CHAPTER 10

DRAWING A TREE AS AN EXPLORATORY MEDIUM

1. INTRODUCTION

From time immemorial the tree has been an important symbolic

form for persons and tree images readily come up in colloquial
speech. On the basis of its vertical position it can be valid as an
analogy for the specifically human and it also speaks to persons as
an image of life, striving, growing and flourishing.

Koch (101, 24) takes the growth of a healthy tree as the point of
departure for the tree drawing as an exploratory medium and
stresses especially the spatial symbolism the drawing expresses. Van
Lennep (291, 28), who has expanded on Koch's work, also views the
tree as a symbol of a person and, in particular, assumes that the
roots, the trunk and the crown, as inseparable parts, can be related
to the human figure. These parts can symbolize the following:

a) The roots are related to the "firmness" or "looseness" of a

person's ground or foundation. Regarding a child, this is connected
with the relationships in his educative situation;
b) the trunk is symbolic of becoming and also is strongly related
to the child's educative situation;
c) the crown symbolizes the actualization of the psychic life
as such.

Easier than most other objects, for a child, a tree can acquire a
"face" in which case it then really is "humanized" by him.

2. IMPLEMENTATION

The child is provided with an ordinary (no. 2) and/or colored

pencil, an ordinary sized (8 1/2 x 11) blank piece of paper and an
eraser. The paper is placed squarely on the table in front of him.
He is asked to first draw a tree in the summer. This can be any
type of tree. Then he is asked to draw a tree in the winter.
Following Van Lennep (291, 34), after completing a drawing of an
ordinary tree, the child is asked to draw a fantasy tree and then a
dream tree. The purpose of these last two drawings is to allow still
greater freedom regarding the symbolic.

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The emotional inhibition that might exist in the situation of drawing
the first tree, for the most part, is not lived experienced while
drawing the last two trees. Also, a stronger appeal is directed to the
child, via imagining and fantasizing, to loosen himself from the
intention to remain as faithful as possible to reality and not rely as
much on memory as with drawing an ordinary tree.

After he finishes the fantasy and dream trees, allow him to tell a
"little story" about them.

How long it takes the child to complete each drawing is also noted.

3. INTERPRETING THE DRAWINGS

3.1 Orientation

As with drawing a person, there are no fixed norms according to

which the drawings are to be judged. Van Lennep (291, 54)
approaches the drawn tree from the general tree analogy as well as
by asking himself what the drawer has done with the analogy in
terms of the way the drawn tree is an image of the drawer himself
and can disclose his personal behaviors.

In accordance with his potentialities, it is assumed that the child will

draw what is important to him, also regarding the tree-person
analogy. Thus, the roots for him will be connected to his
"anchoredness" in his educative situation and the trunk and crown
will be related to his own identity-discovery and emancipation
within his educative situation.

With the aim of interpretation, Van Lennep (291, 71) approaches

the child's drawings as follows: It is first verified how large the tree
is and the area of the paper it fills, what its position is on the paper
and what the coherence is of the roots, trunk and crown.

It always has to be kept in mind that it is a unique person who draws

and who attributes his particular meaning to what he draws since
the three aspects taken as the point of departure for interpretation
remain abstract and can have other meanings if they are isolated
from the concrete whole.

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In particular, attention is given to anything conspicuous. Often a
child will draw a face in the tree or a spider, a birds nest, a little
house, etc. In addition, attention is given to such accessories as
damage, the structure of the trunk, the type of tree, e.g., a weeping
willow.

Deviations regarding any of the three aspects (roots, trunk, crown)

always have to be interpreted phenomenologically and then possible
evidence sought for the interpretations. Thus, e.g., Koch (101, 133)
has interpreted "wounds" to the trees as indicating bodily damage, a
point of view that no longer can be endorsed since it also can have
other meanings such as traumatization, etc. Moreover, the drawn
trees have to also be viewed in relationship to each other.

Against the background of the above there then also is particular

attention given to the following:

3.2 Observation

The child can perform in a variety of ways. For example, he can

cooperate, or he can view the investigator as someone who
disagrees with the meanings he brings there; or he can try to make a
good impression by controlling or trying to hide his rebelliousness,
insecurity or anxiety, etc. These matters will have a decisive
influence on his drawings.

