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
- Woodblock and lino printmaking workshopCourse start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Learn how to create multicolour or monochrome relief prints. You'll be encouraged to work from your own source imagery (sketches, magazine cuttings, photos etc) as an inspirational lead-in to producing relief prints to take home.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Oil painting: focus on light and shade
Course start date: Fri 7 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lindsay PickettThis oil painting course takes inspiration from the moody and luminous imagery of classic Film Noir such as ‘The Third Man’. Explore composition, tonal contrast and light transitions, using a range of different oil techniques to create visually dramatic paintings.
Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - The Philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi: His message and relevance to the modern worldCourse start date: Mon 17 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Ketan VariaMahama Gandhi’s messages are profound and based both on his lived experience and intellectual power. His views on truth seeking and non-violent action have inspired many, particularly in the civil rights movements. Join this one-day course to find out more about his philosophy and consider its continued relevance in the 21st century.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £51.00 - Painting: colour mixing for artists Course start date: Tue 18 Nov 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Amanda BrackenA concise study of colour usage. Investigate colour perception and how colour interacts. Explore a range of observational and expressive painting projects, relate colour theory to practice and develop confidence using colour. An emphasis on colour mixing using acrylics and oil paint.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Portrait drawing: expression in the face Course start date: Thu 20 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Friday Lates: the art of zines Course start date: Fri 21 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Christopher CollierUnderground passions and radical imagery have defined so-called fanzines for over 80 years. From the earliest examples to today, we explore their content, technique and the relation of DIY culture to wider artistic practices.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Friday lates: Cook must fall! Portraits of Captain James Cook, new and old Course start date: Fri 28 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Ben PollittExplore the portrayal of Captain James Cook from c. 1770 to the present day. Understand images of Cook provide us with a fascinating platform to think about the complicated relationships that have emerged out of British Empire and what used to be thought of as its imperial possessions.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - From mythical heroines to the emperor's subjects: epistolography in the Roman EmpireCourse start date: Tue 2 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Nikoletta Manioti.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £12.00 - Italian film nightCourse start date: Wed 10 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Francesco BucciolWith proceeds going to the City Lit Student Bursary, the Italian Film Night is a chance to round out the term with a fun movie night in the college. The film will be presented by Francesco Bucciol, head of the Classics department and our Italian GCSE and A Level tutor. Francesco will also lead a discussion after the film.
For this term's Italian film night, we will be showing and discussing excerpts from a classic (perhaps THE classic) Italian film, La Dolce Vita.Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £39.00 - Hindi through Bollywood singingCourse start date: Tue 16 Dec 2025
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Roopam AggarwalLearn to speak Hindi and develop your listening and speaking skills in this communicative class which emphasizes the practical use of the language via singing. Suitable for complete beginners.Full fee £19.00 Senior fee £19.00 Concession £19.00 - Carving in wood Course start date: Tue 13 May 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alexandra Harley.Full fee £529.00 Senior fee £423.00 Concession £344.00 - Communicating effectively at work (online)Course start date: Thu 22 Jan 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Jonathan MulquinHow skilfully do you manage the impression you make on people both in person and in online meetings and interviews? Develop your personal effectiveness by looking at voice and body language, assertiveness, sensitive listening, interviewing techniques and communication skills for business meetings. This course will be taught online.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £111.00 - Ceramics: surface printing on clayCourse start date: Mon 23 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lauren IlsleyWorking with silkscreen, paper stencil, block and potato printing on unfired clay, biscuits and glazed surfaces, you will create pattern and narrative images with slips, oxides, glaze and on-glaze on simple mould forms and tiles.Full fee £339.00 Senior fee £271.00 Concession £220.00 - Illustrating narrativesCourse start date: Thu 5 Mar 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ciara FloodOn this course you will explore practical methods of storyboarding and the ability to take a narrative and translate it into a sequence of images. This skill is essential for children’s book illustrators, graphic novelists, animators and film makers.
Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - London photography walk: River ThamesCourse start date: Wed 1 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Michael HardingExplore and discover London through photography walks around locations rich in photographic potential.
The walks revolve around photographing views along the River Thames, from the Aldwych area eastwards to the City, from London Bridge to the Southbank and from Westminster to the newly developed Nine Elms area. Bring your own camera and comfortable walking shoes as you capture places, spaces, objects and people.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
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