Interpretations for Human Figure Draw

Hair

Drawing Expression D
Hair given much attention • Narcissism C
• Homosexual trend Sx
• Infantile or repressed sex drives. Sx
Hair emphasis (shaded) • Sensuality or sensual needs Sx
• Virility symbol Sx
Hair on female • Regression D
Hair emphasis with heavy shading • Anxiety over sexual needs possibly Sx
Balding male figures, hair white on • Feeling of masculine insufficiency and lack of Sx
male figures virility
Hair parted in middle, head split • Feminine identification dealt with by narcissism Sx
and obsessive-compulsive mechanisms
Sparse, unpressured hair • Inadequate virility Sx
Hair mussed • Sexual acting out (sexual immorality) Sx
Hair reinforced • Assaultiveness Sx

Head

Head clearly indicated • Feeling of anxiety or of inferiority relative to body Sy

functions
Appendages attached to head • Immaturity + primitive characters structure C
• Regression D
• Mental retardation + (denial or repression of I
physical drives-children as subjects)
Large head • Paranoid + concern about sufficiency of intellect P
(brain-damaged, retarded) + (emphasis on
fantasy ; children as subjects)
• Fantasy preoccupied + intellectual aspirations Sy
(with possible grandiosity) + over-ideational
subject + pride over intellect
• Introspection T
Head enlarged on opposite sex • Opposite sex viewed as smarter or as Ob
possessing greater social authority
Head drawn last • Thought disorder possibly P
• Conflict over interpersonal relations Ob
Hat plus buttons, hat but no clothes, • Regression D
hat on nude figure
Hat crease • Fantasy relative to female genitalia Sx
Head malformed • Organicity Or
Hat transparent • Primitive sexual behavior Sx
Profile head • Poor judgment Sy
Profile head, full face body • Social anxiety with need for contact Sy
Head dim • Self-consciousness Sy
Features dim with emphasis on head • Timidity Sy
contour
Face turned toward page so that back • Withdrawal Sy

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 of head shows

Face

Facial expression self-preoccupied • Prevailing attitude and mood At

• Schizoid C
Confusion of full face and profile • Schizophrenia P
• Mental retardation I
• Primitive cultural origin Sy
Beard, moustache, other facial hair • Doubts about activity with compensatory virility Sx
(male subject) striving + sexual inadequacy possibly
Entreating facial expression • Conception of self as dependent, helpless, Sy
insignificant
Facial scars on same-sex figure • Impaired self-esteem + possible expectation of Sy
aggression from environment + possible
symbolization of psychic trauma
Facial expression placating • Insecurity Sy
Face dim • Self-consciousness + shyness Sy
Full face view • Social dependency + social accessibility Sy
• Social communication T

Eye

Eye a circle (no pupil) • Egocentricity + immaturity C

• Egocentric hysteric N
• Regression D
Eye large, no pupil • Voyeuristic tendency with guilt Sx
Eye closed • Schizoid C
Eye small • Self-absorption C
• Voyeuristic tendency Sx
Eyes large • Homosexual trend Sx
Eye a dot with pressure, unenclosed • Paranoid P
eye emphasized, large, staring. • Ideas of reference Sy
Eye emphasized • Aggression externalized or overt Sy
Eye prominent • Assaultiveness + mach-over indices Sy
differentiating assaultive from nonassualtive
subjects
Eye reinforced • Assaultiveness Sy

Eye Brow

Trim eye brow • Disdain At

• Refinement T
Eye brow brushy • Uninhibitedness T

Eye Lashes

Lashes long • Coquettishness + seductiveness + self-display Sx

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 Lashes large; Lashes on male • Homosexual trend Sx

