Representation of the human form offers inexhaustible potential for expression and for the communication of ideas. This is an exciting advanced course for those with experience of working with the figure and/or portrait who would like the challenge of exploring new perspectives on the figurative tradition through drawing, painting and and a range of contemporary and mixed media.
Before booking on this course, please register or log in to your account to complete a short online assessment. We need you to do this to check that this course is the right level for you. Why do I need an advice session
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Book your place
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SKU
243206
Full fee£3,249.00Senior fee£2,599.00Concession£2,274.00
This year long, non-accredited programme has as its focus the human figure; you will explore historical, contemporary and conceptual approaches to visualising the figure in life, action, the imagination and personal narratives, through depth of visual study and sustained studio practice. Where you will develop your skills in traditional mediums, you will also engage with the portrait as a conceptual idea, rather than just a picture of a person. By doing so, we will cover and explore the complexities of human experience, identity, and existence.
What will we cover?
Working with drawing and painting, collage and mixed media, the course covers working from life/observation, and from found images/photography as well as from memory and the imagination to develop personal project work. Stimulating studio projects and off-site work will present experimental and exploratory approaches that question and reflect on Life and Portrait drawing and painting traditions. Tutor-led workshops will develop your skills, techniques and methodologies throughout the course. Visual research referencing artist contexts and use of sketchbooks and gallery/museum visits also form a fundamentally important part of the course. Themes on the course include: contemporary notions of identity, the Classical tradition, the physical body and anatomy, the dynamic figure, the appropriated figure and the figure in public space.
Recognising, presenting and celebrating students' achievements is an important part of our advanced courses. There will be an opportunity to exhibit your work during or at the end of this course, either within the college or at an external venue.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Visualise, represent and express your ideas about the human form with increased confidence, informed and inspired by historical and contemporary artist contexts
Develop and sustain an ongoing figurative practice that relates to contemporary contexts
Critically engage with your practice and that of your peers.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
As this is an advanced course, you will need to have prior experience of life/portrait drawing and/or painting, for example Year of the Figure and Portrait, or demonstrable evidence of at least one year's previous study in the subject area and a real engagement with the figure and/or portrait genre. You will be expected to engage with traditional mediums as well as more conceptual ideas and methodologies.
Self-reflection is an important part of art education and practice. You will be encouraged and expected to evaluate and review your own learning, ways of working and progress. As a student on an advanced course, you should also be prepared to engage with concepts, debates and methods that may differ from those with which you are familiar.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Tutor-led workshops and practical demonstrations
Taught by a team of different artist-tutors with diverse figurative practice
Practical demonstrations
1:1 support
Engaging in constructive critical discussion
Individual tutorials
Group critique and peer feedback
You will be expected to make visual research in sketchbooks and to develop personal project work outside of class time, including homework assignments. You will have frequent tutorials with the Course Leader to discuss your practice, technique and what you want to get out of the course.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
All basic 2D materials are supplied however you are encouraged to invest in your own brushes, canvas, boards etc if you specialise in painting. Advice on this will be given throughout the course.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Possible follow-up courses in the Advanced Practice area include: City Lit Fine Art (VM551/VM552); Developing Art Practice (VM563); Experimental drawing for Artists and Makers (VH835/VH796).
General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:00 – 17:30. For general advice you can contact advice@citylit.ac.uk, or visualarts@citylit.ac.uk for course specific questions.
Paul is an artist who works with drawing, painting and printmaking. He was educated at Jacob Kramer College of Art, Leeds, where he received an Art and Design Foundation certificate. Then after studying at Cyprus College of Art he completed a BA in painting at Winchester School of Art and later an MA certificate in painting at the Royal College of Art. As a tutor he has experience of delivering a wide variety of art courses, using an open-minded approach to teaching that supports learners, developing the skills they have, while offering demonstrations, guidance and advice that offer a basic grounding in drawing and painting. This attitude relates to his eclectic and varied approach to working. ‘What I enjoy about teaching, is the way that learners respond to projects in different ways, and witnessing the development of their work as a personal exploration. It shows a development of individual thoughts and sensations relating to ideas, and I think the purpose of teaching is to embrace and support this.’
