself using geometric shapes.

Step-by-step drawing of a man standing

Children 6–7 years old are already familiar with basic drawing techniques. They learned to depict a person in full height, from the waist up, in a static pose and in movement. Drawing from life begins in the preparatory group and in primary school. As auxiliary material in the lesson, it is necessary to have reproductions of paintings, photographs, and samples of work. Before the lesson, it is advisable to talk with children about the beauty and aesthetics of a person, about the fact that each of us is beautiful and unique.

Step 1

As usual, the construction of a figure begins with a simple pencil sketch. First, they look for the correct arrangement of large parts on the paper. Then there is an image of an oval head and torso, consisting of two trapezoids touching at the waist.

Step 2

From the upper corners of the large trapezoid you need to draw lines of the arms, and from the bottom of the small trapezoid - the lines of the legs. A common mistake is that the arms and legs are the same length; children need to be reminded that the upper limbs are shorter.

Step 3

The next step is to give the limbs volume. The shoulders, forearms, thighs and shins are depicted as elongated ovals, tapering downwards.

Step 4

A difficult task for a preschooler is to draw hands and feet. Therefore, it is often recommended to depict the fingers and palm in the form of a mitten, and the lower part of the leg in the shape of a triangle. But some children are persistent and want a real realistic drawing; they can be explained how small details are made.

Step 5

At the next stage, unnecessary lines are removed and the silhouette is completed. The sketch of the figure is outlined with a pencil, the head is connected to the body. They add a characteristic detail - a ball in the boy’s hand.

Step 6

Now you need to dress the little man, then draw the eyebrow growth lines, outline the location of the nose, eyes, and mouth.

Step 7

The light pencil drawing ends with detailing of items of clothing, shoes, and facial features. Hair is depicted using abrupt lines.

Step 8

To get a natural skin tone, use beige or orange. When coloring, you do not need to press hard on the pencil.

Step 9

When painting clothes, it is better to use different shades of the same color, highlighting light and shadow, so the drawing will be more vivid and realistic.

Preschoolers need complete freedom in creativity. There is no single and correct drawing option; you cannot correct a child’s work if he wants to act in his own way. If necessary, the right solution can be found through conversation and leading questions.

How to draw a person in motion

Middle school students know a lot about the rules for placing an object in space, taking into account perspective. For students in grades 5–7, it is advisable to start a drawing lesson with an analysis of the structure of the human figure. This is necessary in order to correctly convey the proportions in the drawing, to professionally depict parts of the body, otherwise the real person in the picture will resemble a mannequin. Despite the fact that anatomy is studied later, at this age children already have an understanding of the skeleton, muscles and joints.

The first step in building a sketch step by step is determining the proportions. In adults, the length of the body from the top of the head to the hips is usually equal to the length of the legs. The height of the head fits into the distance from the chin to the beginning of the thigh approximately 3 times. This figure is lower in children and adolescents. The length of the legs of a harmoniously built person is equal to the height of the head multiplied by 3.5–4.

You can depict a person depending on the angle or location of the object and the artist. The main positions are in full face, when the sitter is facing the viewer, in profile - when the person depicted is located from the side, half-turned or half-front, in which the face is not completely visible.

Step 1

The pencil drawing begins with a sketch of the head and torso in the foreground. The spine is the basis of the entire figure; it can be outlined with a curved line. The large joints of the shoulders and pelvis are schematically depicted as circles. Sketch lines are drawn easily, without pressure.

Step 2

At the next stage, the upper and lower limbs are drawn. The elbows are located at waist level, the length of the humerus is equal to the length of the ulna, the knees are in the middle of the leg. The more accurate the sketch, the better the movement will be conveyed.

Step 3

Now you need to build muscle. The most voluminous part of the forearm, thigh and lower leg is located in the upper third; closer to the joint, the limbs gradually narrow. It is easier to depict the body in the form of two ovals.

Step 4

Particular attention is paid to the hands and feet. They are also depicted schematically, imitating the skeleton of the limbs. The foot should be longer than the hand.

Step 5

After drawing all parts of the figure, the extra lines are erased. The silhouette is given the necessary outlines: sharp corners are smoothed out, the sides become sloping, body parts are connected by curved lines.

Step 6

When depicting a face, you also need to maintain proportions. The height of the forehead is equal to the distance from the eyebrow line to the tip of the nose and from the tip of the nose to the chin. The distance between the eyes is equal to the length of the eye. The ear is depicted just below the eyebrow line. To make a girl smile, the corners of her lips need to be slightly raised. At this stage, you can sketch the hairstyle.

