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. Botanical illustration workshop
    Course start date:  Mon 3 Feb 2025 (and 6 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Lucia Vinti
    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 £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00
  2. Introduction to illustration
    Course start date:  Wed 24 Apr 2024 (and 4 other dates)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Adam Graff
    Our 'Introduction' courses provide a perfect way-in to a creative field.







    Illustration is a form of visual communication which often exists alongside text. Illustrations can help to explain or clarify (or sometimes contradict) the words on a page. Most of all, you could say, they bring the message 'alive', by making it more immediate and exciting. For this reason, illustrations are found across books, magazines, newspapers, websites and social media channels.







    Learn how to create powerful illustrations on our exciting range of Illustration courses.
    Full fee £259.00 Senior fee £207.00 Concession £168.00
  3. Film poster design: weekend workshop
    Weekend
    Course start date:  Sat 1 Feb 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Rebecca Thomas
    Despite declining cinema audiences (as many of us now ‘stream’ films into our living rooms at home), film posters are still an essential aspect of film advertising. Physical posters still plaster the urban landscape, and digital ‘posters’ plaster our screens.







    Using iconic film posters from the 20th century as inspiration (think Saul Bass, and anything from Poland), learn how to design and create a compelling poster for your favourite film!







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    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 £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £169.00
  4. Developing children's book illustration
    Course start date:  Thu 20 Feb 2025 (and 1 other date)

    Location on this date:  Keeley Street

    Tutors:  Tim Ellis
    Our 'Developing' courses help you take your next step in a chosen creative field.







    This course will help develop your burgeoning children’s book illustration practice by enabling you to more deeply explore the practical skills and conceptual skills integral to the discipline. You will also begin to consider which of the many genres of children's book illustration your developing personal style might lend itself to; for example, board-books, picture books, or non-fiction for older children, to name a few.
    Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00
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