Drawing Courses in London
At City Lit, we have a variety of drawing courses, delivered in our bright, modern studios for students to create and develop a body of drawing work. Supported by our team of experienced and expert tutors, we offer students both a practical guide and an informative insight, providing an opportunity for all levels to explore traditional and contemporary styles of drawing.
We have classes for everyone, whether you’re a complete beginner and you want an introduction to drawing; or you’re at an intermediate or higher level and you want classes that focus on developing advanced drawing skills such as mark making techniques, experimental approaches and use of colour, tone and shade within these disciplines.
Our courses are specially designed to offer you support in overcoming any frustrations, learning new skills and helping you achieve your personal creative goals.
We host exhibitions throughout the year at City Lit Gallery where our students showcase their amazing work.
To arrange a conversation with our drawing coordinator about your interests, options and courses available, please contact our Visual Arts team at visualarts@citylit.ac.uk
- Drawing: colour pastel techniques
Course start date: Tue 1 Jul 2025 (and 2 other dates)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ro SylvesterExplore the versatility and rich colours of this beautiful drawing and painting medium. Through practical exercises, discover its potential to create a variety of surface effects and its suitability for sketching and outdoor colour work.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00 - 50 drawings in a day Course start date: Tue 1 Jul 2025 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Mario Lautier VellaA high energy programme of directed and self-directed drawing projects, with rapid shifts in materials, scale, subject and focus. Strictly no discards - come ready to play, risk, invent and discuss. For those with some drawing experience.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £129.00 - Anatomical portrait drawing Course start date: Fri 4 Jul 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrea VoiseyEnhance your portraits by uncovering what lies beneath the surface. Through demonstration and direct observation of the model you will examine proportion, rotation and the key anatomical structures of the head and neck that denote likeness.Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £194.00 - Artists sketchbook walk Course start date: Sat 5 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Heidi WigmoreTake a sketchbook walk in Central London to observe, record and engage with the urban environment, both historic architecture, modern skylines, the river and parks. Quick sketching, supported by discussion and reflection along the way, will open up new ways of seeing and responding to your surroundings. Meet at City Lit main entrance. - Drawing for beginners Course start date: Tue 8 Jul 2025 (and 7 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sam HannerExplore traditional and less traditional methods of drawing simple objects. Using structured activities, you will be introduced to key concepts such as line, tone, composition and mark making. Ideal if you have little or no drawing experience; a great way to learn the basics or prepare for longer courses.Full fee £139.00 Senior fee £139.00 Concession £139.00 - Contemporary drawing sketchbook Course start date: Thu 10 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Simon EnglishExplore the sequential and adaptive nature of sketchbook drawing as a site for generating personal material, inviting connections, and extracting patterns of meaning. Includes gallery research, set-project as stimulus, and practical exploration of contemporary drawing techniques. - Sketching at the museum: National Gallery Course start date: Thu 24 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Diane MartinExplore the pleasure and challenge of sketchbooks: learn and improve your drawing skills and ‘ways of seeing’ and understanding by working from some of the iconic paintings in the National Gallery.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Drawing and mindfulness: modern and contemporary natureCourse start date: Fri 6 Mar 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Clare Barton-HarveyExplore how mindfulness can enrich the process of drawing, as we discover a range of modern and contemporary approached to drawing from nature. This course offers a great introduction to mindful drawing, or a way to explore it more deeply in the context of this theme.
Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Drawing and mindfulness: the art of seeingCourse start date: Sat 28 Mar 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Clare Barton-HarveyExplore drawing and mindfulness and how the two combined can support new ways of seeing and relating to drawing. ‘The true journey of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having fresh eyes’ Marcel Proust.
Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00
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