Step 7

The more details there are in the drawing, the more realistic it will be. You need to draw clothes, shoes, accessories and other elements that create a bright image. Strands of hair can be highlighted with separate lines.

Step 8

You can color the drawing using colored pencils or paints.

Full length drawings of a person for sketching

Here you can download people templates and use them for sketching (click on the picture - it will enlarge and download):

Preschoolers love to draw. At the age of 4-6 years, the child has already mastered the basic skills of handling a pencil, felt-tip pens, brushes and paints. How to teach a child aged 4, 5, 6 to draw simple but realistic drawings, what step-by-step schemes to use, what to stock up on for the child’s creative explorations, and how to teach him to create story-based pictures?

We will try to answer all questions.

The benefits of drawing for children

Many parents have heard about the benefits of drawing.

Drawing for children 4, 5, 6 years old helps:

stimulate fine motor skills;
develop speech;
correctly formulate thoughts and put them into sentences;
express yourself;
assert oneself;
develop a creative approach;
develop attentiveness, perseverance, and hard work.

Among other things, drawing can:

give positive emotions;
strengthen memorization of material;
signal to parents about the child’s complexes and problems;
overcome the fear of starting work from scratch;
lay the foundations of aesthetic perception.

You can get a lot of benefits from drawing if you do it correctly. The main thing is not to overdo it and not discourage the child from wanting to draw anything at all.

What to buy a child for drawing

The key to good drawing lessons is proper preparation of the process. Children don’t like to wait, and if a creative impulse happens, you need to be 100% ready:

Paper. Take A3 sheets. Children aged 4-6 are just developing their eye and, carried away by drawing the head of the animal, forget to leave room for the body.
A simple pencil. Children use it to create basic outlines. Take the one marked HB, it does not crumble and is not too greasy.
Eraser. This is an indispensable thing for erasing unnecessary borders and lines. You can buy it, or you can make it exclusive using special plasticine. For one thing, remember classes in plasticine modeling, which is good for variety of activities.
Colored pencils and markers. The wider their palette, the happier the child.
Sharpener. Don't skimp, buy a good, professional one. This way the baby won’t be angry that she doesn’t sharpen, breaks the rod, etc., but will be happy to draw.
Wax crayons. They are good for painting over contours.
Paints. If the child is 4-5 years old, this is gouache. At 6 years old, you can give your child watercolors. These paints are transparent and vibrant, but require certain skills.
Brushes. Choose large (for the background), medium (for wide lines) and small (for drawing outlines). Select the diameter of the shaft to be the same as that of a writing pen - the child’s fingers will begin to prepare for writing letters and numbers.
Jar for water. You can use a regular glass or buy a special one.
Palette. Your child will definitely need to mix colors.
Colored crayons. Who knows, maybe inspiration will strike a child while out for a walk?
Soap and towel. No matter how neat a child is, if he works with paints, his arms will be covered up to his elbows, his cheeks, and his nose. Believe me.

When everything is purchased, pay close attention to the child’s creative corner:

Lighting. The place for drawing should be well lit - no one needs vision problems at such a young age.
Availability. The child must get all art supplies without getting up from the chair.
Practicality. Make sure that all surfaces are easy to clean and that the child is able to clean up after himself.

When everything is ready, you can start working!

How to teach a child to draw trees step by step

A tree is the simplest drawing that a child can be taught to draw even at 4 years old, using a step-by-step diagram as a basis. The baby is already familiar with the depiction of trees using straight lines and geometric shapes. Let's complicate the problem and add realism to the tree. Here's how we'll draw a deciduous tree:

Draw a tubercle, a circle above it and connect the two objects with straight lines (this is the trunk).
Draw a smile on the circle that goes through the top points of the straight lines. Draw branches to it.
Make the edge of the crown uneven, highlight the places where the branches enter, draw the trunk and grass on the tubercle. The tree is ready!

Using the same principle - from simple schematic outlines to the desired contours - draw a spruce and birch tree, as shown in the following pictures.

Conveniently, the trunk and branches can be drawn with a pencil, and the child is free to create the crown as he wishes. Fingerprints, brush pressure, pencil strokes. In any case, the tree will turn out to be alive and real.

How to teach a child to draw animals step by step

For drawing animals with children 4-6 years old, use the same method. Draw the frame using geometric shapes and give it a shape.

Let's look at this point using the example of man's best friend - a dog:

Draw a circle and an irregular oval - this is the head and body of the dog.
Connect two roundnesses with smooth lines - this is the neck.
Add a muzzle and tail.
Draw the ear and paws.
We paint over the ear, draw the nose, eyes and tongue, add the outline of the second pair of paws, erase unnecessary borders - the dog is ready to guard the yard!

