City Lit Art School — Art Classes in London
Explore new and exciting subjects within a range of art and design disciplines, develop your skill set, get the support required to change career or launch yourself as a freelance artist or designer. All this and more delivered through our practical and engaging art and design courses at City Lit.
Our range of part-time, weekend and evening art and design classes are taught by successful artists and practitioners to ensure you get the skills, knowledge and experience you want and deserve. From experimental painting and drawing to contemporary jewellery making, there is sure to be a course for you. Study from 1 day to 2 years, whether you are a complete beginner or a practising artist preparing for an MA. Our courses are designed with you in mind, so you get to spend more time doing what you love.
Set a new goal, start your next creative adventure with City Lit and let us support you to realise your ambitions.
We host exhibitions throughout the year at City Lit Gallery where our students showcase their amazing work.
Any questions? Contact our visual arts team on visual.arts@citylit.ac.uk
- Painting 1
Course start date: Fri 9 May 2025 (and 4 other dates)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Begona Morea RoyPainting 1 offers an introduction to the basic principles and skills associated with painting. Focus on differing approaches to observational and imaginative work, whilst learning how to organise a palette, mix colours and create different textures.Full fee £429.00 Senior fee £343.00 Concession £279.00 - Painting: oil techniques and mediums Course start date: Mon 12 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sisetta ZapponeOil paint is a medium with a long historical tradition, capable of heavy impasto effects and delicate transparent colour films. Working practically, in the studio, this course will expand your understanding of approaches to building a variety of surfaces in your paint working with mediums and expanding your use of texture and glazing This course is for all levels – both beginners and more experienced painters.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00 - Creative image editing with Photoshop and Lightroom Course start date: Mon 12 May 2025 (and 7 other dates)
Location on this date: Kean Street Photography Studio
Tutors: Michael HardingLearn how to use and apply the key features of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to develop your image editing skills.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Introduction to watercolour painting Course start date: Sat 17 May 2025 (and 6 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rebecca AllenGain a grounding in the rich possibilities available when working with watercolour paint. Through a series of practical studies, you will investigate the potential of this versatile medium.Full fee £319.00 Senior fee £255.00 Concession £207.00 - Photography for beginners Course start date: Thu 1 May 2025 (and 17 other dates)
Location on this date: Kean Street Photography Studio
Tutors: Sara Leigh LewisAlways wondered what half the buttons on your camera actually do? Discover how to use them properly and produce impressive photographs, even as a complete beginner. Gain useful technical knowledge and get expert creative guidance in easy-to-understand language. An ideal first step before enrolling on our intermediate courses.Full fee £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00 - Japanese woodcut printmaking Course start date: Sun 1 Jun 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Carol Justin WilhideAn introduction to the beautiful and delicate printmaking world of Japanese Woodcut. Explore this water based, non-toxic process and build an appreciation for the handmade. You will learn how to design, carve and make a multi-coloured print. Beginners welcome.Full fee £319.00 Senior fee £255.00 Concession £207.00 - Picture framing and mounting for beginners Course start date: Sun 11 May 2025 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Esther HeyhoeLearn picture framing and mounting skills for the home or workplace. Using professional framing tools and equipment you'll be taught all the skills you need to work in a busy studio or alternatively how to set up your own small scale practice from home.Full fee £329.00 Senior fee £263.00 Concession £214.00 - Life drawing after work Course start date: Thu 5 Jun 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Joe RichardsonA fun, relaxed and shorter life drawing class better suited for people coming straight from work. You will be able to work from a variety of life models, in a range of materials and with a variety of poses. You will be working from the unclothed model, both male and female.Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £149.00 - Introduction to children's book illustration Course start date: Thu 5 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Dee ShulmanOur Introductory courses provide a perfect way-in to a creative field.
The Children’s Book industry is thriving, largely due to rising literacy levels, and a growing awareness of the importance of early childhood education. As a result, Children’s Book creators are in demand.
Our tutors will teach you the many and various skills you’ll need to illustrate books for children - from drawing and painting (analogue and digital), to sequencing and pacing visual narratives.
You'll learn about the children’s publishing sector; gaining a sense of the different genres and markets for children's books, and where your illustration style might fit.Full fee £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00 - Watercolour painting studio: still life Course start date: Thu 12 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Eleanor BedlowA stimulating opportunity to explore the essential elements of still life painting using watercolour. Suitable for beginners as well as a refresher course for those with previous experience of the medium.Full fee £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00 - Sketching at the museum: Tate Modern Course start date: Thu 12 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Steve WrightExploring the pleasure and challenge of sketchbooks; learn and improve your drawing skills and 'ways of seeing' and understanding, working from an exciting range of artworks in Tate modern. - Introduction to graphic design Course start date: Thu 19 Jun 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pam WilliamsOur 'Introduction' courses provide a perfect way-in to a creative field.
Graphic Design is everywhere; in our books, magazines, and newspapers. Emblazoning packaging at the corner shop to the mall. On our screens- phones, TVs, computers and tablets. To say it’s important would be an understatement.
Don’t just consume. Learn how to use image and type to communicate your messages, emotions and ideas. Beyond this, learn about the movements and styles which have shaped the field of Graphic Design over the years, and how to find your place there.Full fee £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00 - Laser cut fashionCourse start date: Thu 19 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Suk Han LeeLearn how to digitally plot a 2D or 3D garment pattern to size using laser cutting techniques. You will be shown how you can personalise a classic garment with patterns. You will then send your file to be produced on our laser cutter for production in our (fashion) Digital Lab studio. This course is suitable for learners with pattern cutting and clothes making experience.
Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00 - Documentary filmmaking: interviews Course start date: Thu 26 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lily MarkiewiczGood interviews provide the foundation to most successful documentaries. This class offers essential tips on how to approach your subject, how to shoot great interviews and secret tips to improve your chance of better coverage..Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Explore your creativity Course start date: Thu 26 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ro SylvesterTap into your artistic talents through a series of fun practical exercises that will help you start drawing, painting, looking at art, responding to the world around you and working with your imagination and ideas.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00
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