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.
For more information about courses available, please contact our Visual Arts team at visualarts@citylit.ac.uk
- Make a creative handmade sketchbook
Course 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 - Sketchbooks: ideas, materials and techniquesCourse start date: Thu 9 Mar 2023 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Joe RichardsonA 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 - 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 - 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
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