3.3 The position of the drawing on the paper (see 291, 151;
101, 28)

Because a tree stands vertically in space, it is really obvious that the

child also place the paper vertically on the table in front of himself.
Therefore, when the paper is turned diagonally this refers to
opposition and rebelliousness. It really is an indication of rebellion
against generally accepted values and conventions and he shows a
rejection for the self-evident invitations that the world directs to
him in order to put his own yardsticks in their place and on the
basis of which he comes into conflict with current views. Thus, a
person who perhaps quickly discovers that his tree cannot "grow"
anymore in height because of inadequate space allows the tree to
become broader.

Younger children usually draw objects that are on the ground on the
bottom of the paper while older children and adults mostly choose

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the middle of the paper. A person always stands in the middle of his
world and therefore he also chooses the middle of the paper.

3.3.1 Left on the paper (see 291, 154; 101, 30)

By only drawing on the left part of the paper, the child does not use
the space available. In everyday intercourse we often hear that
someone is "left of the government" and left is interpreted as
wrong. The drawing on the left of the paper also can be viewed as
placed on the wrong side.

Regarding the child's educative situation, this also implies that he

"stands to the side", as it were, and that there might be relationship
problems present, e.g., that he doesn't feel accepted. In terms of
emancipation, this implies that he lived experiences himself as
inadequate and cannot participate with others on an equal footing.

Large trees on the left of the paper can indicate his strong feeling to
apply himself but not being able to do so in everyday relationships.
Thus, this really refers to passivity and there is mention of an
onlooker rather than an active participant.

3.3.1.1 In the upper left corner (see 291, 159)

For a child, a corner always has a particular significance. He has to

stand in the corner for punishment, and when someone is really in
difficulty, "he is driven into a corner". However, a lonely person
also retreats into a "safe" corner to find protection there.

A tree placed in the upper left on the paper also has no possibility of
becoming larger and in this sense it indications an unwillingness to
explore and a weak future perspective, especially on the basis of
feelings of inadequacy.

3.3.1.2 In the lower left corner (see 291, 162)

Such a placement might indicate a serious unwillingness to explore

since the available space does not obstruct the tree from "growing"
taller. Children who draw their trees in the lower left corner are
usually timid, reserved and unwilling to establish interpersonal
relationships. This is especially the case if the trees are placed in
the same position (on all drawings). This also indicates a

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perseveration that is evidence of an inability to distance oneself to
an adequate gnostic-cognitive level.

3.3.2 Trees right on the paper (see 291, 176; 101, 30)

Right refers to a striving to close the other off. However, when the
trees are placed on the extreme right side, this might indicate that
there is no place allowed for another and that the child really will
not allow the other into his world.

Interchanging placings to the left or right on the paper is an

indication that the person is divided within himself and is really
revolting against his educative situation.

3.4 Size of trees (see 291, 116-137)

Most children do not use the entire sheet of paper. Statistics show
that the dispersion regarding the height and breadth of drawn trees
are approximately between 5 and 9 inches and 4 and 7 inches,
respectively. Large trees, then, will be those that are bigger than 9 x
7 inches and small trees those less than 5 x 4 inches.

"Large" refers to maturity, importance, independence and

powerfulness while "small" refers, among other things, to
insignificance, weakness, inadequacy.

One should always try to determine what underlies a particular

child's choice of a large or small tree. Thus. e.g., a large tree can
refer to uncertainty and feelings of inadequacy since he wants to
compensate just for these. Perhaps he is not able to maintain
himself in competitive situations and he eagerly wants to dominate
and be the center of attention but he does not succeed in
accomplishing this in interpersonal relationships. Perhaps he also
can try striking a superior attitude because he is not able really to
maintain himself as an achieving person. Thus, a large tree is not
always a sign of feeling big and doing great but also of boastfulness.

A little tree might indicate that the child is modest and shy and
would rather follow than take the lead. There is mention of a
feeling of inadequacy and the belief that others are better than he is.
He does not take the initiative easily and prefers rather to be told
what to do. There also is mention of an unwillingness to explore.
Also it can be that he tries to shirk his responsibilities by displaying

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his own ineffectiveness and incompetence. However, the drawer of
a little tree also can feel himself wronged and this feeling can
manifest itself in aggressive or depressive ways.

