Sketchbooks & Location Drawing Courses
Don’t know where to start with a sketchbook? Finding it difficult to get ideas down on paper? We offer a range of sketchbook courses that build confidence in working across drawing, painting and mixed-media.
Whatever your level of experience, you’re welcome to join us in learning how to get the most out of sketchbooks: from a basic introduction to what a sketchbook is and exploring techniques and processes used to communicate ideas, to learning how to record your thoughts and inspirations. An artist’s sketchbook is a critical part of the creative process and can be considered an artwork in itself.
Understanding how to manage and develop a sketchbook can really help you when going on to study at a higher level. If you’re up for a challenge, you can make your own sketchbook using unconventional papers, materials or formats or work at large scale. Our off-site courses provide opportunities to work outside of the studio environment; sketching on location or visiting some of London’s leading contemporary art spaces, galleries and museums to inspire creative work.
Courses available both in-person and online
We offer a range of courses allowing you to choose between online and in-person learning. All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, you’ll receive the same great City Lit experience. See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.
For more information about courses available, please contact our Visual Arts team at visualarts@citylit.ac.uk
- Sketchbooks: ideas, materials and techniquesCourse start date: Thu 19 Jan 2023 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
A fantastic introduction to creative processes using a variety of different media to develop an exciting sketchbook. A sketchbook is a great place to try things out, make mistakes and take risks - all in the nature of experimentation. Suitable for beginners as well as those with some previous drawing experience.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00 - Sketching at the museum: Imperial WarCourse start date: Thu 26 Jan 2023 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Heidi WigmoreWork from a fascinating range of artefacts and objects in the Imperial War Museum while developing your drawing skills. Explore the challenges and pleasures of sketchbook drawing methods using a variety of drawing materials under expert guidance from the tutor.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Contemporary sketchbook: mixed media, ideas and projectsCourse start date: Fri 27 Jan 2023 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ruth BrisonDevelop a creative and experimental sketchbook. Explore materials and techniques with confidence, including mark making, drawing and mixed media. Produce a collection of work or ideas for composition. Drawing experience is an advantage but not essential.Full fee £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £253.00 - Sketching at the museum: National Gallery
Course start date: Thu 9 Feb 2023 (and 1 other date)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 £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Sketchbooks: creating visual journeysCourse start date: Tue 14 Feb 2023 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ruth BrisonCreate a 'visual journey' of discovery through an experimental sketchbook. Explore materials and techniques with confidence, including mark making, drawing and mixed media to produce a collection of work or personal ideas for further development. Suitable for all, including those with basic drawing experience.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Make a creative handmade sketchbookCourse start date: Tue 21 Feb 2023 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Renata MinoldoThis Handmade Sketchbook Course will take your ideas and personal stories as a starting point and explore them in different visual directions, through drawing, painting, collage and mono-printing techniques. You will experiment with different papers and surfaces, through layering, folding, tearing, soaking, weaving, sewing etc. This series of rich and varied pages will be brought together to make a very personal and expressive handmade sketchbook.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £119.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £119.00 - Sketching at the museum: Tate BritainCourse start date: Wed 22 Feb 2023 (and 1 other date)
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 by working from some of the iconic artworks at Tate Britain.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Sketching at the museum: British MuseumCourse start date: Thu 2 Mar 2023 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Diane MartinExploring 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.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Sketching at the museum: Tate ModernCourse start date: Wed 15 Mar 2023 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Mario Lautier VellaExploring the pleasure and challenge of sketchbooks; learn and improve your drawing skills and 'ways of seeing' and understanding, working from an exciting range of paintings and artworks in Tate modern.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Mindfulness sketchbook walkCourse start date: Thu 23 Mar 2023 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Helen BurgessJoin us for a sketchbook walk in Central London to observe, record and engage with the busyness of urban life. Using mindfulness techniques combined with drawing we will be examining our experience and opening up to the magic and surprises that an evening in the city has to offer. It can be difficult to keep grounded and aware in urban environments but drawing offers a helpful way to direct our minds to the here and now, keeping a sense of purpose and deepening our attention.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00 - Sketching at the museum: Wellcome CollectionCourse start date: Thu 23 Mar 2023 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Heidi WigmoreExploring the pleasure and challenge of sketchbooks; learn and improve your drawing skills and 'ways of seeing' and understanding, working from an fascinating range of objects and artifacts at The Wellcome Collection.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Sketching at the museum: V&ACourse start date: Thu 6 Apr 2023 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Ro SylvesterExploring the pleasure and challenge of sketchbooks; learn and improve your drawing skills and 'ways of seeing' and understanding, working from an fascinating range of objects and artifacts in The Victoria and Albert Museum.Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £59.00 Concession £59.00 - Large-scale sketchbookCourse start date: Fri 5 May 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony HullCreate a sketchbook that explores ideas and an experimental use of a range of materials. Start with an offsite visit and develop the sketchbook using it as a visual journal of your thinking.Full fee £319.00 Senior fee £255.00 Concession £207.00 - Sketchbooks: from observation to abstractionCourse start date: Fri 5 May 2023
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Mario Lautier VellaUsing a sketchbook as an experimental place in which to explore ideas, take risks and reflect, you will embark on a 'visual journey' of transformational creative processes from observational drawing towards abstraction.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00 - Contemporary drawing sketchbookCourse start date: Thu 6 Jul 2023
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.Full fee £319.00 Senior fee £255.00 Concession £207.00
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