Very often, psychologists when working with a child ask him to draw a fantastic animal, i.e. not existing in nature. Such a test helps specialists understand the mentality of the ward and better understand the current situation. But apply this technique can not only psychologists. This article will tell you how to loving parents, carers in a preschool institution, grandparents to decipher the messages that contains a fantastic animal drawn by your favorite child. Children's drawings are able to reveal everything that lies deeply, on a subconscious level.
So let's get started.
The size
Regarding the size of the resulting picture, the rule “the larger the size, the more strength and energy” most often works. Large fantastic animals on the sheet indicate the authors' energy and self-confidence. Their small size is about uncertainty and enslavement. Bonding is also manifested in cases when the animal is so large that it does not fit on the sheet.
The position of the figure on the sheet
Normal is the central position of the picture. The closer the drawing is to the upper edge of the sheet, the more high the child’s self-esteem , the more displeased he feels about his position in society and the more insufficient he considers his recognition to be surrounding. Conversely, an understated figure indicates low self-esteem, indecision, disinterest in their social status.
Figure head
Fantastic animals, whose head is turned to the right, testify to a steady tendency to activity, the effectiveness of their authors. Such children, as a rule, realize their ideas in practice. A head turned to the left indicates the opposite: such children are prone to reflections, thoughts, and the transition to actions can be inhibited by fears. The position of full-face is interpreted as egocentrism. The presence or absence of sensory organs on the head indicates interest / disinterest in receiving or issuing this or that type of information. For example, an open mouth with a tongue without a detailed lip-drawing indicates the speech activity of the child. The presence of teeth indicates aggression, often protective. The hatched mouth speaks of anxiety and fear.
It is very important what kind of eyes fantastic animals drawn by children have. A sharp drawing of the iris indicates an experience of fear. Eyelashes speak of hysterically demonstrative manners of behavior.
The large size of the head is a sign that the child most of all appreciates the rational beginning in himself and those around him. Additional details, such as horns, claws, bristles, needles, are a sign of aggression, spontaneous or protective-response.
Fantastic animals are decorated with feathers, mane, and wool, the authors of which tend to self-decorate.
The supporting part of the figure
By the type of connection of the limbs with the body, one can judge the nature of the child’s control over his own reasonings, decisions, conclusions. The connection can be accurate, thorough or careless, weak, completely absent. The uniformity and unidirectionality of the shape of the limbs is standard, commonplace in judgments. The diversity of their forms and positions - independence, originality and even creativity, as well as dissent (for forms close to pathology).
Additional shape elements
Elements drawn over a figure may have a functional character, such as wings or a shell. And they can perform a decorative role (curls, curls). The first case indicates confidence, curiosity, dedication, activity, in some cases, associated with the oppression of others. The second is about manners, a tendency to attract the attention of others.
Oddly enough, but the tails play an important role in the drawing. They reflect the child’s attitude to his own actions and behavior, if the tail is directed to the right, and to thoughts - if to the left. The positive or negative coloration of this ratio depends on the vertical direction of the tail: the more up, the better.
Total energy
The total number of depicted parts should be estimated: the higher the energy, the more they are in the picture and the more information they give about what the depicted fantastic animals are. Habitats, surrounding animal figures, extraneous elements - all of this is worth paying attention to: color, intensity, mood.
The general nature of the lines should also be analyzed: weak lines indicate weakness and lack of initiative. Fatty, with pressure - about anxiety. Analyze what elements are made in such a way, where dubbing of lines occurred, tearing, blackening, blurring, deviation from the direction - there are problems in these areas.
See: a drawing can tell a lot about the inner world of a little man. Ask your child to draw a fantastic animal, come up with a name and habitat for him. Pay attention to the presence of sharp angles in the outline of the figure (aggression or fear), the direction of protection (from the top threat - teachers, parents, from the bottom - peers, their ridicule). This way you can better understand the problems of your child and help him solve them.