The yard can be drawn around the dog later. Add a house, a booth, a fence - and the plot drawing is ready!

Using the dog principle, try to depict:

kitten;
duck;
horse;
pig.

If your child wants a running horse, simply lift the front of the body higher when drawing and “bend” the horse’s front legs at the knee, allowing the mane and tail to flutter in the wind.

How to teach a child to draw a person step by step

One of the first desires of a child is to draw a picture of mom, dad and himself. At first these are stick men, but this option will not suit a 4-year-old child, and an angular man ceases to seem like a good drawing already at 5 years old. And the child also wants a person to do something on paper.

Let's try to draw a boy about to play chess:

If a child is seriously interested in drawing people and what you offer him does not suit him due to disproportionateness, show the little artist the following diagram:

Here are the proportions of people of different ages; a child may be interested in this, and he will try to draw a real proportionate person. This information is relevant for children 6 years old.

Autumn landscape - step-by-step drawing for children

The easiest way for 4-5 year old children to paint is to create a landscape.

Let's take autumn - it is the most colorful:

Don't force a 4 year old child to draw. If he doesn’t want to, replace drawing. Bored? Try to switch his attention to . For him, drawing can be a completed stage, and he realizes himself through other activities.
If a child at 5-6 years old is completely “showy”, distract him from his favorite activity or introduce elements of such games into his gatherings with the album. The baby must develop harmoniously.
Talk to your child about his drawings. A simple “wow, beautiful” is not enough. Ask what is happening in the picture, why everything is this way and not otherwise - the baby will appreciate your attention.
Do not compare your child’s work with one example. The sun can be depicted in a hundred different ways. Don’t instill in your child the complex that he won’t succeed this way; encourage the individuality of his work.
Keep your child's work. And he will be pleased, and in your old age you will have something to look at and remember.

Drawing for children - video

This video shows how to draw a person. They tell you how to calculate the proportions of a person.

This video shows a detailed lesson on painting with watercolors. It describes in detail how to prepare for such an event.

Drawing is a useful activity for children. By drawing, the child trains attention, memory and hand, and by talking about what he has drawn, he practices speech. For some children, drawing is a real outlet, their own world from which they cannot be torn away. Not all children become artists, but all children's drawings are masterpieces for their parents.

Does your baby draw a lot? What does your child like to draw most? If you have interesting ideas for children's drawings or experience on how to teach drawing to children 4-6 years old, share it with us in the comments!

The “Human Drawing” test was developed by K. Machover in 1946 based on the F. Goodenough test in order to determine individual personality characteristics.

Research procedure

The child is given a simple pencil of medium softness and a standard blank sheet of A4 paper (21 x 29 cm) and asked to create a drawing: “Please draw the kind of person you want.”

Your request may raise a lot of questions or refusal. If the child refuses, you must try to convince him. All kinds of questions, which, as a rule, are of a clarifying nature (“What kind of person?”) should be answered evasively, for example: “Anyone,” “Draw whoever you want.” To any expressions of doubt, you can say: “You start, and then it will be easier...”. In response to your request, the child will not necessarily create a full-fledged drawing of a person. He can draw a person partially, like a bust, or as a caricature, a cartoon character, or an abstract image.

In principle, any drawing can provide important information about the child, however, if the drawing does not satisfy the requirements, the child is asked to take another sheet of paper and draw the person again, now in full size, with the whole head, torso, arms and legs. The instruction is repeated until a satisfactory drawing of the human figure is obtained. You should record all the child’s questions and remarks during the drawing process, the peculiarities of his behavior, as well as such manipulations as erasing elements of the drawing and additions. The same goes for drawing time.

Observations of the child made while working on the drawing will give you important information about his characteristics. How did he react to the task? Did he express resistance or a sharp refusal? Did you ask additional questions and how many? Did he express an urgent need for further instructions?

If so, then in what way: did he declare it directly or was it expressed in his movements and behavior? Maybe the child boldly began to complete the task and did not express any doubts about his abilities? Or were his doubts and insecurities reflected in everything he did and said? Such observations provide a lot of food for thought: maybe the child feels unprotected, he is anxious, restless, unsure of himself, doubtful, suspicious, arrogant, negativistic, extremely critical, hostile, tense, calm, trusting, curious, embarrassed , alert, impulsive, etc. and so on.

After the drawing is completed, ask the child if he has drawn everything, and then proceed to a conversation that is based on the drawing and its features. During the conversation, you can clarify all the unclear aspects of the drawing, and through the attitudes, feelings and experiences that the child expresses during the conversation, you can obtain unique information regarding his emotional and psychological state. The conversation may include questions: Who is this person? Where does he live? Does he have friends? What does he do? Is he good or evil? Who is he looking at? Who's looking at him?

