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Life drawing & portraiture

Life Drawing & Portraiture Courses in London

Life drawing shows you how to see and interpret the structure and proportions of the human form through observation of the unclothed live model. It’s a fantastic discipline that can underpin all other drawing practices.

Whether you’re interested in the technical and analytical aspects of scale, volume and methods of measurement or a more intuitive, expressive approach, there are classes to suit all levels and approaches. Beginners are introduced to simple, user-friendly exercises to make the complexities of figure drawing fun and accessible to all.

If you’re a more experienced student, you can explore a more personal approach, experiment with materials and work with dynamic and challenging poses. A fascinating aspect of life drawing is the portrait, using the same skills to develop character and likeness of the individual face through focusing on structure, volume and expression.

For more information about courses available, please contact our Visual Arts team at visualarts@citylit.ac.uk

Flexible Learning—In-Person or Online

Join us at our vibrant Covent Garden campus, an inspiring hub designed to support your learning with modern facilities and state-of-the-art equipment. Explore our facilities.

Prefer the flexibility of online study? Our live, interactive online courses bring expert teaching straight to you, wherever you are.

Courses available both in-person and online

We offer a range of long and short courses allowing you to choose between in-person and online learning.

Learn in the centre of London with our in-person courses. Our purpose-built facilities in Covent Garden mean we are ideally located and easy to get to. 

See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, we've got the class for you.

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  1. Portraits 1
    Last Few Places
    Rating:
    100% of 100
    Course start date:  Mon 8 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Alex Hanna, Joe Richardson
    This course aims to introduce you to this fascinating genre in both drawing and painting portraits through practical experience of the basic skills and concepts involved, including structure and proportion of the head and features, tone, colour, pose and expression. Working from direct observation of the live model.
    Full fee £479.00 Senior fee £383.00 Concession £311.00
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  2. Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
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  3. Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
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  4. Anatomical life drawing
    Course start date:  Fri 19 Sep 2025

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Andrea Voisey
    Enhance 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 £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00
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  5. Full fee £479.00 Senior fee £383.00 Concession £311.00
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  6. City Lit year of the figure and portrait
    Rating:
    80% of 100
    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 Scouller
    This 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
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  7. Full fee £399.00 Senior fee £319.00 Concession £259.00
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  8. Full fee £399.00 Senior fee £319.00 Concession £259.00
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    Rating:
    93% of 100
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  9. Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00
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  10. Portraits 3
    Evening
    Course start date:  Fri 16 Jan 2026 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Luke Jones, Andrea Voisey
    Aimed at more experienced students: take your existing knowledge of poraiture further and build your understanding of the genre. Undertake practical projects which enable you to develop a more personal approach to the character and identity of your subject. This course ideally follows Portrait 2.
    Full fee £479.00 Senior fee £383.00 Concession £311.00
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  11. Life drawing: mixed media approaches
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sun 8 Feb 2026 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Annie Attridge
    Explore imaginative, dynamic approaches to drawing the figure with a variety of media: be inspired by new ways of seeing and access innovative ways of approaching your drawing.
    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
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  12. Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
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  13. Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00
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  14. Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00
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    100% of 100
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  15. Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
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