Interpretations for Human Figure Draw

Hair
Drawing
Hair given much attention

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

D
C
Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx
D
Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx

Head
Head clearly indicated

Appendages attached to head

Large head

Head enlarged on opposite sex

Head drawn last

Hat plus buttons, hat but no clothes,

hat on nude figure
Hat crease

Head malformed

Hat transparent

Profile head

Profile head, full face body

Head dim

Features dim with emphasis on head

contour
Face turned toward page so that back

Feeling of anxiety or of inferiority relative to body

functions
Immaturity + primitive characters structure
Regression
Mental retardation + (denial or repression of
physical drives-children as subjects)
Paranoid + concern about sufficiency of intellect
(brain-damaged, retarded) + (emphasis on
fantasy ; children as subjects)
Fantasy preoccupied + intellectual aspirations
(with possible grandiosity) + over-ideational
subject + pride over intellect
Introspection
Opposite sex viewed as smarter or as
possessing greater social authority
Thought disorder possibly
Conflict over interpersonal relations
Regression

Sy

Fantasy relative to female genitalia

Organicity
Primitive sexual behavior
Poor judgment
Social anxiety with need for contact
Self-consciousness
Timidity

Sx
Or
Sx
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy

Withdrawal

Sy

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

C
D
I
P
Sy
T
Ob
P
Ob
D

Page 1

of head shows
Face
Facial expression self-preoccupied

Prevailing attitude and mood

Schizoid
Schizophrenia
Mental retardation
Primitive cultural origin
Doubts about activity with compensatory virility
striving + sexual inadequacy possibly
Conception of self as dependent, helpless,
insignificant
Impaired self-esteem + possible expectation of
aggression from environment + possible
symbolization of psychic trauma
Insecurity
Self-consciousness + shyness
Social dependency + social accessibility
Social communication

At

C
N
D
Sx
C
C
Sx
Sx
P
Sy
Sy
Sy

Egocentricity + immaturity
Egocentric hysteric
Regression
Voyeuristic tendency with guilt
Schizoid
Self-absorption
Voyeuristic tendency
Homosexual trend
Paranoid
Ideas of reference
Aggression externalized or overt
Assaultiveness
+
mach-over
indices
differentiating assaultive from nonassualtive
subjects
Assaultiveness

Disdain
Refinement
Uninhibitedness

At
T
T

Coquettishness + seductiveness + self-display

Sx

Confusion of full face and profile

Beard, moustache, other facial hair

(male subject)
Entreating facial expression

Facial scars on same-sex figure

Facial expression placating

Face dim
Full face view

C
P
I
Sy
Sx
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
T

Eye
Eye a circle (no pupil)

Eye large, no pupil

Eye closed

Eye small

Eyes large

Eye a dot with pressure, unenclosed

eye emphasized, large, staring.

Eye emphasized

Eye prominent

Eye reinforced

Sy

Eye Brow
Trim eye brow
Eye brow brushy
Eye Lashes
Lashes long

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

Page 2

Lashes large; Lashes on male

Homosexual trend

Sx

Nose broad, flared, hooked

Nose large.

Nose strong

Nose cut off

Nose shaded

Nostrils

Contemptuous attitudes + tendency to think in At

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

Nose

Mouth
Mouth emphasized
Concave mouth

Mouth heavy line, single-line mouth

Mouth heavy line
Mouth markedly full, open or oval
Mouth open
Mouth omitted
Mouth omitted on female figure
Mouth clownlike

Alcoholism possibly
Possible regression
Dependency + passive dependent
dependent)
Passive-aggressive (oral aggressive)
Sadism
Oral-eroticism
Orality
Asthmatic
Scolding maternal figure possibly
Forced amiability + inappropriate effect

Ad
D
(oral C

Passive-aggressive (oral aggressive)

simple schizophrenic + sadism
Aggressive tendencies

C
P
Sy

Feminine tendency (effeminacy)

Homosexual trend

Sx
Sx

Primitive oral-eroticism
Sophisticated oral-eroticism

Sx
Sx

Chin emphasize

Chin emphasized on opposite sex

Compensation for inadequacy + indecision + Sy

fear of responsibility
Dependency on opposite sex + opposite sex Ob

C
Sy
C
C
So
Ob
Sy

Teeth
Teeth shown
Teeth well defined
Lips
Lips full on male
Lips on male figure unusually
emphasized or large and rounded
Straw / toothpick between lips
Cigarette or pipe between lips
Chin