In principle, you can resort to a short version of graphical information processing. You will not find any deep revelations, but you will receive some data regarding the child’s mental development. The answers to the questions below will make it clear whether the child is showing any obvious deviations or whether there are signs of psychopathology.

Interpretation of the result

It is very easy to draw conclusions. In general, the child’s drawing should correspond to the description given. The closer his drawing is to this model, the higher the level of his development. Assigning one point to each positive answer, add up the points received.

A normally mentally developed child should score the points indicated below in accordance with his age.

5 years - 10 points
6 years - 14 points
7 years - 18 points
8 years - 22 points
9 years - 26 points
10 years - 30 points
11 years old - 34 points
12 years old - 38 points
13 years old - 42 points
14 years old - over 42 points

Additional details of the drawing, such as a cane, briefcase, roller skates, etc., speak in favor of the child, but provided that this detail is appropriate in the given drawing or even necessary for the given person depicted, for example, a sword for a warrior.

There may also be negative signs in the picture that you should pay attention to, as they may indicate certain problems.

There are no eyes on the face; one eye on the face in full view; two eyes on the face in profile.
There is no nose, the nose is in the form of one vertical line or point.
No mouth or one-dimensional mouth as a horizontal line.
No torso or stick torso.
There are no hands (the figure has one hand in frontal view), no fingers.
Brushes in the form of mittens, stub brushes or fingerless circles.
No feet.
There are no clothes and no sexual characteristics.
The shin is wider than the thigh and other violations of body proportions.

First of all, note whether there are gross errors in the image of the figure, for example, those listed above.

If we assume that the drawing of a human figure symbolizes the image of the body, which is considered to be very susceptible to external stimuli that disturb the emotional state of the child, then the problems that he experiences will be symbolically reflected in the drawing. The more significant the child's disorder, the more both his body image and his graphic representation of the latter suffer. Following the body image, the child’s drawing may suffer in whole or in part, or simply become slightly different from the generally accepted one. Serious deviations include the depiction of a figure with disparate body parts, completely inappropriate details, the depiction of another object instead of a person, the erasure of a drawn human figure, rigid, motionless, robot-like (Fig. 14) or very bizarre figures.

Such cases indicate serious problems and disorders.

Another significant negative factor is the child’s portrayal of a figure of the opposite sex, which is not necessarily associated with homosexual tendencies, as is often believed. It may be an expression of sexual role confusion, a strong attachment or dependence on a parent of the opposite sex, or a strong attachment or dependence on some other person of the opposite sex.

When faced with something similar or simply incomprehensible, do not rush to draw conclusions. Some oddities in drawings may have simple and plausible explanations. Therefore, the next step will be to describe the drawn figure. Ask your child to tell you who is in his drawing. Even a simple description by a child of a drawing can provide interesting information, since, despite the lack of external similarity between the author and his creation, the description of the figure will talk about the child himself, his feelings, thoughts and experiences.

Other questions to ask your child to get as much information as possible:

Who is he?
Do you know this person?
Who does he look like, who does he resemble?
Who were you thinking about when you were drawing?
What is the drawn person doing, what is he currently doing?
How old is he?
Where is he located?
What's around him?
What is he thinking about?
How does he feel?
What does he do?
You like him?
does he have bad habits?
Does he have any wishes?
What comes to your mind when you look at this drawn man?
Is this person healthy?
What does this person want most?

During this conversation with your child, you can ask him to clarify or comment on the unclear details, dubious or unclear places in the drawing. Also ask which part of the body, in his opinion, turned out best and why, and which part was the worst, why.

Another option for talking with your child is to ask him to make up a story about this person.

After you have collected primary information using this brief survey and analysis of the child’s behavior while drawing, you should move on to interpreting the drawing. First of all, you need to keep in mind that each part of the depicted figure has a symbolic meaning, the nature of which is taken into account when interpreting. Each organ of the body acquires a special symbolic meaning, since it reflects echoes of the emotional and social life of the child.

Once again we want to warn about the unacceptability of hasty conclusions. Research shows that the ways and manner of expressing emotions, experiences, conflicts and other aspects of a child’s mental life change depending on the situation and vary from person to person. Therefore, you should not try to make any diagnosis based on a single sign; in the process of analysis, you must take into account the drawing as a whole.