Nose

Nose broad, flared, hooked • Contemptuous attitudes + tendency to think in At

terms of derisive social stereotypes
Nose large. • Involutional patients P Sx
• Sexual impotency + felt inadequate male role in
adolescents with striving for adequate male role
Nose strong • Masculine assertion or need for it Sx
Sy
Nose cut off • Castration fears and wishes Sy
Nose shaded • Castration which may be projected on opposite Sy
sex
Nostrils • Primitive aggression Sy

Mouth

Mouth emphasized • Alcoholism possibly Ad

• Possible regression D
Concave mouth • Dependency + passive dependent (oral C
dependent)
Mouth heavy line, single-line mouth • Passive-aggressive (oral aggressive) C
Mouth heavy line • Sadism Sy
Mouth markedly full, open or oval • Oral-eroticism C
Mouth open • Orality C
Mouth omitted • Asthmatic So
Mouth omitted on female figure • Scolding maternal figure possibly Ob
Mouth clownlike • Forced amiability + inappropriate effect Sy

Teeth

Teeth shown • Passive-aggressive (oral aggressive) C

• simple schizophrenic + sadism P
Teeth well defined • Aggressive tendencies Sy

Lips

Lips full on male • Feminine tendency (effeminacy) Sx

Lips on male figure unusually • Homosexual trend Sx
emphasized or large and rounded
Straw / toothpick between lips • Primitive oral-eroticism Sx
Cigarette or pipe between lips • Sophisticated oral-eroticism Sx

Chin

Chin emphasize • Compensation for inadequacy + indecision + Sy

fear of responsibility
Chin emphasized on opposite sex • Dependency on opposite sex + opposite sex Ob

HFD / Interpretations Re-arranged by Dr. W. H. Sukoon Page 3

 viewed as stronger
Chin enlarged • Aggressive tendencies Sy
Chin exaggerated • Compensation for felt guilt + indecision Sy

Ear

Ear emphasized or enlarged • Schizoid C

• Auditory hallucinations + paranoid + P
schizophrenia
• Passive homosexual conflict or tendency Sx
• Ear injury or hearing disability + ideas of Sy
reference + sensitivity to attitudes of others +
sensitivity to criticisim

Neck

Neck omission • Immaturity C

• Lack of impulse control Sy
• Regression D
Neck long • Schizoid C
• Hysterical swallowing inhibition So
• Problems with control of anger or primitive Sy
drives
Neck excessively large • Awareness of physical impulses with effort to Sy
control them
Neck short, thick • Self-indulgence C
• Uninhibited impulse expression T
Narrow neck • Depression N
Neck like giraffe • Schizophrenia P
Neck thin • Repression D
V-neckline on female, male subject • Breast fixation + voyeuristic tendency Sx
Neck emphasis (children as subjects) • Need for defensive intellectual control Sy

Shoulders

Shoulders massive on male • Compensation for felt inadequacy (male subject) D

Shoulders exaggerated or other • Feeling of masculine insufficiency and lack of Sx
masculine details virility
Shoulders wide on female • Sexual conflict Sx
Shoulders squared • Aggressive tendencies Sy
Shoulders drooping • Dejection D
• Guilt + lack of drive energy and vitality Sy
Broad shoulders • Physical power drive T

Breasts

Breasts small • Maternal figure un-nurturing Ob

Breast area emphasized, buckle, • Dependency C

HFD / Interpretations Re-arranged by Dr. W. H. Sukoon Page 4

 buttons on clothing over breast of • Affectional deprivation + identification with Ob
figure mother possibly
Breast emphasis male subject • Passive dependent (oral dependent) C
Breast emphasis, female subject • Feminine identification with dominant mother Sx
Breast emphasis, female figure, male • Maternal dependency and domination Ob
subject
Breast area emphasized • Homosexual trend + sexual immaturity Sx
Emotional Immaturity + insecurity Sy
Buttons • Immaturity C