In general, children who draw little trees can be viewed as quiet and
turned inward. This might indicate affective neglect and a search
for emotional security.

Children do not always draw all of the trees of equal size. If he

begins with a little tree and gradually draws larger trees, this can
indicate feelings of uncertainty in unfamiliar situations.

3.5 The different subparts

It has already been emphasized that a child's drawings always have

to be viewed as the result of the meanings a unique child has
attributed to his situation (see Chapter 9, section 2) and this fact
should figure prominently during the orthopedagogic evaluator's
interpretation of his drawings.

However, fruitful use can be made of Koch's (101) valuable findings

regarding the specific aspects of the drawings. But where the
following are summary discussions of examples of descriptions
offered by Koch, they should never be implemented as isolated and
decisive findings.

3.5.1 The roots

As a rule, the roots are not drawn but where they appear this
indicates a clear feeling of uncertainty and dependence and a
seeking of support. This strongly suggests the possibility of
defective affective guidance in the primary educative situation.

3.5.2 The trunk

According to Van Lennep (291, 191), the trunk symbolizes a

person's bodiliness. It represents the firm and permanent and is
less subject to change than the crown. A tree really cannot exist
without a trunk. Also, Koch (101, 39) views the trunk as the center
and says that it refers to the child's relationship with himself and his
own bodiliness. Among others, he distinguishes the following
"types" of trunks:

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 b)

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3.5.4 The coherence of roots, trunk and crown

Van Lennep (291, 180) calls attention to the fact that if a child does
not take into account the coherence of the trunk and crown, usually
one or another problem is present. Unless there are conspicuous
motor problems noted that can influence the harmony, it can be
accepted that a child who ignores the general coherence has to
contend with problems in actualizing his psychic life.

Defective coherence is usually clear where large branches sprout

from the trunk, or where branches show interruptions. This also
indicates defective attending, poor persistence and unreliable
thinking.

A child who is unwilling to draw also will not complete his drawings.

3.5.5 Wounds

A "pruned" tree refers to an encroachment from the outside.

Where such drawings appear, a distinction has to be made about
whether it implies [a need for] "support" or perhaps is rather
evidence of a "restraint" or "disfiguring". Close attention also has to
be paid to the possible appearances of such wounds, e.g., a sawed
off branch, etc. the child's reasons for such a drawing have to be
determined (see 101, 183, 186).

3.6 Accessories

A great variety of accessories can appear such as a support for the

trunk, fruit, thorns, blossoms, leaves, birds, bird nests, eggs, little
men, baskets and anything else that is "hung", falling objects
(leaves, branches, blossoms, fruit) (see 101, 200-212).

The investigator has to clarify phenomenologically why a particular

child has introduced the particular "accessories" since they cannot
merely be accepted as "coincidental".

Sometimes the drawer tries to "improve" his drawings with captions

to give notice that by them he succeeds in formulating his inner
lived-experiences as he would like to.

4. SYNTHESIS

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________________________________________
Particular contents of the tree drawings and possible
indications regarding the actualization of the psychic life

INTELLIGENCE
poor ability: lead trunk and branches after 13 years.
more practical: T-trunk; base of trunk wide; crown vine
formed.
good ability: three-dimensional.
underactualization:
general: shakily formed lines.
trunk: T-trunk; interrupted trunk lines; thick;
grows narrow; trunk open at bottom;
perseverations; stereotypic; break in trunk
and limbs.
crown: chaotic lines; centrifugal; foliage and
other "accessories"; slopes down.

MANIFESTATIONS OF LIVED EXPERIENCING

pathic-affective:
general: shakily formed lines.
trunk: upper level heavy; pointed lines.
crown: Foliage; branches covered with bark.
gnostic-cognitive:
general:
trunk: straight, parallel after 12 years.
crown:
pathic-affective lability and impulsivity:
general: shakily formed lines; lines and coloring
in (shadings) are black and dark; blossoms;
tree in upper left corner of paper.
trunk: bottom open; interrupted lines; thickens
or narrows; straight tree base.
crown: chaotic lines; interrupted branches;
branches fall under; crossing branches.
pathic-affective stability:
general: thinly formed lines.
trunk: straight, angled form after 12 years; wavy
contour; upper level coarse curved, round and
bowed lines.
crown:
gnostic-cognitive disorder:

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 general: blossoms.
trunk: lead trunk and branches after 13 years.
crown: leans to left; chaotic lines.
concrete-visual thinking:
general:
trunk: base wide (in puberty), T-trunk.
crown: spherical form.
abstract thinking:
general: three-dimensional.
trunk: open, pipe-form; straight and parallel
after 12 years.
crown: vine formed.