Desmond HaughtonSee moreSee less
We’re sorry. We don’t have a bio ready for the tutor of this class at the moment, but we’re working on it! Watch this space.
Amy-Rose HollandSee moreSee less
We’re sorry. We don’t have a bio ready for the tutor of this class at the moment, but we’re working on it! Watch this space.
Benjamin SeniorSee moreSee less
Benjamin Senior is a London-based professional artist and teacher specialising in painting and drawing and colour. His teaching practice is driven by his extensive research in to the practical history of painting, often focusing on techniques of the past such as egg tempera and Old Master methods of painting. In his painting practice Benjamin Senior has exhibited nationally and internationally since graduating from MA Painting at the Royal College of Art in 2010, opening exhibitions in New York, Milan, Zurich, and Dubai including the Hayward Gallery Touring exhibition Slow Painting (2019-20). In 2016 he was one of the official printmaking artists of Team GB during the Rio Olympic Games. Committed to bringing an accessible and enlivening approach to painting tuition, teaches in institutions across London including Dulwich Picture Gallery, UAL Camberwell College of Arts, Working Men’s College and City Lit.
Andrea studied Drawing at Camberwell College and textiles at Morley College, where she also did her teacher training. She has a passion for the macabre and much of her recent practice has focused on drawing animal skulls and skeletons. She has a particular interest in comparative anatomy which led her to devise the Anatomical Life and Portrait Drawing courses at City Lit. Observational drawing is at the core of her practice and she uses it as a means of recording the world around her, be it the clutter of the studio, a music gig or a specimen in a museum. Andrea has an energetic approach to teaching. She is highly communicative and strives to create a positive group dynamic whilst being sensitive to the needs of individual students. This has been enriched by her extensive experience as a life model which she has used as a unique opportunity to observe first-hand the teaching methods and creative processes of many artists and has applied this knowledge to develop her own distinctive teaching style. Examples of her work can be found at www.instagram.com/voiseydrawing
Sisetta ZapponeSee moreSee less
Sisetta studied at the Florence Fine Arts Academy, earning a first-class degree as a Master Printmaker. In 2011, she moved to London, developing her printmaking practice while teaching workshops for adults of all abilities in various communities. She teaches Botanical Drawing, Watercolour, Advanced Life Drawing, and Printmaking, inspiring students to expand their skills and explore innovative approaches. She promotes art as a global language, celebrating diverse artistic traditions. Sisetta’s work is exhibited internationally and held in public collections, including Italy and Morocco’s National Collections, the V&A, and the Museum of Graphic Arts in Pisa.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
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This is an exciting advanced course for those with experience of working with the figure and/or portrait who would like the challenge of exploring new perspectives on the figurative tradition through drawing, painting and and a range of contemporary and mixed media.003002248Advanced figure and portrait32493249https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/a/d/adv-fig-portrait-vh953_6.jpgInStockDaytimeFriKeeley StreetAvailable courses11 weeks or longerWeekday2026-10-02T00:00:00+00:00AdvancedOct 2026Art & designVH95332493249Advanced figure and portrait259922743249Paul Dixon, Desmond Haughton, Amy-Rose Holland, Benjamin Senior, Andrea Voisey, Sisetta Zapponeadvanced-figure-and-portrait/vh953-2627Representation of the human form offers inexhaustible potential for expression and for the communication of ideas. This is an exciting advanced course for those with experience of working with the figure and/or portrait who would like the challenge of exploring new perspectives on the figurative tradition through drawing, painting and and a range of contemporary and mixed media.0000-Available|2026-10-02 00:00:00This year long, non-accredited programme has as its focus the human figure; you will explore historical, contemporary and conceptual approaches to visualising the figure in life, action, the imagination and personal narratives, through depth of visual study and sustained studio practice. Where you will develop your skills in traditional mediums, you will also engage with the portrait as a conceptual idea, rather than just a picture of