Body

Body emphasis (under-clothed) • Egocentricity + shizoid C

Body of lower area of female visible • Involutional sex problems (male subject) Sx
through transparent skirt
Body omitted (no trunk) • Immaturity + primitive characters structure C
• Regression D
• Mental retardation +(denial or repression of Sy
physical drives-children as subjects)
Dim line body or no body • Feeling of anxiety or of inferiority relative to body I
functions
Body distortions • Psychotic tendency P
Full bodies with shaded or thin legs. • Feeling of decline associated with advancing So
age
Hat clearly indicated / dim line body or • Compensatory fantasy D
no body
Trunk incomplete • Regression D

Trunk rounded • Feminine tendency (effeminacy) Sx

Trunk rounded (male subject) • Homosexual trend Sx
Trunk not closed at bottom • Sexual preoccupation Sx
Emphasis on circles in depicting body • Feminine tendency (effeminacy) Sx
Curved lines on body of male • Feminine tendency (effeminacy) Sx
Angular body ; trunk angular or square • Masculine tendencies or masculinity Sx
Angular body • Aggressive tendencies + criticality Sy
Elongated anatomical areas • Phallic symbol Sy
Emphasis on circles in depicting body • Submissiveness Sx

Arms

Arms long • Ambition for accomplishment or acquisition T

Arms long, weak, over extended • Dependency + asthmatic C
• Desire for affection Ob
• Nurturance needs So
Arms long and powerful • Need for autonomy T
Large arms • Assaultiveness + guilt Sy
Arms omitted • Depression N
• Schizophrenia P
• Withdrawal Sy
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 Armless figure of male (male subject) • Strong sexual drive associated with guilt + wish Sx
to be castrated
Arms heavy, shaded on opposite sex • Opposite sex viewed as punishing Ob
Arms omitted or short arms on • Rejection by maternal or paternal figure of Ob
opposite sex opposite sex
Arms long and hands prominent, • Wish for protective maternal figure (male Ob
female figure subject)
Arms extended from body and over- • Aggression externalized or overt Sy
long
Arms tapering • Feminine tendency (effeminacy) Sx
Arm distortion or reinforcement (left • Sexual role conflict or confusion Sx
side, male figure, male subject)
Arms out with fists clenched • Aggressive tendencies Sy
Arms of male figure large • Assaultiveness Sy
Arms reinforced • Assaultiveness Sy
Arms dangling by sides • Conception of self as dependent + helpless + Sy
insignificant
Arms pressed by sides • Difficulty in social contact + fear of aggressive Sy
impulses + passivity as defense against
aggressive impulses
Arms close to body • Tension Sy

Ankle

Skirt ankle length on female (male • Maternal figure Ob

subject)
Ankle small • Feminine tendency (effeminacy) Sx

Wrist

Wrist small • Feminine tendency (effeminacy) Sx

Hands

Hands in pockets • Antisocial personality (psychopath) C

Hands behind back or in pockets • Evasion + guilt + lack of confidence Sy
Hands hidden • Difficulty with interpersonal relations Ob
• Masturbatory guilt Sx
Hands omitted, dim • Inadequacy + schizoid C
Hands dim • Lack of confidence in productivity of social Sy
contact
Hands shaded • Anxiety over interpersonal relations Ob
• Masturbatory guilt Sx
• Guilt over aggression Sy
Hands of female figure in pelvic area • Female regarded as sexually rejecting Ob
(male subject)
Hands omitted on female figure • Maternal figure regarded as rejecting, unloving, Ob
un-supportive

HFD / Interpretations Re-arranged by Dr. W. H. Sukoon Page 6

 Hand at genital area • Autoeroticism Sx
Hands extended behind back in anal • Homoerotic conflicts Sx
area
Hands emphasized • Aggression externalized or overt Sy
Hands powerful • Aggressive tendencies Sy
Hands large • Compensation for felt guilt and weakness Sy
Finger-less hands • Insecurity Sy
Mitten hands • Repressed aggression Sy
Fists clenched or closed • Repressed aggression Sy
• Rebellion T

