Fun with Ink Blots - Home Learning Activity

Many will be familiar with Rorschach’s “Ink Blot Test.” It is a personality test that has permeated our media for decades; the idea following that by looking at a random blot image and explaining what our brains make of it, we can reveal some of our subconscious and find out more about who we “truly” are. The use of the Rorschach Test as a diagnostic tool is heavily disputed today, and generally if used at all it is as a conversation starter in therapeutic sessions.

The Ink Blot test was popularised by Hermann Rorschach in 1921 when he published “Psychodiagnostik” following a study of 300 mental patients and 100 control subjects, and was originally created as a tool for diagnosing schizophrenia. However, ink blots had been used as a tool for studying the subconscious since the late 1800’s. “Klecksography,” or the art of making images from ink blots, was a very popular past time in the late Victorian period. Rorschach was such a big fan that his childhood nickname was “Klecks,” with klecksography being the inspiration for his test. The method for klecksography involved dripping some ink on to a piece of paper and folding it in half, producing odd shapes and patterns. This then became a popular party game; “Gobolinks” involved one person in a group producing an ink blot, everyone in the group writing a verse to accompany the ink blot and voting on their favourite. In this way, ink blots were used as a type of creative writing prompt.

Want to have a go at klecksography? Follow the instructions attached to have a go at making your own ink blots and using them to craft a unique story. This activity is suitable for the ages of 7+ and requires some adult supervision.

Download this free activity here: Klecksography Activity Sheet