Symbolic meaning of the human figure

Head- the personification of the sphere of intellect, the place of localization of the child’s “I”, his mental center, so it is not surprising that maximum attention is paid to the head. If a child pays little attention to his head, this may indicate problems of adaptation to the social environment, communication difficulties, or even the presence of neurosis, since the head and, in particular, forehead- This is also a reflection of self-control and the sphere of social contacts. This is the part of the body that is always open to the gaze of others and through this is involved in the process of relationships with other people. The absence of a forehead means that the child is deliberately ignoring the mental sphere.

The ratio of the proportions of the head and body is the relationship between the physical and spiritual in the child. If a person disproportionately large head- this may be a sign that the child is suffering from headaches or experiencing other negative effects in this area. Fixation on the head may be associated with weakening of intellectual abilities or control, as a result of which the importance of this part of the body for the child increases. A large head in this case acts as an expression of the desire to compensate for what is missing. Teenagers who are aware of their lag behind their peers in mental development, in the development of reading or writing skills, etc., or who suffer from adaptation disorders, also often draw a large head on a person.

Hair. Highlighting hair on the head may indicate a desire to emphasize the masculinity of a male figure. The emphasis on girls' hair, the careful depiction of voluminous hairstyles, long, cascading hair in combination with other obvious elements of decoration may indicate early sexual maturation.

Face- a symbol of the sphere of communication, the most important center of communication. It is considered to be the most social part of the drawing. A child who has difficulty communicating, is timid, tends to avoid problems associated with conflicts in relationships with others, depicts facial features unclearly, draws them poorly, depicts them very schematically, and misses the depiction of facial features. At the same time, he can carefully and confidently highlight other parts of the figure. Another indicative case is when a child draws his face last. The relationships of such a child are very superficial; he tolerates other people to the extent that he can. He is extremely wary, expects only bad things from others, and is often hostile towards others.

We can also talk about aggression and hostility in the case of an appropriate facial expression: wide eyes, pursed lips or an open mouth with bared teeth. Well-drawn facial features indicate attention to oneself and healthy self-esteem. On the other hand, focusing on this part, excessively emphasizing and highlighting facial features may be an attempt to create an image of a socially adapted, successful person with personal energy in order to compensate for one’s inadequacy and weakness of self-affirmation.

Painted face- a rather negative sign that correlates with a loss of identity, a loss of a sense of self. An equally disturbing fact is the image of an animal-like or robot-like face, as well as an impersonal, expressionless face, which can be said to be inanimate.

Chin. It has a stereotypical meaning, according to which we know that the chin is a reflection of willpower, authority, masculinity, etc. Infatuation with the image of the chin, which manifests itself in the fact that it is often erased, redrawn, outlined, or drawn noticeably protruding (in the drawings of the figure in profile), can be regarded as compensation for weakness, indecisiveness, and fear of responsibility. This may indicate a desire for superiority and importance in the eyes of others. This interpretation is even more justified if the strong, pressing drawing of the entire facial profile is combined with weak, light lines in the image of the remaining parts. In this case, we can assume that the author of the drawing actually does not possess such qualities and only imagines himself as such in his imagination.

Brows. Eyebrows are given the same importance as the scalp. Neat eyebrows, just like a neat hairstyle, are evidence of caring about your own appearance, well-groomed behavior, restraint, and moderation. Thick, shaggy eyebrows indicate rudeness of character, obstinacy, intemperance, primitive morals, etc. Raised eyebrows are associated with arrogance and arrogance.

Ears- if they exist, then they indicate openness of perception or wariness in relation to the world around us. Children begin to depict ears at a fairly late age, so omitting this part of the body or hiding it behind hair is considered insignificant. A certain emphasis on the ears in the picture may indicate sensitivity to comments and condemnation and, indirectly, stubbornness and disobedience to authority.

Eyes, as you know, is a mirror of the soul, a reflection of the child’s inner world. Just the look in the eyes can say a lot about a child: shy, dreamy, gloomy. A fixed, piercing gaze is an expression of aggressiveness. The eyes are large, with drawn pupils or without pupils with shaded sclera - a symbol of fear or anxiety. Large and carefully drawn eyes are mostly drawn by girls and much less often by boys. Eyes that are wide open, but not exaggerated, can be a sign of curiosity. The gaze is not straight, but squinted, indicating suspicion.

Since with the help of our eyes we contact the world around us, in the case of small eyes we can talk about secrecy, self-focus, and absorption in our own feelings. Closed eyes are an attempt to isolate yourself from the outside world, from contacts with others. The absence of pupils and empty eye sockets probably indicate extreme egocentrism, that the child does not find anything around him worthy of his attention. Beautiful, symmetrical, well-drawn eyes are a reflection of the desire to be attractive and likable to other people.

