Visual Communication

Graphic Design & Illustration Courses

At City Lit, our exciting range of graphic design and ilustration courses will give you a creative insight into working with images and text in an emerging and innovative area. Explore a range of concepts and creative processes, within the areas of graphic design, illustration, children’s book illustration and animation, learning how to produce work visually in a diverse and exciting way. 

Working with industry professionals and experienced tutors in our fully equipped design studios, students will have access to everything they need to complete their next creative challenge. Our studios offer space for creativity with all the equipment your need, including Apple Mac computers, Adobe CC software, Wacom tablets, a range of printers and scanners including access to our 3D printing and laser cutting digital suite.

We encourage playful experimentation, working with both analogue and digital tools. Our courses range from drafting story boards and cartoon design to film poster graphics, from typography and magazine layout to printed creative packaging and digital illustrations.

We host exhibitions throughout the year at City Lit Gallery where our students showcase their amazing work.

To arrange a conversation with our Visual communication coordinator about your interests, options and courses available, please contact our Visual Arts team at visualarts@citylit.ac.uk  

Courses available both in-person and online

We offer a range of long and short courses allowing you to choose between in-person and online learning.

Learn in the centre of London with our in-person courses. Our purpose-built facilities in Covent Garden mean we are ideally located and easy to get to. 

See our guide to online learning for more information about accessing our live online courses.

All our courses are live, interactive, and taught by expert tutors. No matter how you prefer to learn, we've got the class for you.

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  1. Developing graphic novels
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 11 Feb 2025 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Stephen Marchant
    Our 'Developing' courses help you take your next step in your chosen creative field.







    Comics – once considered lowbrow, or seen as exclusively for children, now occupy a higher cultural domain. Partly thanks to a re-brand, (as ‘Graphic Novels’), no weighty subject is off-limits. A graphic novel has even been nominated for The Booker Prize!







    Alongside official publishing channels, exists a lively ‘zine’ culture, where comic and graphic-novel artists can legitimately self-publish and sell their work through a network of independent shops and fairs.







    Learn how to create Comics and Graphic-novels with City Lit, and – once you have developed your practice – how to navigate this thriving sector.
    Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00
  2. Adobe Illustrator: stage 2
    Course start date:  Tue 18 Jun 2024

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Gita Hahn
    Learn advanced features of Adobe Illustrator and how to use the application more intuitively, accurately and creatively.This course is an ideal follow-on to 'Adobe Illustrator:stage 1' for those who have an interest in design and Illustration.
    Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00
    Rating:
    80% of 100
  3. Introduction to graphic novels
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 15 Oct 2024 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Our 'Introduction' courses provide a perfect way-in to a creative field.







    Comics – once considered lowbrow, or seen as exclusively for children, now occupy a higher cultural domain. Partly thanks to a re-brand, (as ‘Graphic Novels’), no weighty subject is off-limits. A graphic novel has even been nominated for The Booker Prize!







    Alongside official publishing channels, exists a lively ‘zine’ culture, where comic and graphic-novel artists can legitimately self-publish and sell their work through a network of independent shops and fairs.







    Learn how to create Comics and Graphic-novels with City Lit, and – once you have developed your practice – how to navigate this thriving sector.
    Full fee £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00
  4. From traditional to digital illustration workshop
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 18 Mar 2025 (and 2 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Adobe Creative Suite is the principal software used by Illustrators and Designers all over the world. On this course, learn how to take scribbly sketches and inky splotches into Adobe Photoshop and transform them into illustrations, collages, pattern designs… the possibilities are almost endless; thankfully, you will also be taught a crucial skill of digital illustration - knowing when to stop!







    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 £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00
  5. Adobe Illustrator: stage 1
    Evening
    Course start date:  Tue 16 Apr 2024 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Gita Hahn
    Explore basic design and illustration techniques using Adobe Illustrator, the key high-end graphics software used to create logos and icons. Discover what you can achieve using paths, pens, colour, and type as you learn about infographics and designing with vectors in this short course.
    Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00
    Rating:
    96% of 100
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