Illustrating people and places workshop
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Location: Keeley Street
If you’re one of these ‘avoiders’, or someone who wants to improve their existing style of tackling these subject-matters, this course is for you!
Through a combination of drawing on location, and from films and photographs back in the studio, you’ll get your ‘people and places’ practice mastered.
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.
Choose a start date
- Course Code: VZ343
- Dates: 05/06/25 - 03/07/25
- Time: 14:00 - 17:00
- Taught: Thu, Daytime
- Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
- Location: Keeley Street
Course Code: VZ343
Choose a start date
Duration: 5 sessions (over 5 weeks)
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
What is the course about?
Over the course, we’ll explore many tips and tricks for overcoming the challenges of drawing people and places. For example, we’ll look at human skeletons, as well as architectural ‘skeletons’, to understand how the structures beneath things inform how they look on the surface, and how they move (in the case of people – hopefully not buildings!) We’ll look at how ‘grounding’ figures in a setting makes them more realistic. And of course, we’ll explore perspective and negative space, as well as exploring a wide range of wet and dry media.
What will we cover?
• Overcoming challenges of drawing on location, including drawing movement
• Studying human anatomy
• Studying building ‘anatomy’
• Experimenting with a wide range of wet and dry media, including collage
• Basic rules of drawing perspective
• Drawing negative space
Conceptual skills:
• Critical evaluation of your own and others’ work will be facilitated throughout the course.
Context:
• Examples of relevant works by historical and/or contemporary creatives will be drawn upon at strategic points throughout the course.
What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...
Use the specific process, media or tool you have been studying – at least to a competent skill-level.
In particular:
- Draw on location
- Draw people from ‘life’, as well as secondary sources, using your understanding of their anatomy to improve your drawings
- Use your understanding of building structures to inform your drawings
- Use basic rules of perspective to draw buildings and space
- Use a range of media.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
‘Intermediate’ learners with experience of drawing will get the most from this course. However, beginners are welcome to try their hand.
English-language competency is required: you should be able to follow verbal and written instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. You may need to take short written notes for your own use and take part in group discussions.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
- Presentations
- Demonstrations
- Practical work
- Individual and group tutoring
- Group discussion
Additional/extension activities may be set for you to complete at home or outside of the course hours. Completion of additional tasks is encouraged to help you get the most out of the course. Where required your tutor will discuss these with you.
This course is supported by Google Classroom as a Virtual Learning Environment. When you log on you will be able to access course material, presentations, and handouts etc. and may be asked to complete learner progress records. You can find help via the student help centre on the City Lit website.
Please note it is important that you sign up and log in to your course Google classroom prior to the first session. Joining detail will be sent to you via email (check your junk/spam folder).
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
At City Lit, access to basic materials and resources are available as part of this course. We advise you to bring a A5/A4 sketchbook for the recording of ideas and an A3 folder and/or a USB drive to transport work to and from City Lit. Additional materials required as part of the course will be discussed by your tutor if required.
Need art supplies? Our partner London Graphic Centre has everything you need from pencils to printing services, at 15% off.
To get 15% LGC discount, you will need to show proof/ confirmation of enrolment and being a student at City Lit. You can apply in-store or by simply emailing info@londongraphics.co.uk with a scan or photo of relevant confirmation. Student discount does not apply to products that are already discounted or on offer. More information can be found here- https://www.londongraphics.co.uk/student-discounts/.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
We recommend looking at our range of programmes in graphic design, illustration, children’s book illustration and graphic novels.
For more information about any of the courses on offer, please visit our website.
For more information about any of the courses on offer, please visit our website.