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
- Drawing and painting from the imagination
Course start date: Thu 6 Nov 2025Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Clare Barton-HarveyExplore the richness of the imagination in drawing and painting. Cultivate a range of methods for stimulating and connecting to what inspires you, and ways to express your imagination freely through the medium of acrylic painting and drawing. - Beginning miniature bookbinding Course start date: Thu 6 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Royston HawardExplore the charm of tiny books in this introduction to miniature bookbinding. You will discover the history and appeal of this unique style and make three adorable miniature books to take home. Suitable for beginners. - Photography in a day: Flash with speedlightCourse start date: Thu 6 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Matthew WardLighten things up: join this practical course to learn the basics of using portable flash (speedlights) to enhance your images. Experiment creatively indoors and outdoors with different flash techniques, with a professional photographer on hand to guide you throughout.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £129.00 - Jewellery: wax carvingCourse start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Carve, model and experiment with wax to create your own unique jewellery designs. Learn about the lost wax casting process, outsourcing and finishing of your casts.
Full fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £188.00 - Sketching at the British Museum Course start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Mario Lautier VellaExplore the pleasure and challenge of sketchbooks; learn and improve your drawing skills and 'ways of seeing' and understanding, working from an exciting range of objects and artifacts in The British Museum.
Please note - meet at Montague Place entrance - the front entrance is now only for ticket holders.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - Affinity photo: professional image editing Course start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Michael HardingLearn about the potential and possibilities available to you when using Affinity Photo and develop practical skill and knowledge.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Beginners' bookbinding ICourse start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alessia TumbioloStart your bookbinding journey with this accessible, 6 week introduction to techniques and structures. Learn how to make simple folded books progressing to a more complex stitched binding and explore the world of handmade books.Full fee £409.00 Senior fee £327.00 Concession £266.00 - Textiles for beginners short course Course start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Renata MinoldoGet started with the basics of textiles by painting, printing and stitching fabric. Combine simple practical techniques with design work in colour, texture, pattern and composition.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00 - Oil painting: focus on light and shade Course start date: Fri 2 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lindsay PickettThis oil painting course takes inspiration from the moody and luminous imagery of classic Film Noir such as ‘The Third Man’. Students will explore composition, tonal transition and contrast to enhance their pleasure in oil painting and create strong and powerful paintings.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Explore: GIF making for illustration Course start date: Sun 9 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sophie WolfsonThis one-day course is an introduction to creating animated gifs using hand-drawn illustrated images.
Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - Pottery: a short course in throwing Course start date: Sun 9 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Josie WarshawIdeal for beginners who want to experience the basic techniques of throwing on the potter's wheel. Learn how to produce mugs, bowls and simple forms, as well as how to apply slips and glazes on this enjoyable five-day course.Full fee £599.00 Senior fee £479.00 Concession £389.00 - Introduction to photography Course start date: Wed 12 Nov 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Dominic HarrisDiscover the basics of photography to improve your photographs and impress your friends. Learn about shutter speed, aperture, photo composition, light and taking pictures in different environments. This course is perfect for complete beginners or for learning new skills. Please take this course before enrolling on our intermediate courses.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Collage and mixed media: 3D approachesCourse start date: Thu 13 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ruth FranklinAn exciting short, experimental course taking an adventure in collage to make 3D constructions from paper, amalgamating found materials and images to make exciting new sculptural forms.Full fee £339.00 Senior fee £271.00 Concession £220.00 - Painting: colour mixing for artists Course start date: Tue 18 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Amanda BrackenA concise study of colour usage. Investigate colour perception and how colour interacts. Explore a range of observational and expressive painting projects, relate colour theory to practice and develop confidence using colour. An emphasis on colour mixing using acrylics and oil paint.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Monoprinting workshop Course start date: Tue 18 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rosey PrinceThe monoprint describes a ‘one off’ print, rather than a multiple, similar to a painting however the marks, and
textures achieved from printing layers of ink can produce rich visual effects as they layer and blend. Starting off with the basic monoprinting techniques you will develop these to produce an exciting series of prints to take home.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00
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