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
- Fine art photography: focus on black and whiteCourse start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sara Leigh LewisShape, form, pattern and texture take on added significance in black-and-white photography. Without colour to guide the eye, contrast, lighting, and composition take on even more importance. Discover these elements and the basic rules of black and white photography.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Typography, typefaces and fonts
Course start date: Mon 22 Sep 2025Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrew McCartenAll designers know, images are powerful. But have you ever considered the look of your text? In other words, the typeface? It’s amazing how many designers overlook this powerful aspect of communication. Words are powerful (of course), but it’s not just what they say, it’s how they say it. On this workshop, learn how to harness the power of type.
Take a deep dive into a specific process, media or tool, with our Visual Communication Workshops.
Workshops throw the spotlight onto niche areas of the visual communication field, enabling you to hone higher-level skills and gain deeper insights.
Workshops tend to have a practical focus, with little or no conceptual or contextual elements, although this varies by course.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - City Lit bookbinding Course start date: Tue 23 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kate RochesterStep into bookbinding with this three-term course. Learn essential techniques and develop skills in using tools and materials to produce your own work. A stimulating, challenging and comprehensive introduction for beginners.
Term 1 23/09/2025 – 21/10/2025 (half-term week 28/10) 04/11/2025 - 09/12/2025
Term 2 06/01/2026 – 10/02/2026 (half-term week 17/02) 24/02/2026 - 31/03/2026
Term 3 14/04/2026 – 19/05//2026 (half-term week 26/05) 02/06/2026 - 14/07/2026. - Illustration into printmaking Course start date: Wed 24 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This course is a playful, explorative and creative introduction into the collaborative world of illustration and printmaking.
Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Introduction to pattern cutting I Course start date: Thu 25 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rachel SelormeyExpand your clothesmaking knowledge and learn introductory skills and techniques of pattern cutting and learn how to draft a classic dress block.You will then learn how to use the block to create patterns and silhouettes from a design. This course is suitable for those who have some experience in clothes making and would like to learn how to craft their own patterns. - City Lit year of the figure and portrait Course start date: Mon 29 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rebecca Allen, Desmond Haughton, Joe Richardson, Kim ScoullerThis is a year-long course that explores the endlessly fascinating subject of the human form through various aspects of drawing and painting the figure and portrait. For those interested in building real progress and confidence in practical skills and taught by a team of specialist tutors, you will be inspired by stimulating projects that explore historical and contemporary artists' contexts to support your creative work.Full fee £2,899.00 Senior fee £2,319.00 Concession £1,884.00 - Contemporary printmaking studio: focus on colour Course start date: Tue 7 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kath CastilloA course for intermediate and experienced printmakers wanting to build on previous experience and experiment with process to consolidate and hone technical skills. The focus is on colour application, advanced intaglio processes, realising personal projects and the production of high quality prints.Full fee £449.00 Senior fee £359.00 Concession £292.00 - Introduction to graphic novels Course start date: Tue 7 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Michael-Aubtin Madadi, Sophie WolfsonOur 'Introduction' courses provide a perfect way-in to a creative field.
Comics – once considered lowbrow, or seen as exclusively for children, now occupy a higher cultural domain. Partly thanks to a re-brand, (as ‘Graphic Novels’), no weighty subject is off-limits. A graphic novel has even been nominated for The Booker Prize!
Alongside official publishing channels, exists a lively ‘zine’ culture, where comic and graphic-novel artists can legitimately self-publish and sell their work through a network of independent shops and fairs.
Learn how to create Comics and Graphic-novels with City Lit, and – once you have developed your practice – how to navigate this thriving sector.Full fee £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £253.00 - Calligraphy for beginners Course start date: Fri 10 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sharon ShawLearn how to write formal calligraphy scripts using a 3.8mm Pilot parallel calligraphy pen. The parallel calligraphy pen is a versatile, transportable broad-edged cartridge pen which allows you to write thick and thin strokes. Advice will be given on other tools and materials you can use for calligraphy. This course is suitable for left and right-handers.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Introduction to using a Sketchbook Course start date: Fri 10 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
A sketchbook is a great place to try things out, make mistakes and take risks - all in the nature of experimentation. An introduction to exploring creative mixed-media, drawing and mark-making techniques with confidence which can build personal ideas for further development.
Suitable for beginners as well as those with some previous drawing experience who would like to start using a sketchbook.Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £194.00 - Night and low light photographyCourse start date: Thu 16 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jad OakesDiscover how to capture the bright lights of London’s West End after dark. This course will lead you through Piccadilly Circus, the London Eye and Waterloo Bridge and provide feedback on your images in the classroom.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Introduction to beaded jewellery Course start date: Fri 17 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Beverley SellFancy trying your hand at beaded jewellery making? Learn how to work with beads, wire, thread and findings to create beautiful beaded necklaces, bracelets, earrings and tiara designs. Join our introductory course for all levels to discover where to find the best beads, how to knot with thread, manipulate and twist wire and learn how to finish your work using clasps.
- Clothes making I Course start date: Mon 20 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Silvia SacrestanoLearn how to make a skirt from a simple pattern. You will be guided step-by-step to produce a garment in a fabric of your choice using easy techniques and, incorporating a zip and waistband.Full fee £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00 - Textile book project Course start date: Thu 30 Oct 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Lara HaileyOn this course you will make a textile book following a theme of your choice. You will be shown book binding techniques, how to incorporate appliqué, text, photos using different types of stitching.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Digital illustration Course start date: Mon 3 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: John SmythAdobe Creative Suite is the principal software used by Illustrators and Designers all over the world. On this course, learn how to take scribbly sketches and inky splotches into Adobe Photoshop and transform them into illustrations, collages, pattern designs… the possibilities are almost endless; thankfully, you will also be taught a crucial skill of digital illustration - knowing when to stop!
Our Workshops enable you to take a deep dive into a specific process, media or tool.
They throw the spotlight onto niche areas of the visual communication field, enabling you to hone higher-level skills and gain deeper insights.
Workshops tend to have a practical focus, with little or no theory or context, although this varies by course.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00
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