Art & Design Courses - Online & in London
Explore new and exciting subjects within a range of art and design disciplines, develop your skill set, get the support required to change career or launch yourself as a freelance artist or designer. All this and more delivered through our practical and engaging art and design courses at City Lit.
Our range of part-time, weekend and evening art and design classes are taught by successful artists and practitioners to ensure you get the skills, knowledge and experience you want and deserve. From experimental painting and drawing to contemporary jewellery making, there is sure to be a course for you. Study from 1 day to 2 years, whether you are a complete beginner or a practising artist preparing for an MA. Our courses are designed with you in mind, so you get to spend more time doing what you love. New for 2020 we now offer a creative portfolio of live online courses as well as our face-face studio based teaching.
Set a new goal, start your next creative adventure with City Lit and let us support you to realise your ambitions.
Many of our courses are delivered online. For more information about our live online courses, please see our guide to online learning.
Any questions? Contact our visual arts team on visual.arts@citylit.ac.uk or call us on 020 7492 2700, Monday to Friday between 10am-12pm or 2pm-4pm.
- Start life drawingCourse Date: Thu 22 Apr 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
This short course is a great introduction to drawing directly from the nude model. Using simple excercises, you will explore different ways to represent the human form in drawing, with encouraging, helpful guidance from an experienced tutor. Suitable for absolute beginners.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £119.00 Senior fee £95.00 Concession £60.00 - Book arts drop-inCourse Date: Fri 23 Apr 2021 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
A one-day, tutor supported book arts workshop. This short course is ideal for students who would like some technical or conceptual advice and the space to work on a personal project. Students will work independently with one to one support.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £49.00 Senior fee £49.00 Concession £49.00 - Large-scale drawing and painting projectsCourse Date: Fri 23 Apr 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Enjoy a lively, more active way of art-making and make work on a grander scale. Complete a number of projects that explore how big can be beautiful, challenging and surprising.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £309.00 Senior fee £247.00 Concession £155.00 - Painting workshop: focus on colourCourse Date: Fri 23 Apr 2021 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
A concise study of colour usage. Investigate colour perception and how colour interacts. Explore a range of observational and expressive painting projects, relate colour theory to practice and develop confidence using colour. An emphasis on colour mixing using acrylics and oil paint.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £115.00 - Drawing and painting from the imaginationCourse Date: Thu 3 Jun 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Explore drawing and painting from the imagination and develop a toolkit of methods for stimulating your imagination and sustaining your imaginative engagement in drawing and painting. The aim of the course is to investigate the role of the imagination in drawing and painting and to explore new ways of seeing and experiencing the world around us.
This course will be delivered online. See the ‘What is the course about?’ section in course details for more information.Full fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £95.00 - How to create a graphic design portfolioCourse Date: Thu 24 Jun 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Learn the fundamental skills and different approaches to layout skills with this creative and practical workshop. Bring your projects and artwork along as you are guided towards building and developing a professional graphic design portfolio. The course encourages you to take risks, be playful and explore different ways of working, arranging and communicating your ideas and work. You will learn some of the core skills in layout, importing, exporting and printing through Adobe In-Design. Suitable for those with an interest in print based design, graphic design, illustration and those who want support in building an art and design portfolio for industry, application and beyond.
This course is FREE if a) you live in London and your job is at risk of redundancy or b) you are either on Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) or Employment & Support Allowance(ESA) or c) you receive other state benefits (including Universal Credit) and your monthly take home pay is less than £343. For more information click here
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £189.00 Senior fee £151.00 Concession £95.00 - Get skills in: painting processes and mediumsCourse Date: Thu 22 Jul 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
This is a brief introduction to acrylic painting techniques and the use of materials. Explore a practical approach to painting, including colour mixing, layering, glazing and application. For those with little or no painting experience.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00 - Try it out: nuno feltingCourse Date: Sun 1 Aug 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Explore this stunning Japanese process of bonding fine fabrics to fine merino wool fibres. Working with white silk and cotton fabrics and colour wool fibres, you will produce a series of lightweight and textured samples. All materials provided.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Japanese woodcut printmakingCourse Date: Mon 2 Aug 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
An intensive introduction to Japanese Woodcut spread over three days. The process is water based, non-toxic and handmade. You will learn how to design, carve and make a multi-coloured print. No prior experience necessary.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £319.00 Senior fee £255.00 Concession £160.00 - Calligraphy: copperplate and spencerian scriptsCourse Date: Mon 2 Aug 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Learn how to use a pointed pen for writing in copperplate hand, which is famous for its fine lines, hand-made quality and romantic overtones. Suitable for both beginners and improvers, left and right handers.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £179.00 Senior fee £143.00 Concession £109.00 - Start filming and compositing with green screenCourse Date: Mon 2 Aug 2021
Location on this date: PS - Photography Studio
Compositing, or seamlessly layering images, is a visual effect used in all film making. Learn effective green screen filming, how to composite images and how to improve the process and workflow on this practical course.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £149.00 - Children's book illustration: IntensiveCourse Date: Mon 2 Aug 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Enjoy exploring the world of children's book illustration on this intensive practical four day course. Learn techniques in developing ideas and creating exciting images in the context of the current children's book market. Please note, there will be some offsite drawing which will involve walking, standing and/or sitting for long periods. Please bring footwear for comfortable walking and you may wish to bring a portable sketchbook stool.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £237.00 - Introduction to pewter castingCourse Date: Mon 2 Aug 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Discover the art of pewter casting using the ancient ‘lost wax method’ in this five-day course.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £176.00 - Picture framing and mounting for beginnersCourse Date: Mon 2 Aug 2021 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Learn picture framing and mounting skills for the home or workplace. Using professional framing tools and equipment you'll be taught all the skills you need to work in a busy studio or alternatively how to set up your own small scale practice from home.
This course is FREE if a) you live in London and your job is at risk of redundancy or b) you are either on Jobseekers' Allowance (JSA) or Employment & Support Allowance(ESA) or c) you receive other state benefits (including Universal Credit) and your monthly take home pay is less than £343. For more information click here
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £329.00 Senior fee £263.00 Concession £165.00 - Get skills in: oil painting mediumsCourse Date: Tue 3 Aug 2021
Location on this date: KS - Keeley Street
Oil paint is a uniquely luscious medium, capable of heavy impasto effects and also the most delicate transparent colour films. Explore the different effects that can be created when different oil painting mediums are added to the oil paint. Learn to use a range of these mediums to create excitng and varied surfaces in your painting, expanding your use of texture and glazing.
This course is for all levels – both beginners and more experienced painters.
This course takes place in the classroom, please follow this link to find out what we are doing to keep you safe: Staying COVID-19 secure at City LitFull fee £149.00 Senior fee £119.00 Concession £75.00
Can't see a course you want?
Add this category to your waiting list to set up alerts and we will update you when new courses are released online.
Add to your waiting list