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 1Course start date: Mon 12 May 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony HullPainting 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 mediumsCourse 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 - Introduction to watercolour paintingCourse start date: Mon 16 Jun 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 £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Photography for beginnersCourse start date: Fri 6 Jun 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 printmakingCourse 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 - Drawing and the art of mindfulness: toneCourse start date: Sun 1 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Clare Barton-HarveyInvestigate a range of ways to make tonal drawings, whilst exploring the benefits of mindfulness practice in relation to drawing. The workshop will focus on supporting you to develop new skills in handling materials, as well as a variety of creative expression.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Drawing and mindfulness: morning meditationCourse start date: Mon 2 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Helen BurgessJoin us and set up your day in a tranquil, reflective way with our 5 day Drawing and mindfulness: morning meditation course. As daily life is full of uncertainty and with our attention getting pulled in many directions why not take some personal time to reset and focus combining meditation with some simple drawing exercises. You will be guiding your mind to settle and to look with care at the world around us and our inner experience. Whether you want to do something nourishing before you go to work or are setting up for a day of creative activity, the practices of drawing and mindfulness will bring a positive start to each morning, helping you begin the days with fresh eyes and mind. Suitable for all levels. - Introduction to illustrationCourse start date: Mon 2 Jun 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Adam Graff, Lucia VintiOur 'Introduction' courses provide a perfect way-in to a creative field.
Illustration is a form of visual communication which often exists alongside text. Illustrations can help to explain or clarify (or sometimes contradict) the words on a page. Most of all, you could say, they bring the message 'alive', by making it more immediate and exciting. For this reason, illustrations are found across books, magazines, newspapers, websites and social media channels.
Learn how to create powerful illustrations on our exciting range of Illustration courses.Full fee £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00 - Collage and mixed media: experimental approachesCourse start date: Tue 3 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ruth BrisonCollage is an exciting, accessible and creative medium. Experiment with a rich variety of materials and found images to make vibrant work experimenting with surface, form, colour and pattern, inspired by artists who make effective use of this way of working.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Mosaics introductoryCourse start date: Wed 4 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa BensonDevelop your creative skills in this classic art form, adhering your materials to a temporary surface before applying the completed section to a flat base or casting it into concrete. Please bring ideas, basic materials provided. All levels welcome.Full fee £499.00 Senior fee £399.00 Concession £324.00 - Picture framing and mounting for beginnersCourse 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 - Introduction to children's book illustrationCourse 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 - Drawing: ink and wash techniquesCourse start date: Fri 6 Jun 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jack DuplockThe immediacy and versatility of ink and wash is perfect for those sketching on location, for designers and for students interested in watercolour techniques. Take the opportunity to explore the basic techniques of this exciting process.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00 - Beginners' bookbindingCourse start date: Fri 6 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alessia TumbioloCome and immerse yourself in the art of bookbinding with this 6-week, accessible introduction. Whether you're taking your first steps or picking up the craft again, this course will equip you with essential techniques that will enable you to start creating your own handcrafted books and containers. Beginners will build strong foundational skills, while returners can refresh their skills and explore new creative possibilities.
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