Drawing Classes in London: Frequently Asked Questions

You can learn drawing at Sunny Art Centre, a specialist classical drawing and painting school in Covent Garden, Central London (Kemble Street, WC2B 4AW — a two-minute walk from Holborn and Covent Garden Underground stations). We offer in-person drawing classes for adults at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

Classes are small and tutor-led (a maximum of 10 students), so you get individual guidance from professional artist tutors in every lesson. Teaching is observation-based and traditional, covering the fundamentals of line, proportion, tone, perspective and composition. Sunny Art Centre is rated 4.7 out of 5 from more than 300 Google reviews.

A good beginner drawing course should provide structured teaching, regular individual feedback, manageable class sizes and a clear progression from fundamental skills to more advanced subjects.

At Sunny Art Centre, complete beginners receive a personalised study plan rather than being expected to follow the same project as everyone else. Your tutor will help you develop essential skills such as proportion, line, shape, shading, tone and observational drawing, and classes are limited to a maximum of 10 students so the tutor can give individual demonstrations and corrections throughout each lesson.

Yes. Our adult drawing classes are suitable for complete beginners, including people who have never attended an art class or have not drawn since school. You do not need to prepare a portfolio, complete an assessment or bring examples of previous work.

Your tutor will assess your experience during your first lesson and help you begin with an appropriate subject. The course develops your skills gradually, so you can learn at your own pace without feeling pressured to keep up with other students.

No previous drawing experience or natural talent is required. Drawing is a practical skill that can be developed through observation, instruction and regular practice.

Your tutor will explain each stage, demonstrate the relevant techniques and provide individual feedback as your work develops. Many students join because they have always wanted to learn but did not have the opportunity or confidence to begin earlier.

Yes. We offer beginner, intermediate and advanced drawing courses. Intermediate students can strengthen their understanding of tone, light, edges, atmosphere, composition and different dry media.

Advanced students can focus on more complex subjects, personal projects, portfolio development, anatomy and life drawing. Your tutor will assess your existing skills and recommend a study plan appropriate to your current level and artistic goals.

Our regular drawing courses are taught in person at our Covent Garden studio (Kemble Street, WC2B 4AW), a couple of minutes from Holborn and Covent Garden tube stations. All classes are taught face-to-face in small tutor-led groups.

Studio-based teaching allows your tutor to observe your technique closely, demonstrate directly on your work where appropriate and help you understand materials, proportion and tonal relationships more clearly. Students also benefit from working alongside other artists in a focused and encouraging studio environment.

Our adult drawing course is for students aged 17 and over. We offer separate art courses for children and teenagers, with teaching methods and projects designed specifically for younger students.

Parents looking for a course for someone under 17 should visit our children and teens course pages or contact the office for advice.

Complete beginners normally start with the foundations of observational drawing, including:

• Line and pencil control
• Shape and basic construction
• Measuring proportions
• Light and shadow
• Tonal values and shading
• Creating three-dimensional form
• Composition and placement on the page
• Working from still-life objects and visual references

As your skills develop, your tutor may introduce perspective, portraiture, charcoal, pastels, more complex compositions and personal projects. The exact content will depend on the course package you choose and your individual progress.

During your first lesson, the tutor will speak with you about your experience, interests and reasons for learning to draw. If you are a complete beginner, your tutor will help you select an appropriate starting exercise, which may focus on simple shapes, line, measuring proportion, tonal values or observational drawing.

The tutor will also explain how to use the relevant materials and create a personalised study plan for your future lessons. You do not need to select or prepare a subject before arriving.

No. Our drawing classes follow a personalised teaching approach. Students may work on different subjects depending on their experience, interests and stage of study, while the tutor moves around the studio providing each student with individual demonstrations, feedback and technical guidance.

This allows complete beginners and experienced students to attend the same class while working at an appropriate level.

When you first join, your tutor will normally recommend subjects and exercises that develop the skills you need most. As your confidence and technical ability increase, you can discuss your own ideas and preferred subjects with the tutor.

Students may work from still-life arrangements, plaster casts, photographs, portraits, landscapes or other suitable references. The tutor will help you balance your personal interests with the technical exercises required for steady progress.

Yes. Our courses place a strong emphasis on observational and realistic drawing. Students learn how to observe accurately, measure proportions, understand light and shadow and create convincing three-dimensional form.

These foundations can be applied to still life, portraiture, figure drawing, landscape and other subjects. The course is also suitable for students who want to improve their pencil or charcoal drawing techniques.

Yes. Pencil and charcoal are both included within our drawing programmes. Beginners may start with graphite pencils to develop line, proportion and tonal control.

Charcoal may then be introduced to explore stronger contrasts, expressive mark-making, atmosphere and larger-scale drawing. Additional dry media, including pastels, may be introduced depending on your course package and study plan.

Yes. Portrait drawing can be included as part of your personalised drawing programme. Students can learn facial proportions, the structure of the head, individual features, light and shadow and how to create a convincing likeness.

Complete beginners will normally develop some foundational drawing skills before progressing to more complex portrait studies.

Yes. Perspective can be introduced as part of the drawing course. Your tutor may cover one-point and two-point perspective, scale, spatial relationships and methods for creating a convincing sense of depth.

Perspective is particularly useful for students interested in interiors, architecture, urban sketching, landscape drawing, illustration or portfolio preparation.

