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.
- 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 - Start planting design for your garden Course start date: Tue 17 Jun 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alison WorsterExplore the principles of planting design using form, line and texture to create dynamic planting schemes. In weekly workshops, improve the breadth of your plant knowledge whilst developing the skills and techniques of garden designers. - 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 - Introduction to graphic design Course start date: Wed 17 Sep 2025 (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 - Cyanotype printmaking in a day Course start date: Thu 26 Jun 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 - 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: colour pastel techniques Course start date: Tue 1 Jul 2025 (and 4 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 outdoor colour work.Full fee £199.00 Senior fee £159.00 Concession £129.00 - Life drawing for beginners Course start date: Thu 15 Jan 2026 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Luke JonesThis short course is a great introduction to drawing directly from the nude model, both male and female. 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.Full fee £219.00 Senior fee £175.00 Concession £142.00 - Try it out: calligraphy Course start date: Sat 12 Jul 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ivo GrantinsFancy having a go at this beautiful art form? This short weekend course will introduce you to the fundamental principles of lettering and calligraphy. Focussing on broad edged script, you will use different pens and nibs, and leave having completed your own sample.Full fee £179.00 Senior fee £179.00 Concession £179.00 - Create a short film in a weekend Course start date: Sat 12 Jul 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Lyndon IvesLearn how to script, storyboard, shoot, edit and export a short film in this fun and fast paced introduction to film making.Full fee £189.00 Senior fee £189.00 Concession £189.00 - Try it out: mosaics Course start date: Wed 16 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa BensonThis course is an opportunity to try doing some mosaics and get a feel for this popular craft. - Printmaking weekend: handmade prints Course start date: Sat 19 Jul 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rosey PrinceLearn some exciting, low tech printmaking techniques to equip you with skills so you can easily make prints at home without the use of specialist equipment. - Try it out: jewellery making weekend Course start date: Sat 19 Jul 2025 (and 2 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rae DuncanAimed at beginners or those wanting a refresher. Join this action packed weekend to make a pendant and silver ring. Implementing fundamental jewellery making techniques, you will gain the basic skills you need to make simple jewellery in metal.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £169.00 Concession £169.00 - Introduction to clothes making Course start date: Mon 21 Jul 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 £379.00 Senior fee £303.00 Concession £246.00
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