If set design is about space, costume design is about people in motion. And yet, this is the point where many students freeze — “I can’t draw people!” is a phrase I hear weekly. Over time, I’ve found that what matters isn’t anatomy or accuracy; it’s gesture, movement and texture. Here are the activities I use most often to unlock that.

Here are ten of my go-to activities. They’ve grown out of real classrooms — sometimes messy, often noisy — but they work because they help students relax, take risks, and start seeing space as something they can shape.

Sketching can be one of the most powerful tools in a designer’s process — but for many students, it’s also the most intimidating.They worry about “getting it right,” about not being able to draw well, or about making mistakes they can’t undo. In set and costume design, though, sketching isn’t about accuracy — it’s about thinking on paper. Here are five simple, creative principles that can help unlock your students’ confidence and get them sketching with energy and purpose.