Fingers

Grape fingers • Immaturity C

Fingers, fingernails carefully depicted • Compulsive body image problem, as in early P
schizophrenia
Claw fingers, Spear fingers, talon • Paranoid P
fingers
Claw fingers • Aggression externalized or overt Sy
Short fingers • Anxiety Sy
Long fingers • Regression D
Large fingers • Assaultiveness Sy
Long fingers, spear fingers • Aggression externalized or overt Sy
Stick fingers • Assaultiveness + infantile aggression + Mach- Sy
over indices differentiating assaultive from
nonassualtive subjects
Finger omitted or over-extended • Masturbatory guilt Sx
More than five fingers • Aggressive tendencies Sy
• Ambition. T

Less than five fingers • Helplessness Sy

Fingers, no hands • Assaultiveness + infantile aggression Sy
Fingers reinforced • Assaultiveness Sy
Shaded fingers • Guilt (as masturbation or theft) Sy
Grape fingers; petal fingers • Infantile traits + insecurity Sy
Scissors fingers • Subject is castrating or views maternal or Sy
parental figures as castrating
Fingers without hands • Mach-over indices differentiating assaultive from Sy
nonassualtive subjects
Fingers with carefully indicated joints • Obsessive control of aggression Sy
and nails
Fingers articulated carefully and cut • Repressed aggression + withdrawal Sy
off by line

Knuckle

Knuckle emphasis • Schizoid C

• Schizophrenia P
• Maternal dependency Ob

HFD / Interpretations Re-arranged by Dr. W. H. Sukoon Page 7

 • Psychosexual immaturity Sx

Waist

Waist narrow (male subject) • Homosexual trend Sx

Back

Back of male figure to observer, male • Desire to be a woman + feminine identification Sx

subject (men)

Buttock

Buttock emphasis; buttocks on male • Homosexual trend Sx

figure unusually emphasized or large
and rounded
Buttocks emphasized • Sexual conflict Sx

Hip

Hip emphasis on male figure • Homosexual trend Sx

(male subject)

Legs

Shaded legs • Homosexual anxiety Sx

Legs tapering • Feminine tendency (effeminacy) Sx
Legs show through; pants transparent • Homosexual anxiety Sx
Leg distortion or reinforcement (left • Sexual role conflict or confusion Sx
side, male figure, male subject)
Legs masculine on female figure • Sexual role conflict or confusion Sx
Legs of male figure large • Assaultiveness Sy
Legs reinforced • Assaultiveness Sy
Legs omitted • Discouragement + withdrawal Sy
Profile legs • Poor judgment Sy
Legs long • Need for autonomy T

Feet

Feet omitted or dim • Schizoid C

• Discouragement Sy
Feet omitted • Withdrawal Sy
Feet and legs drawn first • Depression N
• Discouragement N
Foot of male emphasized • Involutional impotency Sx
Phallic foot • Sexual inadequacy and preoccupation Sx
Foot emphasized • Assaultiveness Sy
• Mach-over indices differentiating assaultive from Sy
nonassualtive subjects

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 Feet small (male subject) • Insecurity Sy
Feet on base of page • Need for stability because of disturbance Sy
produced by a conflict
Shoes shaded • Insecurity Sy

Heel

High heel on male (male subject) • Homosexual trend Sx

Organs

Organs shown • Manic tendency P

• Somatic delusions P

Internal organs shown (internal • Schizophrenia P

anatomy), sex organ shown • Somatic delusions So
• Professional artists Sx
• Analysands Si
Shading in sexual areas • Anxiety relative to sexual function Sx

Female sex characteristics under- • Constricted erotic response (women) Sx

emphasized, female subject
Sexual anatomy area distorted or • Sexual conflict Sx
omitted

Joints

Joints emphasis • Schizoid C

• Schizophrenia P
• Maternal dependency Ob
• Psychosexual immaturity Sx
Joints carefully depicted • Compulsive body image problem, as in early P
schizophrenia

