Graphic Design & Illustration Courses

A 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.

This course is for experienced Children’s Book Illustration learners who wish to put together a portfolio of their illustration work for applications to City Lit Advanced courses, higher education, or agents and publishers. Some learners may also wish to create a ‘dummy’ picture book, for the same purposes.

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.

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







The Children’s Book industry is thriving, largely due to rising literacy levels, and a growing awareness of the importance of early childhood education. As a result, Children’s Book creators are in demand.



Our tutors will teach you the many and various skills you’ll need to illustrate books for children - from drawing and painting (analogue and digital), to sequencing and pacing visual narratives.



You'll learn about the children’s publishing sector; gaining a sense of the different genres and markets for children's books, and where your illustration style might fit.

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.

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







Graphic 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.

Take a deep dive into a specific process, media or tool, with our Visual Communication Workshops.



In this workshop, learn how to create compelling characters for illustration projects, and beyond.







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.

Affinity 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.

Learn how Botanical Illustrators accurately depict flowers, leaves, stems and seeds - for the purpose of genus and species identification by Botanists and Biologists.







Work from both primary and secondary source material to create an array of illustrative work, including anatomical and/or decorative.

Procreate is an innovative digital drawing software taking the illustration world by storm! In this workshop you will explore a number of different techniques to create striking illustrations on Procreate.







Please note* you will need your own iPad with Procreate installed, and a stylus such as an Apple Pencil.

From the early 20th century onwards, the advent of ‘mass’ media – newspapers, magazines, leaflets, packaging - led to some of the most innovative artistic movements in Western culture: Dada, Surrealism, Bauhaus, Punk.







Arguably, these movements (all of which centralised ‘collage’), have had more of a bearing on contemporary graphic design than anything else. Think of the countless adverts, websites, and social media posts which owe a debt to Jamie Reid’s ‘Sex Pistols’ album designs (which, in turn, owe their existence to the Dadaists).







The methodology of collage should therefore play a role in any good design practice.







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.

Explore techniques to create an impressive illustration of your pet.







Over two days you will explore a range of image-making techniques from drawing and painting to digital image manipulation, collage and table-top printmaking. At the end of the weekend you will take home a finished and unique illustration of your favourite pet.

City Lit Pro courses are tailored for accelerated learning for busy people who need to learn key skills for the workplace. On this Adobe Creative Cloud course, covering Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign, you will learn key tools and techniques to develop, deliver and optimise vector graphics, photographic images and page layout and design.

Learn how Botanical Illustrators accurately depict flowers, leaves, stems and seeds - for the purpose of genus and species identification by Botanists and Biologists.







Work from both primary and secondary source material to create an array of illustrative work, including anatomical and/or decorative.