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 and mindfulness: morning meditation
Course start date: Mon 20 Jul 2026 (and 3 other dates)Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Helen BurgessJoin us and set up your day in a tranquil, reflective way with our 5 day Drawing and mindfulness: morning meditation course. As daily life is full of uncertainty and with our attention getting pulled in many directions why not take some personal time to reset and focus combining meditation with some simple drawing exercises. You will be guiding your mind to settle and to look with care at the world around us and our inner experience. Whether you want to do something nourishing before you go to work or are setting up for a day of creative activity, the practices of drawing and mindfulness will bring a positive start to each morning, helping you begin the days with fresh eyes and mind. Suitable for all levels.Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - Sketching at the National Gallery Course start date: Thu 23 Jul 2026 (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 £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - Landscape sketching weekend Course start date: Sat 25 Jul 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Luke JonesHave you always wanted to draw landscapes in a sketchbook?
On this course, you’ll learn basic techniques for landscape studies, in two different locations near to the City Lit.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - Drawing in colour: summer schoolCourse start date: Mon 27 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kim ScoullerExplore a variety of techniques and approaches to making a still-life in pastels. Learn how to mix pastels on paper, choose suitable materials and supports to allow you to create a finished pastel drawing.Full fee £339.00 Senior fee £271.00 Concession £220.00 - Portraits 1 Course start date: Mon 7 Sep 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
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 £499.00 Senior fee £399.00 Concession £324.00 - Drawing 1 Course start date: Mon 7 Sep 2026 (and 9 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Brian SayersA comprehensive introduction to drawing from observation in a studio environment. Learn how to depict form and space with accuracy, training your eye to become more sensitive to what you see. Suitable for beginners.
Full fee £479.00 Senior fee £383.00 Concession £311.00 - Contemporary drawing sketchbook Course start date: Tue 8 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Explore 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 £409.00 Senior fee £327.00 Concession £266.00 - Drawing into painting Course start date: Thu 10 Sep 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony HullGain an understanding of the creative journey from a drawing to finished painting. Explore the creative potential when drawing and painting activities are combined.Full fee £429.00 Senior fee £343.00 Concession £279.00 - Drawing for beginners Course start date: Thu 10 Sep 2026 (and 14 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrea VoiseyEase into drawing and discover some interesting methods of representing simple object forms. You will explore basic concepts such as line, tone, and mark-making. Ideal if you are new to drawing; a great way to learn some basics, try out different media, and prepare for longer courses.
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - Anatomical life drawing Course start date: Thu 10 Sep 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrea VoiseyDiscover the extraordinary construction of the human body. Through direct observation of the model you will examine the fundamental anatomical structures that underlie life drawing. For those with some drawing experience.
Full fee £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £194.00 - Introduction to collage and mixed media Course start date: Fri 11 Sep 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ruth FranklinAn introduction to collage as an exciting, accessible and creative medium. Explore a rich variety of materials and found images to make vibrant work experimenting with surface, form, colour and pattern.
Full fee £329.00 Senior fee £263.00 Concession £214.00 - Drawing from plants and flowers Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ro SylvesterExplore the delicacy and beauty of plants and flowers through the medium of drawing. Respond to their structural qualities and colours, using a range of media and taking inspiration from a rich and varied history of the subject. Suitable for all levels of experience.Full fee £349.00 Senior fee £279.00 Concession £227.00 - Drawing 3 Course start date: Mon 14 Sep 2026 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Eleanor BedlowBuild your confidence tackling more personal, contemporary drawings in a lively series of project-based sessions. Drawing 3 poses questions about the nature and methods of image-making, supporting a more inventive and robust individual approach.
Full fee £479.00 Senior fee £383.00 Concession £311.00 - Drawing: charcoal and colour pastel techniques Course start date: Tue 15 Sep 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Luke JonesA beginners course for those who wish to explore basic drawing techniques using soft media in tone and colour. Investigate mark-making, gesture, texture and blending - and ways to take these skills into short drawing projects. No experience is necessary.
Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Draw, paint, print Course start date: Wed 16 Sep 2026 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Mary WintourOn this experimental course, you will draw, paint and print in often unfamiliar ways in order to catch the unexpected. Through experimentation and reflection, you will collate a personal collection of work.Full fee £429.00 Senior fee £343.00 Concession £279.00
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