ACTUALIZATION OF BECOMING AN ADULT

infantile:
general: tree placed in bottom left corner; roots.
trunk:
crown:
inadequate exploration, emancipation, distantiation,
objectification, differentiation:
general: ground line; roots and trunk together.
trunk: T-trunk; bottom open; interrupted lines;
thickening or narrowing; straight trunk base;
interrupted.
crown: chaotic lines; falling foliage, etc.; leans
left.
insecure:
general: roots; line form and coloring (shading)
black and dark; shaky.
trunk: placed on island or hill; interruptions in
trunk lines; open bottom; placed against
support or pole; sloping ground line.
crown: accent to right; shaky contour; falling
under; interruption in branches; open
branches in crown; landscape; falling foliage, etc.
self-confident:
general: three-dimensional.
trunk:
crown:
inadequate cognitive lived experiencing:
general: tree placed left and above.
trunk: base on bottom of paper; left or right
irregular; curved; branches cut off.

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 crown: flat; empty spaces.
wants to impress:
general: heavy lines; shaky.
trunk:
crown:
dependent on mother:
general:
trunk: base wide to left.
crown:
little persistence:
general:
trunk:
crown: fruit after 12 years.
quarrelsome, undisciplined:
general:
trunk:
crown: chaotic branches which cross.
shuns authority:
general:
trunk: base wide to right.
crown:
directed to orderliness:
general: sharp, precise lines.
trunk:
crown: vine formed.
ambivalences:
general:
trunk:
crown: branches cross.
tense:
general: bent (crooked), round, wavy lines (after
12 years).
trunk:
crown: spherical form with abundant branches
and foliage.
stubborn:
general: three-dimensional.
trunk: interruptions; irregular left or right;
straight and parallel (after 12 years), straight;
angled forms.
crown: centrifugal.
arrogant, impudent:
general: three-dimensional.

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 trunk:
crown: emphasis to right; centrifugal; branches
become thicker.
decisive:
general: wide lines; dark, black (after 12 years).
trunk: upper level crude (round and curved or
bowed lines).
crown: centripetal; branches in crown; chaotic
lines; centrifugal.
indecisive:
general: thin lines.
trunk: interruptions.
crown: falling under; open; pipe-formed
branches; interruptions in branches; branches
cross; landscape.
bodily experiences:
general: line roots (experiences difficulty
moving).
trunk: node; curved; thinning.
crown:
absent-minded:
general:
trunk: open below.
crown: interruptions in branches; centrifugal;
open; pipe-formed branches.
successful interpersonal relationships:
general:
trunk: upper level crude (curved, round or
bowed lines)
crown: wavy contour, branches end in ball of
clouds.
problems with interpersonal relationships:
general: tree low and to left.
trunk: curved lines.
crown: sawed-off branches.
polite, charming, considerate, diplomatic:
general:
trunk:
crown: branches end in ball of clouds; bowed
characteristics in crown.
extratensive (outgoing):
general:
trunk:

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 crown: falling under; emphasis to right;
centrifugal; branches become thicker; wavy
contour.
introvertive:
general:
trunk: nuances to left; thickening or thinning.
crown: leaning to left; bark covered branches.
shy, bashful:
general:
trunk:
crown: branches end in ball of clouds.
mistrusting, suspicious:
general: tree drawn left and below.
trunk: base broad to right; sloping ground line.
crown: palm tree branches.
quick-tempered:
general:
trunk:
crown: pointing up.
cautious:
general:
trunk:
crown: palm tree branches.
proud:
general: drawn left and above.
trunk: T-trunk; stands on an island or hill.
crown:
feels guilty:
general:
trunk: curved lines.
crown:
passive:
general: drawn left and above.
trunk: ground line above base.
crown: falling down.
active, restless, enthusiastic:
general: drawn right and above.
trunk:
crown: drawn as curls; points up.
aggressive:
general: hard, dark lines; changes position of
paper.
trunk: pointed lines.

