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: Sun 26 Apr 2026 (and 16 other dates)Location on this date: Keeley Street
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 £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £253.00 - Painting from plants and flowers Course start date: Tue 27 May 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lindsay PickettExplore a variety of creative approaches for painting flowers from observation. Discover the rich history of this genre while taking inspiration from artists who use flowers as their subject matter.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Introduction to watercolour painting Course start date: Mon 20 Apr 2026 (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 £299.00 Senior fee £239.00 Concession £194.00 - Japanese woodcut printmaking Course start date: Sun 1 Jun 2025 (and 6 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 £319.00 Senior fee £255.00 Concession £207.00 - Picture framing and mounting for beginners Course start date: Thu 30 Apr 2026 (and 8 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Esther HeyhoeLearn 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.Full fee £359.00 Senior fee £287.00 Concession £233.00 - 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 - Painting 1 Course start date: Mon 20 Apr 2026 (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 - Introduction to graphic design Course start date: Wed 22 Apr 2026 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Pam WilliamsGraphic Design is everywhere; in our books, magazines, and newspapers. Emblazoning packaging at the corner shop to the mall. On our screens- phones, TVs, computers and tablets.
In this introductory course, learn how to use image and type to communicate your messages and ideas through a variety of different ways.
Full fee £389.00 Senior fee £311.00 Concession £253.00 - Drawing from plants and flowers Course start date: Mon 23 Jun 2025 (and 5 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ro Sylvester, Steve WrightExplore the delicacy and beauty of plants and flowers through the medium of drawing. Respond to their structural qualities and colours, using a range of media and taking inspiration from a rich and varied history of the subject. Suitable for all levels of experience.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - Explore your creativity Course start date: Thu 26 Jun 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ro SylvesterTap into your artistic talents through a series of fun practical exercises that will help you start drawing, painting, looking at art, responding to the world around you and working with your imagination and ideas.Full fee £229.00 Senior fee £183.00 Concession £149.00 - Drawing for beginners Course start date: Thu 23 Apr 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 - Introduction to oil painting Course start date: Sun 26 Apr 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Desmond HaughtonOil paint is a luminous and lustrous medium, capable of delicate transparency and rich impasto effects. It holds many challenges for the beginner, but this course offers a structured way into the essentials; you will develop a feel for the possibilities in oil and build essential skills in paint handling.
Full fee £339.00 Senior fee £271.00 Concession £220.00
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