Mouth- a multi-valued element. If the mouth is open, then this is considered to be a sign of aggression or verbal activity of an aggressive nature; if the teeth are drawn, then this is obvious aggression. Perhaps it is protective in nature. Selection of the mouth, which can be expressed in erasure, displacement, disproportionate sizes, underlining, etc., is generally typical for young children who, not so long ago, were in oral dependence on their mother. In older children, this already becomes a sign of dependence and lack of independence. A mouth marked with one straight line can indicate internal tension.

Lips- a generally accepted symbol of the sexual sphere. In children's drawings, lips are one of those details that convey the overall facial expression. The plump lips of the figure drawn as a girl are a sign of correct gender identification. Drawn lips in a teenager's drawing may indicate the presence of narcissistic tendencies.

Nose- in itself has no interpretive meaning. Often in connection with the nose, one recalls the psychoanalytic interpretation, in line with which it is considered a sexual symbol. Although practicing psychologists believe that a teenager experiencing sexual problems will most likely focus on symbols such as a tie or trouser pockets, rather than on the nose. The absence of a nose may indicate some degree of intellectual disability.

Neck is a connecting link between the body (symbol of animal passions, impulsive life) and the head (intellectual center, mind, control). The neck area is given attention by those who are concerned about the relationship between bodily impulses and conscious control.
Such people are not sure that they can always cope with their impulses. They are characterized by a state of certain duality. A long neck is associated with a pinched, constrained, moralizing, mannered person who has good self-control.
A short neck can symbolize naturalness and straightforwardness. The absence of a neck in children's drawings is a sign of immaturity.

Rice. 17

Hands- a symbol of activity, communication and contact (Fig. 17). If a person's arms are spread apart, as if for a hug, extended towards the environment - this is a sign of sociability, active interaction with the outside world. If, on the contrary, the hands are hidden behind the back, hanging sluggishly along the body, pressed tightly to the body, the palms are hidden in the pockets - this may indicate unsociability and isolation. In combination with other features of the drawing, this may be a sign of withdrawal, narcissism and vanity, or strong internal tension. Another important characteristic of the image of hands is their tone. Flexible, mobile, freely positioned hands probably indicate good social adaptability, ease of establishing contacts with the environment, and active integration into the environment. Rigid, inflexible, mechanically outstretched, bent at right angles arms can characterize superficial and unemotional contacts with the outside world.

Large, large palms- a sign of an active, explosive character, while the absence of palms indicates inability, lack of faith in one’s strength, and a feeling of unfitness. Poorly drawn palms indicate insufficient contact, a limited scope of communication and low productivity in practical activities. Carefully drawn fingers mean the ability to control the situation, hold it in your hands, and manage it.

Long fingers with nails or emphasizing fists- a sign of aggression, belligerence. Fists on the hand away from the body - open hostility, rebellion, confrontation. If hands with clenched fists are pressed to the body, we can talk about a hidden, suppressed tendency to revolt. Fingers depicted as if the person is ready to grab something, like the claws of a bird of prey, can indicate aggression. Other possible symbols of hostility: hands raised, painted hands.

No hands- extreme degree of passivity, inactivity, unsociability, timidity, intellectual immaturity. In combination with such features of the design as the absence of a mouth, the absence of a torso and the general grotesqueness of the design, the absence of hands indicates a poor adaptation of the child. For older children, the absence of arms is a very unusual fact. In addition, this may express the feeling of guilt that the child experiences in connection with his aggressive, hostile attitude. Heavily shaded hands can mean the same thing.

Short arms may indicate isolation, turning inward, on oneself, and the desire to keep oneself within certain limits, not allowing one’s impulses to manifest themselves. If a child draws Long hands- this speaks of an orientation towards the outside world, contact, the desire to acquire, accumulate. big ones, muscular arms They are drawn by children who recognize the priority of strength, who strive to become physically strong; large and strong hands also appear in the drawings of those who are trying to balance and compensate for their own weakness in this way. On the other hand, a child who is aware of his weak physical condition can depict thin, fragile hands.

Torso- a symbol of a child’s idea of a person’s physical appearance. A strong, muscular body, drawn by a fragile, weak child, is a sign of compensation for the missing, ideal physical appearance for him. A large, strong body with powerful shoulders in a picture of a child of normal build means inner strength, a strong ego.

wide, massive shoulders serve as an expression of physical strength and superiority. Teenagers experiencing sexual inadequacy may express this in their shoulders, which are very prominent in relation to other parts of the body. If a strong child draws a weak body, then perhaps this is due to some kind of past experience.