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

Page 3

Chin enlarged
Chin exaggerated

viewed as stronger
Aggressive tendencies
Compensation for felt guilt + indecision

Sy
Sy

Ear
Ear emphasized or enlarged

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

C
P
Sx
Sy

Neck
Neck omission

Neck long

Neck excessively large

Neck short, thick

Narrow neck
Neck like giraffe
Neck thin
V-neckline on female, male subject
Neck emphasis (children as subjects)

Immaturity
C
Lack of impulse control
Sy
D
Regression
Schizoid
C
So
Hysterical swallowing inhibition
Problems with control of anger or primitive Sy
drives
Awareness of physical impulses with effort to Sy
control them
Self-indulgence
C
T
Uninhibited impulse expression
Depression
N
Schizophrenia
P
Repression
D
Breast fixation + voyeuristic tendency
Sx
Need for defensive intellectual control
Sy

Shoulders
Shoulders massive on male
Shoulders exaggerated or
masculine details
Shoulders wide on female
Shoulders squared
Shoulders drooping
Broad shoulders

other

Compensation for felt inadequacy (male subject)

Feeling of masculine insufficiency and lack of
virility
Sexual conflict
Aggressive tendencies
Dejection
Guilt + lack of drive energy and vitality
Physical power drive

D
Sx

Maternal figure un-nurturing

Dependency

Ob
C

Sx
Sy
D
Sy
T

Breasts
Breasts small
Breast area

emphasized,

buckle,

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

Page 4

buttons on clothing over breast of

figure
Breast emphasis male subject
Breast emphasis, female subject
Breast emphasis, female figure, male
subject
Breast area emphasized

Buttons

Affectional deprivation + identification with

mother possibly
Passive dependent (oral dependent)
Feminine identification with dominant mother
Maternal dependency and domination
Homosexual trend + sexual
Emotional Immaturity + insecurity
Immaturity

Ob
C
Sx
Ob

immaturity Sx
Sy
C

Body
Body emphasis (under-clothed)

Body of lower area of female visible

through transparent skirt
Body omitted (no trunk)

Egocentricity + shizoid
Involutional sex problems (male subject)

C
Sx

Immaturity + primitive characters structure

Regression
Mental retardation +(denial or repression of
physical drives-children as subjects)
Feeling of anxiety or of inferiority relative to body
functions
Psychotic tendency
Feeling of decline associated with advancing
age
Compensatory fantasy

C
D
Sy

Regression

Feminine tendency (effeminacy)

Homosexual trend
Sexual preoccupation
Feminine tendency (effeminacy)
Feminine tendency (effeminacy)
Masculine tendencies or masculinity
Aggressive tendencies + criticality
Phallic symbol
Submissiveness

Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx
Sy
Sy
Sx

Ambition for accomplishment or acquisition

Dependency + asthmatic
Desire for affection
Nurturance needs
Need for autonomy
Assaultiveness + guilt
Depression
Schizophrenia
Withdrawal

T
C
Ob
So
T
Sy
N
P
Sy

Dim line body or no body

Body distortions
Full bodies with shaded or thin legs.

Hat clearly indicated / dim line body or

no body
Trunk incomplete

Trunk rounded
Trunk rounded (male subject)
Trunk not closed at bottom
Emphasis on circles in depicting body
Curved lines on body of male
Angular body ; trunk angular or square
Angular body
Elongated anatomical areas
Emphasis on circles in depicting body

I
P
So
D

Arms
Arms long
Arms long, weak, over extended
Arms long and powerful
Large arms
Arms omitted

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

Page 5

Armless figure of male (male subject)

Sx

Strong sexual drive associated with guilt + wish

to be castrated
Opposite sex viewed as punishing
Rejection by maternal or paternal figure of
opposite sex
Wish for protective maternal figure (male
subject)
Aggression externalized or overt

Arms heavy, shaded on opposite sex

Arms omitted or short arms on
opposite sex
Arms long and hands prominent,
female figure
Arms extended from body and overlong
Arms tapering
Arm distortion or reinforcement (left
side, male figure, male subject)
Arms out with fists clenched
Arms of male figure large
Arms reinforced
Arms dangling by sides

