City Lit Art School — Art Classes in London  

Ever wanted to try making your own jewellery but not sure where to start? Delve into this intricate and rewarding craft with our year long structured beginner's course. Pick up the basics in everything from research and design to technical skills including soldering, annealing, etching and stone setting.

Our ‘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.

An 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.

All 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.

Explore 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.

Building on existing knowledge, this course introduces you to the concept of Typology in photography, grouping images based on shared characteristics. Through hands-on exercises, you will explore project themes, refine your selection skills and develop a Typology series using photography, Adobe Photoshop and Bridge.

This is a year-long course that explores the endlessly fascinating subject of the human form through various aspects of drawing and painting the figure and portrait. For those interested in building real progress and confidence in practical skills and taught by a team of specialist tutors, you will be inspired by stimulating projects that explore historical and contemporary artists' contexts to support your creative work.

Year 1 of the City Lit Fine Art (CLFA) course will enable you to develop and refine your previous experience in Fine Art in workshops exploring different approaches to drawing, painting, sculpture, print, digital media, and contextual studies, in weekly studio sessions. You will be part of a small cohort of dedicated students and will be taught by experienced and professional tutors who are all practising artists.



The Year 1 course will give you experience in combining different studio processes relevant to current art practice. It will introduce new ideas and contexts, and help you identify your own personal creative responses. Group discussions and tutorials will support the development of your thinking and help you adopt an independent and open-minded approach to making artwork. This course can be taken for personal creative development and progression on to Year 2 of the CLFA course, or to help you prepare for application to Fine Art study at HE.level.



Some basic studio materials are provided, and you will need to supplement these with specific items.

This course will help you improve your skills in graphic design and visual communications in their broadest sense, for delivery or publication in print and online, working with text, image, layout, medium and message across a range of physical and digital media and formats.



It is ideal for anyone who has already completed our City Lit graphics course, and for anyone wishing to build a more extensive and professional portfolio of graphics work, whilst developing a deeper understanding of the connection between text, image, message and media.



Confirmed industry specialist guests: Lydia Thornley, Designer, Creative Director and Reportage Illustrator and award winning film producer/director Mark Craig, maker of the film “The Last Man On The Moon”.

Learn how to make a skirt from a simple pattern. You will be guided step-by-step to produce a garment in a fabric of your choice using easy techniques and, incorporating a zip and waistband.

This course will help you to develop your skills in editorial fashion photography.
The course is project driven and will take you from the creation of a basic story board through to a photo shoot. By the end of the course you will understand the workflow, the tools and thinking / planning required to run a successful shoot for yourself. The course also provides advice on getting material published.

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.

Learn how to make slipcases and clamshell boxes. Get creative with decorative and plain papers, cloth and board to complete beautiful containers to house your books and objects.

A picture paints a thousand words. Develop your creative ability to communicate through photography and get a fascinating insight into the world of documentary photography and photojournalism. Work on assignments and location shoots, develop your technique and style, and explore the practical, theoretical and ethical dimensions of photojournalism.