Fragile body may be an expression of one's own weakness. A child who seeks to indulge his desires and ignores any manifestations of self-control may draw a weak, limp body with a disproportionately small head. If a small child draws a navel, this is a sign of egocentrism; if an older child draws a navel, this becomes an expression of infantility or a desire to withdraw into oneself. In general, the rounded shape of the body means balance, a calmer character, and some femininity.

Angular, rectangular shape associated with masculinity, energy and expressiveness. Often the figure is decorated with additional accessories (bows, buckles, etc.). This means increased attention to one’s own person. An extremely negative sign is the image of the insides of the body. It indicates serious mental disorders.

Legs- a symbol of support, stability, focus on practical orientation. If the feet are drawn in profile, this is a sign of stability and self-confidence.

Fig.18

Toe-facing feet to the observer, or no feet express a feeling of uncertainty (Fig. 18). Teenagers who separate the lower half of the body with a bold line in the drawing can thus express the presence of problems related to the sexual sphere. Weak, short, poorly drawn or shaded legs are an expression of uncertainty, weakness, worthlessness, and loss of spirit. If the feet of a dressed person are depicted with toes, this may indicate extreme aggressiveness.

small ones, unsteady feet- a fairly common feature of the drawings of children experiencing a feeling of insecurity. Such children draw unstable figures, ready to fall at any moment due to the extremely weak stability of their tiny feet. The child unconsciously expresses in symbolic form the instability of a personality built on a weak, unreliable foundation. In the absence of a basic sense of security, personality development is impaired; Constant anxiety continues to hinder progress toward emotional maturity and mental health.

Genitals. Hiding the genital area is common in drawings of teenage girls. The female figure's arms are depicted shyly covering the lower abdomen, while the male figure's arms are boldly spread to the sides. One girl drew a picture of a bride holding a bouquet over the center of her body. Other objects may also be depicted above the lower abdomen.

Explicit depiction of genitals. The depiction of the genitals is so unusual that their presence in the drawing can be very significant. The refusal to reproduce genitals does not appear to be due to a cultural taboo. A more likely explanation may be a shift in interest from one’s body to the fascinating world around us, which is typical for the behavior of children during the period of hidden sexuality. Between the ages of six and twelve, well-adjusted children become more and more involved in learning new skills and doing things that are in keeping with the habits of their schoolmates and friends.

Drawings by children of the period of hidden sexuality, in which the penis or vulva are depicted openly, are very rare. The reasons for this unusual addition must be sought in cases which involve precocious children aware of the high emotional value invested in the genitals. Hernia surgery or circumcision after infancy can cause castration fears.

Seduction by older children or adults or more subtle maneuvers can arouse a child during a period of latent sexuality, especially a bright, sensitive child. Whatever the reason for those rare cases of open depiction of the genitals - and in most cases these were behavioral disorders of one kind or another (aggression, phobias) - this did not prevent children, reaching adolescence, from developing and adapting well.

Since the drawn figure is considered to be closely related to the author of the drawing and characterizes him in a certain way, the interpretation should cover as many features of the drawing as possible. Aspects of a person's drawing, such as the size of the figure, its pose and location on the sheet, the quality of the lines (pressure, hardness, duration or discontinuity), the sequence of details, the use of background or background effects, as well as extraneous objects, are significant aspects of the child's idea of themselves and are also subject to analysis. The proportions of the body parts of the figure, the presence of unfinished elements of the drawing, the level of detail drawing, the presence of strong pressure and its localization, erasing, making changes to the drawing, emotions expressed on the person’s face and in his posture are taken into account.

Size and location of the drawing on the sheet

Feeling insecure, anxious children tend to draw small figures that modestly occupy only a small area of available space. A small figure can indicate depression and a feeling of inadequacy. In contrast, well-adjusted children with a strong sense of security draw freely and easily, creating designs that, through their size, scope, and conspicuous placement on the page, express freedom from anxiety and worry. Excessively large, cumbersome dimensions of the figure apparently express weak internal control and expansiveness.

A tilted figure may reflect a lack of mental balance and instability. A figure shifted to the right on the sheet indicates an orientation towards the outside world, a shift to the left means an emphasis on oneself. If a child occupies mainly the upper part of the sheet with his drawing, it means that he is prone to optimism. The feeling of depression and depression is often reflected in the location of the figure at the bottom of the sheet.

A large, grandly drawn figure placed in the center of the sheet speaks of inflated self-esteem. If a child draws a line of the ground and places a person high from it, so that he appears to be floating in the air, then he is probably characterized by isolation from reality, a tendency to fantasy and games of imagination, and poor contact with reality.