Feminine tendency (effeminacy)

Sexual role conflict or confusion

Sx
Sx

Aggressive tendencies
Assaultiveness
Assaultiveness
Conception of self as dependent + helpless +
insignificant
Difficulty in social contact + fear of aggressive
impulses + passivity as defense against
aggressive impulses
Tension

Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy

Arms pressed by sides

Arms close to body

Maternal figure

Ob

Feminine tendency (effeminacy)

Sx

Feminine tendency (effeminacy)

Sx

Antisocial personality (psychopath)

C
Evasion + guilt + lack of confidence
Sy
Difficulty with interpersonal relations
Ob
Masturbatory guilt
Sx
Inadequacy + schizoid
C
Lack of confidence in productivity of social Sy
contact
Anxiety over interpersonal relations
Ob
Masturbatory guilt
Sx
Sy
Guilt over aggression
Female regarded as sexually rejecting
Ob

Ob
Ob
Ob
Sy

Sy
Sy

Ankle
Skirt ankle length on female (male
subject)
Ankle small

Wrist
Wrist small
Hands
Hands in pockets
Hands behind back or in pockets
Hands hidden
Hands omitted, dim
Hands dim
Hands shaded

Hands of female figure in pelvic area

(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

Hands extended behind back in anal

area
Hands emphasized

Hands powerful

Hands large

Finger-less hands

Mitten hands

Fists clenched or closed

Autoeroticism
Homoerotic conflicts

Sx
Sx

Aggression externalized or overt

Aggressive tendencies
Compensation for felt guilt and weakness
Insecurity
Repressed aggression
Repressed aggression
Rebellion

Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
T

Fingers
Grape fingers
Fingers, fingernails carefully depicted

Claw fingers, Spear fingers, talon

fingers
Claw fingers

Short fingers

Long fingers

Large fingers

Long fingers, spear fingers

Stick fingers

Finger omitted or over-extended

More than five fingers

Less than five fingers

Fingers, no hands
Fingers reinforced
Shaded fingers
Grape fingers; petal fingers
Scissors fingers

Fingers without hands

Fingers with carefully indicated joints

and nails
Fingers articulated carefully and cut
off by line

Immaturity
C
Compulsive body image problem, as in early P
schizophrenia
Paranoid
P
Aggression externalized or overt
Anxiety
Regression
Assaultiveness
Aggression externalized or overt
Assaultiveness + infantile aggression + Machover indices differentiating assaultive from
nonassualtive subjects
Masturbatory guilt
Aggressive tendencies
Ambition.

Sy
Sy
D
Sy
Sy
Sy

Helplessness
Assaultiveness + infantile aggression
Assaultiveness
Guilt (as masturbation or theft)
Infantile traits + insecurity
Subject is castrating or views maternal or
parental figures as castrating
Mach-over indices differentiating assaultive from
nonassualtive subjects
Obsessive control of aggression

Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy

Repressed aggression + withdrawal

Sy

Schizoid
Schizophrenia
Maternal dependency

C
P
Ob

Sx
Sy
T

Sy
Sy

Knuckle
Knuckle emphasis

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

Page 7

Psychosexual immaturity

Sx

Homosexual trend

Sx

Waist
Waist narrow (male subject)
Back
Back of male figure to observer, male
subject

Desire to be a woman + feminine identification Sx

(men)

Buttock
Buttock emphasis; buttocks on male
figure unusually emphasized or large
and rounded
Buttocks emphasized

Homosexual trend

Sx

Sexual conflict

Sx

Homosexual trend

Sx

Homosexual anxiety
Feminine tendency (effeminacy)
Homosexual anxiety
Sexual role conflict or confusion

Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx

Sexual role conflict or confusion

Assaultiveness
Assaultiveness
Discouragement + withdrawal
Poor judgment
Need for autonomy

Sx
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
T

Schizoid
Discouragement
Withdrawal
Depression
Discouragement
Involutional impotency
Sexual inadequacy and preoccupation
Assaultiveness
Mach-over indices differentiating assaultive from
nonassualtive subjects

C
Sy
Sy
N
N
Sx
Sx
Sy
Sy

Hip
Hip emphasis on male figure
(male subject)
Legs
Shaded legs
Legs tapering
Legs show through; pants transparent
Leg distortion or reinforcement (left
side, male figure, male subject)
Legs masculine on female figure
Legs of male figure large
Legs reinforced
Legs omitted
Profile legs
Legs long
Feet
Feet omitted or dim
Feet omitted
Feet and legs drawn first
Foot of male emphasized
Phallic foot
Foot emphasized