a person. By doing so, we will cover and explore the complexities of human experience, identity, and existence.Representation of the human form offers inexhaustible potential for expression and for the communication of ideas. This is an exciting advanced course for those with experience of working with the figure and/or portrait who would like the challenge of exploring new perspectives on the figurative tradition through drawing, painting and and a range of contemporary and mixed media.Working with drawing and painting, collage and mixed media, the course covers working from life/observation, and from found images/photography as well as from memory and the imagination to develop personal project work. Stimulating studio projects and off-site work will present experimental and exploratory approaches that question and reflect on Life and Portrait drawing and painting traditions. Tutor-led workshops will develop your skills, techniques and methodologies throughout the course. Visual research referencing artist contexts and use of sketchbooks and gallery/museum visits also form a fundamentally important part of the course. Themes on the course include: contemporary notions of identity, the Classical tradition, the physical body and anatomy, the dynamic figure, the appropriated figure and the figure in public space.<br/><br/>Recognising, presenting and celebrating students' achievements is an important part of our advanced courses. There will be an opportunity to exhibit your work during or at the end of this course, either within the college or at an external venue.<ul><li>Visualise, represent and express your ideas about the human form with increased confidence, informed and inspired by historical and contemporary artist contexts</li><li>Develop and sustain an ongoing figurative practice that relates to contemporary contexts</li><li>Critically engage with your practice and that of your peers.</li></ul>As this is an advanced course, you will need to have prior experience of life/portrait drawing and/or painting, for example Year of the Figure and Portrait, or demonstrable evidence of at least one year's previous study in the subject area and a real engagement with the figure and/or portrait genre. You will be expected to engage with traditional mediums as well as more conceptual ideas and methodologies. <br/><br/>Self-reflection is an important part of art education and practice. You will be encouraged and expected to evaluate and review your own learning, ways of working and progress. As a student on an advanced course, you should also be prepared to engage with concepts, debates and methods that may differ from those with which you are familiar.<ul><li>Tutor-led workshops and practical demonstrations</li><li>Taught by a team of different artist-tutors with diverse figurative practice</li><li>Practical demonstrations</li><li>1:1 support</li><li>Engaging in constructive critical discussion</li><li>Individual tutorials</li><li>Group critique and peer feedback</li></ul><p>You will be expected to make visual research in sketchbooks and to develop personal project work outside of class time, including homework assignments.<br/>You will have frequent tutorials with the Course Leader to discuss your practice, technique and what you want to get out of the course.</p>All basic 2D materials are supplied however you are encouraged to invest in your own brushes, canvas, boards etc if you specialise in painting. Advice on this will be given throughout the course.<p>Possible follow-up courses in the Advanced Practice area include:<br/>City Lit Fine Art (VM551/VM552); Developing Art Practice (VM563); Experimental drawing for Artists and Makers (VH835/VH796).</p><p>General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:00 – 17:30. For general advice you can contact advice@citylit.ac.uk, or visualarts@citylit.ac.uk for course specific questions.</p>Advanced art & designAdvanced fine artvirtual259932492274VH953ASSXFri02/10/26 - 25/06/2710:00 - 17:0010:0017:0030 sessions (over 39 weeks)3011 weeks or longerDaytimeWeekdayKSKeeley StreetPaul Dixon, Desmond Haughton, Amy-Rose Holland, Benjamin Senior, Andrea Voisey, Sisetta ZapponeAdvancedAvailable courses2026-10-02T00:00:00+00:00Oct 2026Art & design32493249Advanced figure and portraitadvanced-figure-and-portrait/vh953-2627Representation of the human form offers inexhaustible potential for expression and for the communication of ideas. This is an exciting advanced course for those with experience of working with the figure and/or portrait who would like the challenge of exploring new perspectives on the figurative tradition through drawing, painting and and a range of contemporary and mixed