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.
- 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 - Introduction to jewellery making Course start date: Mon 21 Jul 2025 (and 4 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Louise Seijen Ten HoornDiscover metal jewellery making techniques to create a piece of jewellery. You will be introduced to the basic processes of forging, texturing, soldering and cutting out shapes in metal. You will learn how to create a ring to the correct finger size.Full fee £379.00 Senior fee £303.00 Concession £246.00 - Sketchup Pro: fast track Course start date: Mon 21 Jul 2025 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Nicholas WilliamsonLearn to visualise and model interior spaces and 3D forms on this fast track course. Skills in this user friendly and affordable software is invaluable for Interior designers, Garden designers and Set designers who wish to improve their presentations. The software works on both PC or Mac.Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £181.00 - 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 - Introduction to sculpture Course start date: Mon 4 Aug 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Belinda Edwards, David Field, Andrew Revell, Ro SylvesterThe ultimate introduction to sculpture at City Lit. In each class of this five-day hands-on course you will be introduced to a different sculptural technique and material, by a tutor who is a specialist in that area. This will provide you with a showcase of our sculpture facilities and teaching talent at City Lit. This course is perfect for beginners who want to try out a range of sculptural processes, perhaps to find your area of interest for further study.Full fee £399.00 Senior fee £319.00 Concession £259.00 - Design your own garden intensive Course start date: Mon 4 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Alison WorsterTransform your garden and explore design and plant selection techniques tailored to your space. Discover how to improve your garden with professional, practical garden design solutions and tips to maximise the potential of your site. - Illustrated stitch: a masterclass with Rosie James Course start date: Mon 4 Aug 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Rosie JamesDraw from your own photographs of people and buildings then learn how to stitch those drawings on to cloth using a sewing machine. Add fabric to create a completed contemporary textile artwork. - Try it out: bookbinding Course start date: Sat 9 Aug 2025 (and 3 other dates)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Kate RochesterDip your fingers into bookbinding. Learn a little about the materials and craft of bookbinding while making an attractive book to take home. A chance to discuss further study in bookbinding at City Lit.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £129.00 - Try it out calligraphy: modern copperplate Course start date: Mon 8 Sep 2025
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Veiko KespersaksThis short workshop will guide you through the basics of Modern Copperplate Calligraphy, as influenced by historical copperplate handwriting. Once the artform of expert craftsman, calligraphy is now a popular artistic outlet, flexible enough to reflect the personality, style, and creativity of every individual – everyone can learn it and have a lot of fun while doing so! Suitable for left-handers and right-handers. - Drawing 1 Course start date: Mon 8 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: Mon 8 Sep 2025 (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
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