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

Page 8

Feet small (male subject)

Feet on base of page

Shoes shaded

Insecurity
Sy
Need for stability because of disturbance Sy
produced by a conflict
Insecurity
Sy

Homosexual trend

Sx

Manic tendency
Somatic delusions

P
P

Schizophrenia
Somatic delusions
Professional artists
Analysands
Anxiety relative to sexual function

P
So
Sx
Si

Constricted erotic response (women)

Sx

Sexual conflict

Sx

Schizoid
Schizophrenia
Maternal dependency
Psychosexual immaturity
Compulsive body image problem, as in early
schizophrenia

C
P
Ob
Sx

Antisocial personality (psychopath)

Need for social approval and dominance
Egocentricity

C
St
C

Immaturity
Over-concern for material criteria for social
status
Homosexual trend
Voyeuristic tendency
Emphasis on possession and social prestige
Unsatisfying social status
Need for greater status and recognition than
subject feels he possesses

C
St

Heel
High heel on male (male subject)
Organs
Organs shown
Internal organs shown
anatomy), sex organ shown
Shading in sexual areas

(internal

Female sex characteristics under-

emphasized, female subject
Sexual anatomy area distorted or
omitted

Sx

Joints
Joints emphasis

Joints carefully depicted

Clothing
Clothing foppish (overclothed)
Clothing carefully rendered,
clothed
Clothing carefully rendered

over-

Clothing detail elaboration

Clothing transparent (body visible)
Clothing elaboration, grooming
Clothes ill-fitting
Uniformed cowboy or soldier (male
figure of male subject)

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

Sx
Sx
St
St
St
Page 9

Body of lower area of female visible

through transparent skirt (male
subject)
Pockets

Handkerchief
of
coat
pocket
emphasized
Buttons

Buttons in midline

Pocket

Tie emphasized

Tie flying or swept out

Trouser fly

Figure clothed with toes exposed

Collar tight

Sexual fantasies
Sexual preoccupation

Sx
Sx

Dependency
Sexual inadequacy

C
Sx

Inadequacy
Maternal dependency
Insecurity
Somatic preoccupation
Maternal dependency
Maternal dependency
Homosexual trend
Overt sexual aggression
Masturbatory preoccupation
Aggressive tendencies
Problem with control of anger or primitive drive

C
Ob
Sy
So
Ob
Ob
Sx
Sx
Sx
Sy
Sy

Aggressive tendencies
Sadism
Antisocial personality (psychopath)
Paranoid
Epileptics
Organicity
Extreme tension
Assertiveness
Energy
Impulsivity
Cyclothymie
Unstableness
Repression
Feeling or insignificance or lack of worth
Restraint
Adaptability
Flexibility
Moodinness

Sy
Sy
C
P
P
Or
Sy
Sy
T
C
C
Sy
D
Sy
T
T
T
T

Responsiveness
Uninhibitedness
Perseverance
Security
Tension
Withdrawal
Excitable subjects
Dependency

T
T
T
T
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy

Pressures
Pressure
Excessive and heavy pressure

Fluctuating pressure
Light pressure
Pressure variations

Lines
Rhythmic stroking
Energetic, unhesitant stroke
Constricted stroking
Length of stroke movement decreases
Circular strokes

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

Page 10


Right to left strokes

Left to right strokes

Stroking in (toward the body)

Circular strokes; trunk rounded

Circular strokes

Short strokes

Short sketchy strokes / sketchy lines

Long strokes(children as subjects)

Strokes away from subject

Rounded curves

Horizontal stroke; rounded lines

Horizontal stroke

Vertical stroke

indeterminate vacillating stroke

Straight line strokes (children as

subjects)
Midline emphasis (stressed midline)

Body line reinforced, varied pressure

Emphasis on curves in depicting body

Very faint line

Body line heavy

Fading line
Heavy thick lines
Disconnected lines
Broken lines

Lack of assertion
Introversion (self-oriented)
Need for help or support
Extroversion (environment oriented)
Introversion (self-oriented)
Feminine tendency
Emotionality
Impulsivity
Anxiety
Timidity
Uncertainty
Controlled behavior
Aggressive tendencies
Extroversion (environment oriented)
Sexual inadequacy
Femininity
Emphasis on fantasy
Weakness
Hyperactivity
Assertiveness
Determinedness
Insecurity
Lack of perseverence
Assertiveness