Perspective

Boys (rarely girls) of adolescence sometimes depict a person with his body in front and his head in profile. This unnatural position of the figure is usually considered a sign of social tension. In addition, this may be a sign of a certain sense of guilt associated with the sphere of communication. If this position - head in profile, body in front - is aggravated by the image of the legs in profile, then in this case we can talk about low mental development and impaired spatial imagination.

Other Image Features

Transparency effect(the ability to see one detail in a drawing through another). The presence of transparent elements in a drawing can be a completely natural factor if the drawing was made by a 6-year-old child.

Fig.19

At an older age, this may already have a negative meaning, since the transparency of details contradicts reality (Fig. 19). We can talk about either a slight developmental delay or more serious disorders, such as personality disorganization or mental retardation. In a “soft” version, transparency may also indicate that the child feels deprived of support and protection. The negative value of transparency is assessed by the number of transparent elements and the size of the transparent part (the second case seems to be more indicative).

Optional details. Among the optional details of the design are such as a cigarette or pipe, a weapon, a cane, buttons, pockets, and a hat. A weapon in the hands of a drawn figure is interpreted as a sign of a hostile, aggressive attitude. Buttons in the drawings of older children may indicate a lack of maturity and immaturity. The same thing seems to be indicated by the allocation of pockets. Focusing on elements such as a tie and hat is generally believed to have sexual overtones. Other sexual symbols are a pipe, a cigarette and, less commonly, a cane. Swelling of the fly on trousers can be observed in teenagers who are preoccupied with masturbation.

Scattered body parts. Such cases undoubtedly indicate a deviation, since the vast majority of children, even from their earliest attempts to depict a person, draw an integrated figure. A drawing of a person in which parts are scattered without regard to each other is a clear deviation from the norm. This refusal to create a coherent drawing has been noted in children with serious disabilities and is an indicator of their personal disorganization.

Limited, ascetic, robot-like designs. Emotionally immature children draw limited, stereotypical figures. This disorder can take many forms, but the most typical for most children is a discrepancy between abilities and school performance. Many of them are quite bright, but are poorly receptive to academic pursuits. Often the origins of the problem can be traced back to a family situation marked by excessive tension.

Excessive shading. The emphasis on shading of the entire drawn figure or part of it can be observed in the drawings of anxious children. The shading may be limited to the face, lower body, or specifically the genital area.
Excessive, energetic shading, sometimes directed at the genital area, can be observed in the drawings of depressed, overly controlled junior schoolchildren, at an age close to the period of latent sexuality. For children who have passed this stage, that is, over the age of 13, who have reached an age when the child is prone to introspection and experiences anxiety about his abilities, such reactions are atypical. Incidents of shading in drawings may be indicators of emotional distress.

Drawings without people. A drawing of a person has been and continues to be a favorite subject of children's creativity. In the process of a child's intellectual and personal growth, a person's drawing undergoes a number of transformations, but this image must be preserved, at least during the period of hidden sexuality, as a central motif in drawings, which may include pets, a house, flowers, a tree, a shining sun, perhaps even a cloud or two. It is so unusual for young children to exclude a human figure from the drawing, which certainly confirms the assumption of probable difficulties in interpersonal relationships. Refusal to draw a person and depict inanimate objects must be considered as an unusual, possibly deviant act, suggesting difficulties in interpersonal relationships, abnormal indifference, emotional detachment, autism.

Dark clouds and shaded sun. Many well-adjusted children can illuminate a drawing of a human figure by adding a shining sun. Usually in one of the upper corners of the leaf, often in the shape of an arc. The lines emanating from the circle represent rays, and the sun may have a smiling face.
It's unusual for children to add rain clouds and shade the sun. These ominous signs have been seen in the drawings of unhappy, anxious, depressed children.

Erasing. Acts of erasure are considered an expression of anxiety and dissatisfaction. As a rule, erasures lead to deterioration rather than improvement of the drawing, thereby confirming that they serve as an expression of conflict.

Line quality

When interpreting a drawing, the quality of the lines is also assessed. You can find the meaning of this or that type of line in the part of the book devoted to the characteristics of children's drawings in general.

In addition, all general points regarding drawing tests are fully applicable to this technique, as well as the interpretive material of the “House-Tree-Person” test in the part that relates to drawing a person.

Conclusion

Thus, summarizing the above, we can say that a drawing of a person provides rich information for thought. A child’s drawing allows one to make hypothetical judgments about such personality traits and characteristics as: aggressiveness and hostility towards others, anger, confused sexual role, feelings of frustration and impulsiveness, anxiety and many other more and less serious disorders.