City Lit Art School — Art Classes in London
Explore new and exciting subjects within a range of art and design disciplines, develop your skill set, get the support required to change career or launch yourself as a freelance artist or designer. All this and more delivered through our practical and engaging art and design courses at City Lit.
Our range of part-time, weekend and evening art and design classes are taught by successful artists and practitioners to ensure you get the skills, knowledge and experience you want and deserve. From experimental painting and drawing to contemporary jewellery making, there is sure to be a course for you. Study from 1 day to 2 years, whether you are a complete beginner or a practising artist preparing for an MA. Our courses are designed with you in mind, so you get to spend more time doing what you love.
Set a new goal, start your next creative adventure with City Lit and let us support you to realise your ambitions.
We host exhibitions throughout the year at City Lit Gallery where our students showcase their amazing work.
Any questions? Contact our visual arts team on visual.arts@citylit.ac.uk
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- Contemporary printmaking studio: focus on creative layering
Course start date: Wed 17 Sep 2025Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Anne-Marie FosterThis course is a chance to develop personal artwork, using traditional printmaking methods with a contemporary approach. Experiment and embrace the possibilities within combined layers and surface textures. Processes covered include monotype, screen-printing and etching/intaglio. All levels of experience welcome.Full fee £689.00 Senior fee £551.00 Concession £448.00 - Developing graphic design Course start date: Thu 18 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: John Smyth, Pam WilliamsGraphic Design is everywhere; in our books, magazines, and newspapers. Emblazoning packaging at the corner shop to the mall. On our screens- phones, TVs, computers and tablets. To say it’s important would be an understatement.
Don’t just consume. Learn how to use image and type to communicate your messages, emotions, and ideas. Beyond this, learn about the movements and styles which have shaped the field of Graphic Design over the years, and how to find your place there. - Oil painting: techniques and mediums Course start date: Thu 18 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Steve WrightOil paint is a medium with a long historical tradition, capable of heavy impasto effects and delicate transparent colour films. Working practically, in the studio, this course will expand your understanding of approaches to building a variety of surfaces in your paint working with mediums and expanding your use of texture and glazing This course is for all levels – both beginners and more experienced painters.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Photography, space and architecture Course start date: Thu 18 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Michael HardingCapture the architecture of London, from ancient churches to modern buildings in this introduction to architectural photography. Learn about the history and development of this specialist genre then venture onto the streets and spaces of London to put your theory into practice, identifying architectural styles and experimenting with different lenses, composition, processing and editing.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Illustrating animals Course start date: Thu 18 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ciara FloodAnimals are all around us – even in London! From Trafalgar Square’s flocks of pigeons, to rodents on the Underground, to the dog-filled squares and parks. Despite their ubiquity, animals are notoriously hard to draw – as, anatomically speaking, they’re so different to humans – as well as to each other! And, they don’t like to pose!
Learn how to overcome these challenges in our ‘Illustrating Animals’ workshop.
Our Workshops enable you to take a deep dive into a specific process, media or tool.
They throw the spotlight onto niche areas of the visual communication field, enabling you to hone higher-level skills and gain deeper insights.
Workshops tend to have a practical focus, with little or no theory or context, although this varies by course.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Processing black and white photographic film Course start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Catriona GrayShoot a roll of black and white film and develop it in traditional chemicals, learning 2 ways to view the images on your film (analogue and digital)
Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £116.00 - Fine art photography: focus on black and whiteCourse start date: Fri 19 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sara Leigh LewisShape, form, pattern and texture take on added significance in black-and-white photography. Without colour to guide the eye, contrast, lighting, and composition take on even more importance. Discover these elements and the basic rules of black and white photography.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Jewellery making: all levels Course start date: Sat 20 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kevin StevensonEver wanted to make your own jewellery? Try out jewellery-making, getting to grips with the basic processes and techniques for using metal to create simple yet beautiful earrings, rings, pendants and bracelets to your own
designs.Full fee £419.00 Senior fee £335.00 Concession £272.00 - Illustrating people and places Course start date: Sun 21 Sep 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Be inspired by the people of London and the architecture and environments they inhabit. This course all about drawing people and places, providing you with ample opportunity observe London life, situations and scenarios that will inspire your work.
Learn how to document and sketch from life in different locations and then develop artwork into compelling illustrations that are full of life.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Introduction to painting portraits Course start date: Sun 21 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Luke JonesAn opportunity to paint and draw from the life model focusing on portraiture. Basic observational skills will be explored as well as advice on how we can convey mood, character and tell a story through a portrait, inspired examples of artists portrait drawings and paintings. - Painting and drawing dialogues: material properties of the medium Course start date: Mon 22 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Tony Hull, Monika KitaGain an understanding of the interdependent nature of drawing and painting. Focus on the qualities of each medium working with and against their inherent properties to enhance your performance with both.Full fee £449.00 Senior fee £359.00 Concession £292.00 - Developing illustration Course start date: Mon 22 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Adam Graff, Lucia VintiOur ‘Developing' courses help you take your next step in a chosen creative field.
This course will help progress your illustration practice by further exploring the practical skills (using a variety of analogue and digital media) and conceptual skills (researching and developing your ideas) integral to the discipline. You will also begin to consider which of the many ‘applications’ of illustration your developing personal style might lend itself to; for example, editorial, fashion, book, or product illustration, to name a few. - Contemporary printmaking studio: focus on courage to play Course start date: Mon 28 Apr 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Thomas GosebruchExplore and develop personal work using traditional printmaking methods with a contemporary approach. All levels of experience welcome. Beginners will follow a step-by-step introduction to a range of processes; those with experience can develop personal projects with expert guidance.Full fee £799.00 Senior fee £639.00 Concession £519.00 - City Lit bookbinding: intermediate Course start date: Mon 22 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gavin MoorheadAn intermediate-level course for students with some experience. Learn new skills and techniques. Develop and build on existing knowledge in traditional and contemporary bookbinding, including leather paring and fine binding.
Term 1 22/09/2025 – 20/10/2025 (half-term week 27/10) 03/11/2025 – 01/12/2025
Term 2 12/01/2026 – 09/02/2026 (half-term week 16/02) 23/02/2026 - 30/03/2026. - Typography, typefaces and fonts Course start date: Mon 22 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrew McCartenAll designers know, images are powerful. But have you ever considered the look of your text? In other words, the typeface? It’s amazing how many designers overlook this powerful aspect of communication. Words are powerful (of course), but it’s not just what they say, it’s how they say it. On this workshop, learn how to harness the power of type.
Take a deep dive into a specific process, media or tool, with our Visual Communication Workshops.
Workshops throw the spotlight onto niche areas of the visual communication field, enabling you to hone higher-level skills and gain deeper insights.
Workshops tend to have a practical focus, with little or no conceptual or contextual elements, although this varies by course.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00
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