Sy
T
Sy
Sy
T
Sx
T
C
Sy
Sy
Sy
T
Sy
Sy
Sx
Sx
Sy
Sy
Sy
T
T
Sy
Sy
T

Dependency
C
C
Schizoid
D
Conversion or somatic preoccupation
Ob
Maternal dependency
Sy
Insecurity
Explosive personality (emotional instability)
C
Narcissism
C
Inadequacy
C
Apprehensive neurotics (apprehension with N
neurosis)
N
Depression
P
Catatonics
P
Chronic schizophrenia
P
Withdrawn schizophrenic
Apprehensive neurotics (apprehension with N
neurosis)
Depersonalization fears
Sy
Hysteric tendency
N
Depersonalization fears
P
Sy
Aggressive tendencies
Psychotic tendency
P
Sy
Insecurity
Anxiety
Sy
Sy
Conflict area

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

Page 11

Reinforced lines
Pressured lines
Straight lines
Light lines, light pressure
Heavy lines

Jagged lines
Fluctuating line
Thin elongated line
Dim line
Firm lines

Unbroken reinforced lines outlining

figure
Uninterrupted straight lines

Measurement lines or stick frame

Combination of firm, heavy and light

lines
Few curves, many sharp edges

Uneven line pressure

Erasures

Excessive erasure

Curvilinear line interrupted

Ground line

Anxiety
Sy
Conflict area
Sy
Sy
Insecurity
Assertiveness
T
Aggressive tendencies
Sy
Low energy
So
Hostility
D
Mach-over indices differentiating assaultive from Sy
nonassualtive subjects
Assaultiveness
Sy
Tension
Sy
Tension
Sy
Timidity
Sy
Ambition
T
Drive
T
Isolation
D
Decisiveness
Perfectionism
Assaultiveness

T
Sy
Sy

Aggressive tendencies
Poor adjustment
Anxiety
Insecurity
Anxiety
Conflict area
Indecisiveness
Dissatisfaction with self
Conflict area
Indecisiveness
Insecurity
Need for help or support

Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy
Sy

Delinquent tendency possibility

Egotism
Narcissism
Depression
Anxiety
Obsessive compulsive

C
C
N
Sy
N

Schizophrenia
Compulsivity

P
D

Extras
Aggressive content, as daggers, guns,
spears
Doodling of subjects name

Clouds

Buttons inconspicuous (as on cuffs),

shoelaces,
wrinkles,
other
unnecessary details
Bizarre details, unessential details

Detailing, over-symmetrical drawings,

re-working, with addition to excessive
detail

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

Page 12

Minute detailing
Inadequate detailing

Sun added to HFD scene

Fireplace (with fire in it) before figure

Earrings;
full-face
figure;
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
advanced drawing
Earrings

Cane

Adams apple ; a cane ; cigarette ; hair

area ; pipe ; tie
Adams apple (on opposite sex, that
sex regarded as not virile)
Small tie ; tie

Tie flying or swept out

Yo-yo

Several pockets (male figure, male

subject)
Cigarette

Gun

Knife

Weapons

Strong wind in scene of H.F.D.

Mask

Pedantry
Lack of drive, energy or vitality
Need for affection
Nurturing warmth
Need for emotional security and warmth
Exhibitionism or exhibitionistic tendency

T
Sy
Sy
Ob
Ob
Ob
Sx

Secretiveness

Sy

Sexual preoccupation
Impotency
Involutional resistance to sexual drive
Masculine or virility striving

Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx

Sexual role conflict or confusion

Sx

Sexual inadequacy
Sexual preoccupation
Masturbatory fixation
Passive homosexual tendency

Sx
Sx
Sx
Sx

Sexual preoccupation
Sx
Sexual preoccupation
Sx
Sy
Aggressive tendencies
Sy
Hostility
Aggressive tendencies
Sy
Hostility
Sy
Aggressive tendencies
Sy
Felt rejection to strong environmental pressure Sy
or stress with fear of psychoses
Secretiveness
T

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

Page 13