Clothing

Clothing foppish (overclothed) • Antisocial personality (psychopath) C

• Need for social approval and dominance St
Clothing carefully rendered, over- • Egocentricity C
clothed
Clothing carefully rendered • Immaturity C
• Over-concern for material criteria for social St
status
Clothing detail elaboration • Homosexual trend Sx
Clothing transparent (body visible) • Voyeuristic tendency Sx
Clothing elaboration, grooming • Emphasis on possession and social prestige St
Clothes ill-fitting • Unsatisfying social status St
Uniformed cowboy or soldier (male • Need for greater status and recognition than St
figure of male subject) subject feels he possesses

HFD / Interpretations Re-arranged by Dr. W. H. Sukoon Page 9

 Body of lower area of female visible • Sexual fantasies Sx
through transparent skirt (male • Sexual preoccupation Sx
subject)
Pockets • Dependency C
Handkerchief of coat pocket • Sexual inadequacy Sx
emphasized
Buttons • Inadequacy C
• Maternal dependency Ob
• Insecurity Sy
Buttons in midline • Somatic preoccupation So
• Maternal dependency Ob
Pocket • Maternal dependency Ob
Tie emphasized • Homosexual trend Sx
Tie flying or swept out • Overt sexual aggression Sx
Trouser fly • Masturbatory preoccupation Sx
Figure clothed with toes exposed • Aggressive tendencies Sy
Collar tight • Problem with control of anger or primitive drive Sy

Pressures

Pressure • Aggressive tendencies Sy

• Sadism Sy
Excessive and heavy pressure • Antisocial personality (psychopath) C
• Paranoid P
• Epileptics P
• Organicity Or
• Extreme tension Sy
• Assertiveness Sy
• Energy T
Fluctuating pressure • Impulsivity C
• Cyclothymie C
• Unstableness Sy
Light pressure • Repression D
• Feeling or insignificance or lack of worth Sy
• Restraint T
Pressure variations • Adaptability T
• Flexibility T
• Moodinness T

Lines

Rhythmic stroking • Responsiveness T

• Uninhibitedness T
Energetic, unhesitant stroke • Perseverance T
• Security T
Constricted stroking • Tension Sy
• Withdrawal Sy
Length of stroke movement decreases • Excitable subjects Sy
Circular strokes • Dependency Sy

HFD / Interpretations Re-arranged by Dr. W. H. Sukoon Page 10

 • Lack of assertion Sy
Right to left strokes • Introversion (self-oriented) T
Left to right strokes • Need for help or support Sy
• Extroversion (environment oriented) Sy
Stroking in (toward the body) • Introversion (self-oriented) T
Circular strokes; trunk rounded • Feminine tendency Sx
Circular strokes • Emotionality T
Short strokes • Impulsivity C
Short sketchy strokes / sketchy lines • Anxiety Sy
• Timidity Sy
• Uncertainty Sy
Long strokes(children as subjects) • Controlled behavior T
Strokes away from subject • Aggressive tendencies Sy
• Extroversion (environment oriented) Sy
Rounded curves • Sexual inadequacy Sx
Horizontal stroke; rounded lines • Femininity Sx
Horizontal stroke • Emphasis on fantasy Sy
• Weakness Sy
Vertical stroke • Hyperactivity Sy
• Assertiveness T
• Determinedness T
indeterminate vacillating stroke • Insecurity Sy
• Lack of perseverence Sy
Straight line strokes (children as • Assertiveness T
subjects)
Midline emphasis (stressed midline) • Dependency C
• Schizoid C
• Conversion or somatic preoccupation D
• Maternal dependency Ob
• Insecurity Sy
Body line reinforced, varied pressure • Explosive personality (emotional instability) C
Emphasis on curves in depicting body • Narcissism C
Very faint line • Inadequacy C
• Apprehensive neurotics (apprehension with N
neurosis)
• Depression N
• Catatonics P
• Chronic schizophrenia P
• Withdrawn schizophrenic P
Body line heavy • Apprehensive neurotics (apprehension with N
neurosis)
• Depersonalization fears Sy
Fading line • Hysteric tendency N
Heavy thick lines • Depersonalization fears P
• Aggressive tendencies Sy
Disconnected lines • Psychotic tendency P
• Insecurity Sy
Broken lines • Anxiety Sy
• Conflict area Sy