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 crown: centrifugal; thorns.
possible traumas:
general:
trunk: narrows or thickens.
crown: branches narrow or thicken.
independent, resolute (firm):
general:
trunk:
crown: centripetal.
takes initiative, diligent:
general: three-dimensional
trunk:
crown: centrifugal.
self-conscious:
general:
trunk:
crown: emphasis to right.
self-satisfied:
general:
trunk:
crown: concentric.
reserved:
general: tree drawn in lower left.
trunk:
crown: flat; falling down.
eager to achieve:
general:
trunk:
crown: leans to the right.
reluctant:
general:
trunk: sloped ground line (after 12 years).
crown:
willing:
general:
trunk:
crown: leans to the right.
playful, teasing:
general: accessories (birds, etc.).
trunk:
crown:
_______________________________________

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The following drawings were done by children restrained in
becoming adult.

Drawings 1, 2, 3 and 4 were completed by Karl, 16 years one month

and in 11th grade (IQ = 117, V = 103, NV = 130).

According to his parents, he has "lost interest in school work" and

early on his grades showed a considerable decline. Also, these days
he is very rebellious, obstinate and "continually in conflict with his
teachers".

Karl is an attractive, strong, athletically built boy and is "particularly

skilled with his hands". He wears glasses and because of a bad back
does not participate in contact sports.

In school he is a class leader and is very popular with his peers

because he usually takes the lead. He finds many faults in his
teachers and often accepts his own views of matters as correct.
Moreover, he does not have much regard for pupil advising and the
school routine.

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Branches cut off: feelings of inadequacy; bodily experiences;
feelings of not being understood; feelings of guilt.
Coarse upper trunk: sensitive to other's opinions about himself
in interpersonal relationships.
Use of dark lines: feelings of aggression, anxiety and insecurity.
Centrifugal crown: extrovertive; aggressive.
"Axis" around which tree rotates: feelings of uncertainty,
inadequacy and a seeking of support.
Frontal view: orientation problems; obstinate; pigheaded;
impudent; presumptuous.
Pointed branches: critical; sensitive; aggressive.
Falling leaves: feelings of uncertainty and depression.
___________________________________

With respect to the request to draw a fantasy tree, he sketched a

tree that rotates around an axis. Half of the tree's branches are
covered with leaves while the other half are bare. This drawing
speaks clearly of a duality regarding the actualization of his
potentialities in the sense that on the one hand he has a physically
strong build but is not allowed to participate in sports; on the other
hand, he has very good intellectual potential at his disposal and yet
does not achieve scholastically as his parents expect him to. The to-
and-fro rotation of the tree also clearly suggests a seeking to
eliminate this duality and its correlated disturbed future
perspective.

His lived experience of a coagulation in his future expectations is

also evident in his drawing of a person (drawing 4) where he has put
the figure behind a wall. However, the wall is low which suggests
that the obstacle is not viewed as insurmountable. The man is
apparently dressed in overalls and might represent a builder,
although building tools such as a trowel are missing. His striving to
create something with his hands is apparently represented here but
at the same time also the possible failure to adequately take into
account the demands of reality and thoroughly planning in order to
reach his aim.

The interpretation of the formal aspects of his person drawing

reflects his feelings of aggression, uncertainty, rejection; his seeking
support; his emotional lability; that he is an extrovertive person also
reflected and correlates with the results of his tree drawings.

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Drawings 5, 6 and 7 were completed by Gary, 14 years 6 months and
in 8th grade (IQ = 95, V = 74, NV = 124).

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He is extremely unhappy at home. His parents divorced when he
was 5 years old. His father is remarried and he did not meet his
stepmother for several years and they do not get along with each
other. There are continuous heated family quarrels. Also, he lived
experiences his father as not paying any attention to him.

Gary wet his bed until he was 13 years old; he tells many lies and
repeatedly "steals" objects from his stepmother; his progress in
school is extremely poor and he has already fail one examination;
this year he has played hooky a number of times. He has an intense
desire to get away from his present situation, and already he has
explored many ways of getting away from the house. He continually
urges his father to send him to another school in another city.
During the previous term he avoided almost all tests.

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 Drawings 5, 6, 7

Characteristics of drawings and possible interpretations

Diffuse lines on the trunks: feeling lost.

