Beginners courses in art & design
City Lit is the perfect place to try your hand at art & design in a fun and welcoming environment with courses taught by practicing artists.
Whether you want to explore fine art, contemporary crafts or digital art, we have the course for you. Our range of introductory art courses are open to everyone.
Located in the heart of central London, our dedicated studios for jewellery, ceramics, drawing, painting, printmaking, digital arts and photography will provide all the facilities you need to start your next creative adventure.
- Photography for beginners
Course start date: Fri 6 Jun 2025 (and 16 other dates)Location on this date: Kean Street Photography Studio
Tutors: Sara Leigh LewisAlways 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 £369.00 Senior fee £295.00 Concession £240.00 - Textiles: indigo shibori dyeing Course start date: Fri 30 May 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lara MantellProduce your own indigo hand dyed fabrics using pleating, stitch and wrapping methods. Explore the magical combination of indigo dye and shibori resist techniques. - Portraits 1 Course start date: Fri 30 May 2025 (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 £449.00 Senior fee £359.00 Concession £292.00 - Introduction to watercolour painting Course start date: Fri 30 May 2025 (and 12 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lindsay PickettGain a grounding in the rich possibilities available when working with watercolour paint. Through a series of practical studies, you will investigate the potential of this versatile medium.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Drawing: ink and wash techniques Course start date: Fri 6 Jun 2025 (and 6 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Jack DuplockThe immediacy and versatility of ink and wash is perfect for those sketching on location, for designers and for students interested in watercolour techniques. Take the opportunity to explore the basic techniques of this exciting process.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00 - Introduction to collage and mixed media Course start date: Sun 8 Jun 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Sam HannerCollage 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 £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Introduction to quilting Course start date: Mon 9 Jun 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Beverley SellLearn how to design and make a contemporary quilt using a range of construction and embellishment techniques. Work with simple shapes from recycled fabrics or bring your own fat quarters to create a personalised quilt. Suitable for beginners.Full fee £249.00 Senior fee £199.00 Concession £162.00 - Painting 1 Course start date: Fri 26 Sep 2025 (and 7 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Amanda BrackenPainting 1 offers an introduction to the basic principles and skills associated with painting. Focus on differing approaches to observational and imaginative work, whilst learning how to organise a palette, mix colours and create different textures.Full fee £449.00 Senior fee £359.00 Concession £292.00 - Cyanotype printmaking in a day Course start date: Fri 1 Aug 2025 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Adam HogarthCyanotype is a photographic printing process which produces a beautiful deep blue print from a variety of artwork, including drawings, photographs, physical objects or combinations of all of these. All levels welcome.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £129.00 - Introduction to clothes making Course start date: Fri 26 Sep 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Silvia SacrestanoLearn how to make your own clothes. This beginner's course will teach you how to use the sewing machine, as well as basic sewing techniques and processes. Start by sampling, then construct a simple garment.Full fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £188.00 - Introduction to jewellery making Course start date: Fri 20 Feb 2026 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Louise Seijen Ten HoornIntroduction to metal jewellery making techniques such as forging, texturing and soldering, cutting out shapes in sheet metal and twisting wire. You will explore how to create a ring to the correct finger size and how to add decoration like a stone or a kinetic element. You will create at least one wearable piece of jewellery on this course.Full fee £289.00 Senior fee £231.00 Concession £188.00 - Explore printmaking Course start date: Wed 30 Jul 2025 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Esther HeyhoeCome and get inky with this fun one day workshop exploring printmaking. This course will give you a basic understanding of monoprinting, relief printing and screen printing and is aimed at those who would like to explore different printmaking techniques before going on to other courses.Full fee £79.00 Senior fee £79.00 Concession £79.00 - Drawing 1 Course start date: Fri 26 Sep 2025 (and 10 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Brian SayersAn introduction to drawing from observation through a carefully structured approach in a studio environment. Suitable for beginners.Full fee £449.00 Senior fee £359.00 Concession £292.00 - Painting for beginners Course start date: Fri 13 Mar 2026 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Amanda BrackenThrough simple exercises you will explore basic methods of painting in acrylic from still-life, mixing and matching the colours and textures observed. Learn how to set up your workspace and begin to enjoy painting in a studio environment, using a variety of brushes and tools.
Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00 - Drawing for beginners Course start date: Fri 13 Mar 2026 (and 13 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Andrea VoiseyExplore traditional and less traditional methods of drawing simple objects. Using structured activities, you will be introduced to key concepts such as line, tone, composition and mark-making. Ideal if you have little or no drawing experience; a great way to learn the basics or prepare for longer courses.
Full fee £159.00 Senior fee £127.00 Concession £103.00
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