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
- Design with Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign
Course start date: Sun 16 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Gita HahnA fun and challenging introduction to these three programs, regularly used together for everything from infographics to packaging and magazine work. Learn how to integrate vector graphics, photographic images and page layout and design.
Duration: 9 sessions (over 12 weeks) Sunday the 10/11/24 -15/12/24 and then it starts again in the new year on the 12/01/25 - 26/01/25.Full fee £699.00 Senior fee £559.00 Concession £454.00 - Affinity photo: introduction Course start date: Sat 1 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Michael HardingAffinity Photo is a British engineered and fully featured cross-platform editing alternative to Adobe Photoshop. For photographers at all levels. We’ll show you how to use it effectively to process and edit your images to the highest standard.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Colour communication Course start date: Thu 13 Nov 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Maya WildColour influences mood, meaning, even decision-making! In short, colour communicates. Learn how to use colour in your creative work, to make it as communicative and influential as possible.
Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Illustrating people and places Course start date: Wed 5 Nov 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 - Digital illustration Course start date: Mon 3 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: John SmythAdobe 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 £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Explore: GIF making for illustration Course start date: Sun 9 Nov 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sophie WolfsonThis one-day course is an introduction to creating animated gifs using hand-drawn illustrated images.
Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - Explore: Gel plate printing Course start date: Sun 23 Nov 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This one-day course is an introduction to Gel Plate Printing and will explore various techniques to mark-making and image creation. You will learn how this print technique can be used within your own Illustration and Graphic Design projects.
Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00 - Explore: Gel plate printingCourse start date: Sun 23 Nov 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
This one-day course is an introduction to Gel Plate Printing and will explore various techniques to mark-making and image creation. You will learn how this print technique can be used within your own Illustration and Graphic Design projects.
Full fee £89.00 Senior fee £89.00 Concession £89.00
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