Beginners Art & Design Courses
Every great artist started here. Embark on your creative journey with art and design courses for beginners at the City Lit Art School. Whether you’re a complete beginner or looking to refresh your skills, our expert-led courses provide a supportive environment to help you unlock your creative potential.
Our courses cover a range of artistic techniques including drawing, painting, printmaking, and graphic design. Learn the fundamentals of creating art, from sketching to using colour, and discover how to bring your ideas to life through different mediums. Whether you’re interested in traditional methods or digital design, we offer a variety of options to suit your artistic preferences.
With hands-on learning, live sessions, and individual feedback from experienced tutors, you’ll gain the skills and confidence to express your creativity. You’ll also be part of a vibrant artistic community where you can share your work, get feedback, and be inspired by others.
Explore our range of beginners art and design courses today, available both online and in London, and take the first step towards developing your artistic skills.
- Try it out: mosaics
Course start date: Wed 7 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa BensonAn introduction to this specialised craft where you will be taken through the process to make a small mosaic piece.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £129.00 - Introduction to graphic design Course start date: Wed 7 Jan 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrew McCarten, Pam WilliamsGraphic 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.
In this introductory course, learn how to use image and type to communicate your messages and ideas through a variety of different ways.
Full fee £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £253.00 - Digital video editing: stage 2 Course start date: Thu 8 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lily MarkiewiczImprove and speed up your process and learn to use vital techniques for improving your edits. Explore building a better narrative structure and find out about essentials like screen-directionality, POV constructions and rhythm building..Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Carving in wood or stone Course start date: Thu 8 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Belinda EdwardsGet inspired by trying carving techniques in wood or stone and create your own small carving. Suitable for anyone from beginners to experienced carvers. This course will explore the characteristics of wood and stone, lead you through the steps of design and carving, encourage you to explore and develop your ideas, and try more experimental techniques.Full fee £579.00 Senior fee £463.00 Concession £376.00 - Try it out: garden design Course start date: Thu 8 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alison WorsterGet a taste of how you can improve your outside spaces. You will complete a short exercise and experience our design studio. This course links directs to ‘Roof terrace and balcony design and planting’, code VF345.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Creative image editing with Photoshop and Lightroom Course start date: Thu 13 Nov 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Michael HardingLearn how to use and apply the key features of Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop to develop your image editing skills.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Painting for beginners Course start date: Thu 8 Jan 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Begona Morea RoyThrough simple exercises you will explore basic methods of painting in acrylic from still-life, mixing and matching the colours and textures observed. Learn how to set up your workspace and begin to enjoy painting in a studio environment, using a variety of brushes and tools.
Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Photography for beginners Course start date: Thu 8 Jan 2026 (and 9 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rachel WeghAlways 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 £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £253.00 - SketchUp Pro for beginners Course start date: Thu 8 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Nicholas WilliamsonLearn to visualise and model interior spaces and 3D forms with this easy-to-use and intuitive program. It is a perfect addition to our interior and/or garden design courses. The software is very affordable and available for home use on a PC or Mac.Full fee £359.00 Senior fee £287.00 Concession £233.00 - Beginners' bookbinding II Course start date: Fri 9 Jan 2026
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.
Full fee £409.00 Senior fee £327.00 Concession £266.00 - Life figurative sculptureCourse start date: Fri 9 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Shelley WilsonCreate a plaster life sculpture from observing a life model. Learn basic anatomy as well a gaining armature and plaster modelling skills.Full fee £409.00 Senior fee £327.00 Concession £266.00 - Modern calligraphy Course start date: Sat 10 Jan 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Veiko KespersaksLearn how to write elegant, stylish letterforms using a flexible pointed nib with ink. Once you have learnt how to write a basic alphabet, we’ll begin breaking the rules of traditional calligraphy to find a style that is all your own. The course is suitable for beginners as well as improvers.
Full fee £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00 - Jewellery making: all levels Course start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kevin StevensonEver wanted to turn your hand to making your own jewellery? If you have done it before, would like to hone your skills with a professional tutor? Whatever your level, come and practise making jewellery to your own designs, whether you are picking up the basics of cutting, forming and texturing, or taking your designs to the next level with more complex approaches like chain making.
Full fee £419.00 Senior fee £335.00 Concession £272.00 - Mosaics introductory Course start date: Sat 10 Jan 2026 (and 2 other dates)
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 £509.00 Senior fee £407.00 Concession £331.00 - Documentary filmmakingCourse start date: Mon 10 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lily MarkiewiczDocumentary-style films are the most popular genre on Social Media, on TV, and in Film festivals. Come and learn the essential techniques that make a gripping documentary.Full fee £459.00 Senior fee £367.00 Concession £298.00
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