Base of trunk broad: restrained becoming, learning difficulties,
restrained thinking.
Thickening in branches: bashfulness, affective lability; feels
imprisoned in educative situation; restrained thinking; learning
problems.
Ball-shaped crown: anxiety for reality; bound to concrete-visual;
inclined to daydream; deficient energy; naive; poor concentration;
reserved; unwilling to explore.
Pipe-shaped (up) branches: will not let himself bond;
disobedient; intentions not carried out; readily procrastinates;
purposeless; indecisive; influencable; affectively superficial;
disoriented.
Trunk open below: hesitant; uncertain; rebellious; unstable;
affectively impulsive.
Crown of chaotic lines: affective impulsivity; purposeless;
confused; inconsistent; psychic life underactualized; unmethodical
approaches.
Floating: attention problems; anger.
Trees placed to left and slightly above: withdrawing; passive;
lonely; feels inadequate.
Tree house, ladder and little steps: feels dejected and
dissatisfied with his situation; seeks authentic emotional bonds.
Fruit: strives to be influential; defective future perspective;
affective impulsivity.
_____________________________________________

In his drawings Gary very clearly represents his desire to escape his
current educative situation. The ladders (see summer and fantasy
trees) suggest a search for an escape-route and the fact that he
withdraws into his own world of imagination and fantasy. The
intense threat that his home situation has for him also is clearly
represented in his house drawing (drawing 8) that, on the one
hand, represents a "flat building" with a lot of rooms represented,
and, on the other hand, a number of red bolts of lightning. The
bolts of lightning aimed at the house also represent very clearly his
aggression toward his primary educators (parents). The closed

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gate at the end of the circular driveway also represents his lived-
experienced failures to escape his currently threatening situation.

Drawing 9 was completed by Jane (see drawings of a person,

numbers 4 and 5, in Chapter 10).

Regarding the request to draw a fantasy tree, Jane drew an

immortal spirit in the form of a woman that, irrespective of the
suggestion that she carries on her shoulders the "problems of life",
is "happy". The desire to be free from the conventional speaks very
clearly in her own description of her representation: "She tore loose
before the beginning of time." She knows what values are held
before her but does not and will not integrate them into her outlook
on life because she does not see them as meaningful. Yet she lived
experiences feelings of guilt in this regard and she proclaims the
fact that she recognizes the difference between good and evil. The
floating tree and the planets very clearly represent her feelings of
uncertainty and a search for stability.

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There are conspicuous signs of “normative neglect” and the
establishment of an experiential world-in-opposition. She is
rebellious about the “pain: she believes is her calling and feels that
she really is “crucified”.

There is an intense seeking of happiness and she then escapes into

an unreal world where she hopes that she can escape her feelings of
loneliness and uncertainty and find security. However, the faces are
all tense and strained and do not agree with her own comments.

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There are conspicuous signs of "normative neglect" and the
establishment of an experiential world-in-opposition. She is
rebellious about the "pain" which she believes is her calling and
feels that she really is "crucified".

There is an intense search for happiness and she then escapes into
an unreal world where she hopes that she can escape her feelings of
loneliness and uncertainty and find security. However, the faces are
all tense and strained and do not agree with her own comments
about happiness. "An immortal spirit. She's happy. I can see it in
her eyes. She tore loose some place and is drifting through space.
She tore loose before the beginning of time. She's good and evil--it
depends upon her mood. She may be thinking about evil that she is
going to commit."

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Her seeking sexual warmth also is prominent in her intentional
going out to the world (see the main figure and the emphasis on the
mouths of the figures in the crown of the tree).

There is mention of a disturbed future perspective because the

"immortal spirit" gives no evidence of an origin, aim or future
expectation--it remains only "afloat".

Experiences in connection with the use of drugs also cannot be

eliminated. In addition, there also is the possibility that she has
become familiar with Eastern occultists (see the domed mosques).
The incorporation of Christian and Eastern religions (see the
resemblance to the image of a crucified Christ) accentuates
confusion and uncertainty about religious values and her
ambivalence regarding them. The fact that the mosques (castles?)
are built on a planet are evidence that they do not rest on a solid
foundation and further emphasizes her uncertainty regarding
generally accepted life values. However, the many branches (arms)
suggest an urgent search for security, for something to hold fast to.

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