There is no single timeline, because progress depends on your starting point, goals, attendance and how regularly you practise. A complete beginner may begin to understand basic proportion, line and shading within the first few lessons.

Developing stronger technical control and completing more complex drawings normally requires regular study over several months or longer. Consistent attendance and drawing between classes usually produce the strongest results.

The cost of drawing classes in London varies according to the number of lessons, class size, teaching format and whether materials are included. Sunny Art Centre offers packages of 20, 40 and 50 two-hour drawing lessons. Larger packages provide more time to build your skills and may include additional benefits such as drawing materials and course certification.

Please visit our drawing course prices and packages page for the latest fees, VAT information, package validity periods and course inclusions.

We offer packages of 20, 40 and 50 lessons, each lasting two hours. The 20-lesson package introduces essential materials and techniques, including shape, line, proportion, shading and observational drawing. The 40-lesson package provides more time to strengthen these foundations and introduce composition, perspective and larger or more complex projects.

The 50-lesson package is our most comprehensive option, allowing students to develop stronger tonal control, mark-making and personal style while exploring a wider range of drawing and dry-media techniques. Complete beginners who want a thorough technical foundation normally benefit most from the 50-lesson package, while those who would like a shorter introduction may prefer the 20-lesson option.

Each group drawing lesson lasts two hours, with a maximum of 10 students per class. The two-hour format gives students enough time to receive a demonstration, work independently, ask questions and receive individual feedback from the tutor.

Small class sizes allow tutors to provide individual attention while maintaining the supportive and motivating atmosphere of a shared studio. Private and bespoke sessions have durations tailored to you.

Materials depend on the package you purchase. The 40-lesson package includes a premium drawing materials pack, and the 50-lesson package includes a premium drawing materials pack and sketchbook. Materials are not included with the 20-lesson package.

Easels and basic studio furniture are provided, and students can also purchase selected drawing materials from our studio shop. Please check the package description before purchasing, as inclusions may be updated.

You generally bring your own basic drawing materials, such as pencils, paper or a sketchbook, and an eraser. A recommended materials list is available for each course so you know exactly what to bring.

Easels and basic studio furniture are provided, and a recommended drawing materials pack and individual materials can be bought at the studio.

Students completing the 40- or 50-lesson drawing course can receive a course certificate. The 20-lesson package does not currently include certification.

Full information about certificate eligibility is provided within the individual course package descriptions.

Yes. We offer weekday evening drawing classes at our Covent Garden studio, suitable for students who would like to attend after work, university or other daytime commitments. We also offer several drawing class times on Saturdays, during the morning and afternoon.

This gives students the option to attend regularly at the weekend or combine Saturday lessons with weekday classes. Availability can vary, so please check the current timetable before booking.

Yes, you can start at any time. Our drawing courses use rolling enrolment, so you do not need to wait for the start of a school term. After purchasing your course package, your lesson credits are added to your account and you can select your starting date and reserve available classes online.

You are not required to attend the same class every week — you can choose from available class times and attend on different days and at different times, subject to availability. This flexible credit system is particularly useful for students with changing work, travel or family schedules.

First, visit the drawing course page and choose your level and preferred lesson package. After completing your purchase:

• Your lesson credits are added to your online student account
• You can view the available timetable
• You can reserve your preferred class times
• One lesson credit is used for each two-hour class you attend

A confirmed online booking is required before every class because places are limited.

Students must provide at least 48 hours’ notice to cancel or reschedule a group class. When a class is cancelled within the permitted notice period, the lesson credit is returned to the student’s account. Late cancellations and missed classes will normally result in the credit being deducted, and bookings and cancellations should be managed through the online student account.

Each course package also has a stated validity period, which depends on whether you purchase 20, 40 or 50 lessons. All lessons should be booked and attended before the package expires, and the current validity period is displayed clearly on the course page before purchase.

Yes. We run separate tutored life drawing sessions for beginners and more experienced artists. Life drawing helps students develop their understanding of gesture, proportion, anatomy, structure and the human figure.

Students interested specifically in working from a live model should view our dedicated life drawing course information rather than booking a general drawing class, and check the timetable before booking.

Life drawing traditionally involves drawing from a live model, and it is a standard, well-supported part of figure study in art education. Our studio environment is professional, respectful and welcoming to newcomers.

If you would like to know how our life drawing sessions run before booking, you are welcome to contact the office or book a free consultation.

Yes. Private drawing tuition is available for students who would prefer fully individual teaching. Private lessons can be designed around a particular technique, subject, project or portfolio goal.

They may also be suitable for students with limited availability or an approaching application deadline, with durations tailored to suit you.

Yes. Drawing tuition can support students studying GCSE, A-Level, IB or other art qualifications, developing observational skills, composition, experimentation, technical control and completed artworks.

However, students preparing for an art-school, college or university application may benefit more from our dedicated portfolio preparation programmes, which cover drawing development, sketchbooks, idea generation and interview preparation. The most appropriate course will depend on the institution, application requirements and deadline.

You do not have to complete a drawing course before beginning to paint. However, drawing provides a valuable foundation for painting because it develops your understanding of proportion, shape, composition, tone and structure.

Students who are uncertain whether to begin with drawing or painting can book a free consultation and discuss their goals with a tutor.

Yes. We offer free consultations for prospective students. During your consultation you can visit the studio, discuss your previous experience and goals, view examples of student work and receive advice about the most suitable level and course package.

There is no obligation to enrol following the consultation.