Honestly, I’ve seen people talk about this HTP drawing test online forever, you know? That House-Tree-Person thing psychologists use. Always seemed kinda mysterious. So today, I thought, why not try it on myself? See what all the fuss is about. Figured I’d follow one of those guides and see what someone might see.
Getting Started: Curiosity Kicked In
First thing, I grabbed my sketchpad and a basic pencil – nothing fancy. The guide said simple is fine. Felt a bit weird just jumping in, like being back in art class. The instructions were simple: draw three things separately: a house, then a tree, then a person. But apparently, how you draw them matters more than being an artist.
- Step 1: The House I started sketching the outline. A simple square for the main part, triangle roof, rectangle door in the middle. Pretty standard, right? Then I added two square windows, one on either side. For a moment, I hesitated about adding smoke from the chimney. Did it? Yeah, a little wispy line. Why? Not sure, just felt like it needed something.
- Step 2: The Tree Felt easier. Big solid trunk first. Went thicker at the bottom. Then the top… branches. Messy! Ended up drawing these round shapes overlapping for leaves. Kinda looked like a lollipop tree. Not gonna lie.
- Step 3: The Person This is where it got tricky. I drew a stick figure, super basic. Circle head, lines for body, arms, legs. Simple face: two dots for eyes, a curve for a mouth almost like a smirk? No hands or feet. Just lines ending. Felt a bit silly drawing it, honestly.
Putting the Pencil Down: Okay, What Now?
Finished all three, looked at my little drawings. My house looked like a kid drew it. The tree? Like broccoli. The person? Barely a person! I sat back, wondering what on earth any of it could mean. The guide mentioned looking at details and choices.
- House Details: Basic, symmetrical house. My windows had crosses, like panes. The door was centered. That wisp of smoke – maybe meant I craved some coziness?
- Tree Talk: Thick trunk felt solid, but the messy blob of leaves looked insecure somehow. Like, hiding something? The guide said tree trunks relate to inner strength. Mine seemed okay, but the leaves were a chaotic puffball.
- Person Puzzle: Stick figure? Super basic. Guide said that could mean avoiding deep stuff, or maybe being guarded. The lack of hands/feet – disconnected or not feeling grounded? The slight smirk… maybe I was feeling a little cynical about doing this test?
My Big Takeaway: It’s Not About Perfection
Doing this myself made it click. It’s not about being a good artist, not at all. It’s about the choices you make almost without thinking. The pressure to draw “right” is pointless. Where you place things on the page (my house was centered, tree off to the left?), how much detail you add (or skip), how much pressure you use on the pencil – apparently, all that stuff whispers something.
Would I let someone analyze me off this? Probably not! But trying it out demystified it a ton. Shows how simple drawings can feel personal, even when they look childish. Makes you wonder how therapists see all these everyday scribbles like little windows, you know? Maybe my wisp of smoke just meant I wanted it to be tea time!