HFD / Interpretations Re-arranged by Dr. W. H. Sukoon Page 11

 Reinforced lines • Anxiety Sy
• Conflict area Sy
• Insecurity Sy
Pressured lines • Assertiveness T
Straight lines • Aggressive tendencies Sy
Light lines, light pressure • Low energy So
Heavy lines • Hostility D
• Mach-over indices differentiating assaultive from Sy
nonassualtive subjects
Jagged lines • Assaultiveness Sy
Fluctuating line • Tension Sy
Thin elongated line • Tension Sy
Dim line • Timidity Sy
Firm lines • Ambition T
• Drive T
Unbroken reinforced lines outlining • Isolation D
figure
Uninterrupted straight lines • Decisiveness T
Measurement lines or stick frame • Perfectionism Sy
Combination of firm, heavy and light • Assaultiveness Sy
lines
Few curves, many sharp edges • Aggressive tendencies Sy
• Poor adjustment Sy
Uneven line pressure • Anxiety Sy
• Insecurity Sy
Erasures • Anxiety Sy
• Conflict area Sy
• Indecisiveness Sy
Excessive erasure • Dissatisfaction with self Sy
• Conflict area Sy
Curvilinear line interrupted • Indecisiveness Sy
Ground line • Insecurity Sy
• Need for help or support Sy

Extras

Aggressive content, as daggers, guns, • Delinquent tendency possibility C

spears
Doodling of subjects name • Egotism C
• Narcissism C
Clouds • Depression N
• Anxiety Sy
Buttons inconspicuous (as on cuffs), • Obsessive compulsive N
shoelaces, wrinkles, other
unnecessary details
Bizarre details, unessential details • Schizophrenia P
Detailing, over-symmetrical drawings, • Compulsivity D
re-working, with addition to excessive
detail

HFD / Interpretations Re-arranged by Dr. W. H. Sukoon Page 12

 Minute detailing • Pedantry T
Inadequate detailing • Lack of drive, energy or vitality Sy
Sy
Sun added to HFD scene • Need for affection Ob
• Nurturing warmth Ob
Fireplace (with fire in it) before figure • Need for emotional security and warmth Ob
Earrings; full-face figure; • Exhibitionism or exhibitionistic tendency Sx
measurement lines or stick frame for
body; peanut man; stick figure in
subject capable of more advanced
drawing
Stick figure in subject capable of more • Secretiveness Sy
advanced drawing
Earrings • Sexual preoccupation Sx
Cane • Impotency Sx
• Involutional resistance to sexual drive Sx
Adam’s apple ; a cane ; cigarette ; hair • Masculine or virility striving Sx
area ; pipe ; tie
Adam’s apple (on opposite sex, that • Sexual role conflict or confusion Sx
sex regarded as not virile)
Small tie ; tie • Sexual inadequacy Sx
Tie flying or swept out • Sexual preoccupation Sx
Yo-yo • Masturbatory fixation Sx
Several pockets (male figure, male • Passive homosexual tendency Sx
subject)
Cigarette • Sexual preoccupation Sx
Gun • Sexual preoccupation Sx
• Aggressive tendencies Sy
• Hostility Sy
Knife • Aggressive tendencies Sy
• Hostility Sy
Weapons • Aggressive tendencies Sy
Strong wind in scene of H.F.D. • Felt rejection to strong environmental pressure Sy
or stress with fear of psychoses
Mask • Secretiveness T

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