City Lit Art School — Art Classes 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.
Set a new goal, start your next creative adventure with City Lit and let us support you to realise your ambitions.
We host exhibitions throughout the year at City Lit Gallery where our students showcase their amazing work.
Any questions? Contact our visual arts team on visual.arts@citylit.ac.uk
- Introduction to stone setting: raised grain setting
Course start date: Sat 30 May 2026 (and 1 other date)Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rae DuncanGrain setting, sometimes referred to as bead setting, is a technique where small faceted stones are held in place by small prongs called beads. These are raised from the metal in the band using an engraving tool. This specialist technique builds on the basic stone setting methods, introducing the use of a new set of tools and skills and is perfect for those wishing to take their stone-setting to a higher level.Full fee £329.00 Senior fee £263.00 Concession £214.00 - Portraits 1 Course start date: Sun 31 May 2026 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Luke Jones, Andrea VoiseyThis course aims to introduce you to this fascinating genre in both drawing and painting portraits through practical experience of the basic skills and concepts involved, including structure and proportion of the head and features, tone, colour, pose and expression. Working from direct observation of the live model.Full fee £479.00 Senior fee £383.00 Concession £311.00 - Japanese woodcut printmaking Course start date: Sun 31 May 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Carol Justin WilhideAn introduction to the beautiful and delicate printmaking world of Japanese Woodcut. Explore this water based, non-toxic process and build an appreciation for the handmade. You will learn how to design, carve and make a multi-coloured print. Beginners welcome.Full fee £339.00 Senior fee £271.00 Concession £220.00 - Beginners' jewellery III Course start date: Sun 31 May 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rebecca IlettBeginners 3 is the perfect continuation for those who have some metal jewellery making experience and would like to expand on their basic metal working skills by learning wax carving and casting. Wax carving lends itself very well to creating organic and fluid forms that can’t be made with sheet and wire. There will be set projects as well as the opportunity to experiment and develop your own designs.Full fee £419.00 Senior fee £335.00 Concession £272.00 - Collage and mixed media: experimental approaches Course start date: Mon 1 Jun 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ruth BrisonCollage is an exciting, accessible and creative medium. Experiment with a rich variety of materials and found images to make vibrant work experimenting with surface, form, colour and pattern, inspired by artists who make effective use of this way of working.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - London photography: River Thames Course start date: Tue 2 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Michael HardingExplore and discover London through these photography walks, moving through locations rich in photographic potential.
The walks centre around photographing views along the River Thames, from the Aldwych area eastwards to the City, from London Bridge to the Southbank and from Westminster to the newly developed Nine Elms area. Bring your own camera and comfortable walking shoes as you capture places, spaces, objects and people.Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Calligraphy: illumination and gilding Course start date: Tue 2 Jun 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Emiko HashiguchiLearn how to apply gold leaf with various gilding sizes and decorate letters with gouache and watercolour. Suitable for those who are new to illumination as well as those with some experience.
Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Drawing and painting from the imagination Course start date: Tue 2 Jun 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Clare Barton-HarveyCultivate a range of methods for stimulating and connecting to what inspires you, and develop ways to express your imagination freely using a variety of media and approaches. In person (City Lit studios) OR on-line; please check your selection before enrolling.
Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Drawing: colour pastel techniques Course start date: Tue 2 Jun 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ro SylvesterExplore the versatility and rich colours of this beautiful drawing and painting medium. Through practical exercises, discover its potential to create a variety of surface effects and its suitability for sketching and colour work.Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Photography for beginners Course start date: Tue 2 Jun 2026 (and 6 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Scott PerryAlways wondered what half the buttons on your camera actually do? Discover how to use them properly and produce impressive photographs, even as a complete beginner. Gain useful technical knowledge and get expert creative guidance in easy-to-understand language. An ideal first step before enrolling on our intermediate courses.Full fee £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £253.00 - Introduction to printmaking techniques Course start date: Tue 2 Jun 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Anne-Marie FosterThis fast-paced course reveals some of the processes used to make fine art prints. You will try both relief and intaglio printmaking methods. This course is for beginners and those with limited experience who want to discover how printmaking techniques actually work. An ideal way to start printmaking.Full fee £239.00 Senior fee £191.00 Concession £155.00 - Mosaics introductory Course start date: Wed 3 Jun 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa BensonDevelop your creative skills in this classic art form, adhering your materials to a temporary surface before applying the completed section to a flat base or casting it into concrete. Please bring ideas, basic materials provided. All levels welcome.Full fee £509.00 Senior fee £407.00 Concession £331.00 - Calligraphy: modern copperplate variations Course start date: Wed 3 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Veiko KespersaksLearn how to use a pointed pen for writing in copperplate hand, which is famous for its fine lines, hand-made quality and romantic overtones.This fun class is an introduction to Spencerian script and its connection to basic strokes and letterforms. You will also learn the history of Spencerian script and it will give you some new knowledge of penmanship. Suitable for both beginners and improvers, left and right handers.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Jewellery: Damascene inlayCourse start date: Thu 4 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rae DuncanThis practical course introduces the traditional technique of damascene inlay, where fine wires or foil of contrasting metal are inlaid into a prepared surface to create decorative pattern and imagery. Traditionally associated with steel and precious metals, the technique can also be explored using more accessible base and coloured metals.
Full fee £209.00 Senior fee £167.00 Concession £136.00 - Draw, paint, print Course start date: Thu 4 Jun 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Mary WintourThis lively, hands-on course celebrates experimentation and encourages you to discover your own creative voice. Explore a wide range of art techniques and working methods to collate a personal collection of work.
Full fee £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £253.00
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