media.0000-Available|2026-10-02 00:00:00This year long, non-accredited programme has as its focus the human figure; you will explore historical, contemporary and conceptual approaches to visualising the figure in life, action, the imagination and personal narratives, through depth of visual study and sustained studio practice. Where you will develop your skills in traditional mediums, you will also engage with the portrait as a conceptual idea, rather than just a picture of a person. By doing so, we will cover and explore the complexities of human experience, identity, and existence.Representation of the human form offers inexhaustible potential for expression and for the communication of ideas. This is an exciting advanced course for those with experience of working with the figure and/or portrait who would like the challenge of exploring new perspectives on the figurative tradition through drawing, painting and and a range of contemporary and mixed media.Working with drawing and painting, collage and mixed media, the course covers working from life/observation, and from found images/photography as well as from memory and the imagination to develop personal project work. Stimulating studio projects and off-site work will present experimental and exploratory approaches that question and reflect on Life and Portrait drawing and painting traditions. Tutor-led workshops will develop your skills, techniques and methodologies throughout the course. Visual research referencing artist contexts and use of sketchbooks and gallery/museum visits also form a fundamentally important part of the course. Themes on the course include: contemporary notions of identity, the Classical tradition, the physical body and anatomy, the dynamic figure, the appropriated figure and the figure in public space.<br/><br/>Recognising, presenting and celebrating students' achievements is an important part of our advanced courses. There will be an opportunity to exhibit your work during or at the end of this course, either within the college or at an external venue.<ul><li>Visualise, represent and express your ideas about the human form with increased confidence, informed and inspired by historical and contemporary artist contexts</li><li>Develop and sustain an ongoing figurative practice that relates to contemporary contexts</li><li>Critically engage with your practice and that of your peers.</li></ul>As this is an advanced course, you will need to have prior experience of life/portrait drawing and/or painting, for example Year of the Figure and Portrait, or demonstrable evidence of at least one year's previous study in the subject area and a real engagement with the figure and/or portrait genre. You will be expected to engage with traditional mediums as well as more conceptual ideas and methodologies. <br/><br/>Self-reflection is an important part of art education and practice. You will be encouraged and expected to evaluate and review your own learning, ways of working and progress. As a student on an advanced course, you should also be prepared to engage with concepts, debates and methods that may differ from those with which you are familiar.<ul><li>Tutor-led workshops and practical demonstrations</li><li>Taught by a team of different artist-tutors with diverse figurative practice</li><li>Practical demonstrations</li><li>1:1 support</li><li>Engaging in constructive critical discussion</li><li>Individual tutorials</li><li>Group critique and peer feedback</li></ul><p>You will be expected to make visual research in sketchbooks and to develop personal project work outside of class time, including homework assignments.<br/>You will have frequent tutorials with the Course Leader to discuss your practice, technique and what you want to get out of the course.</p>All basic 2D materials are supplied however you are encouraged to invest in your own brushes, canvas, boards etc if you specialise in painting. Advice on this will be given throughout the course.<p>Possible follow-up courses in the Advanced Practice area include:<br/>City Lit Fine Art (VM551/VM552); Developing Art Practice (VM563); Experimental drawing for Artists and Makers (VH835/VH796).</p><p>General information and advice on courses at City Lit is available from the Student Centre and Library on Monday to Friday from 10:00 – 17:30. For general advice you can contact advice@citylit.ac.uk, or visualarts@citylit.ac.uk for course specific questions.</p>Advanced art & designAdvanced fine artconfigurable
11721170Advanced fine arthttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/art-and-design/advanced-practice/fine-art-practice1/2/285/1132/1170/11721/Courses/Art & design/Advanced art & design/Advanced fine art
