Author: London Art College
Welcome to Day 5 of our London Art College Festive Art Challenge!We are continuing our December countdown by sharing a wonderful festive artwork created by one of our students. Today’s post is by Lindsay and we love it! Painted in…
Welcome to Day 4 of our London Art College Festive Art Challenge!Each day this month we are highlighting a new piece of festive artwork from our students. Today’s artwork is by Ni Ni. Nativity, with watercolour and white and yellow…
Welcome to Day 3 of our London Art College Festive Art Challenge!Throughout December we are enjoying a daily showcase of seasonal artworks created by our students. Today’s artwork is by student Ozlem titled Happy New Year. This challenge is all…
Welcome to Day 2 of our London Art College Festive Art Challenge!All through December we are showcasing festive artworks by our students, one each day as part of our creative countdown. Today’s artwork is a watercolour Christmas card by Anne…
Welcome to Day 1 of our London Art College Festive Art Challenge!Each day throughout December we are sharing a festive piece of artwork created by one of our students. Today’s artwork is by student Ni Ni. I did this for…
It is that magical time of year again, and we are inviting all of our students to take part in our annual Festive Art Challenge! Each December we love to showcase the creativity of our students with a festive countdown…
Our final challenge of November was all about cats, and what a wonderful selection of artwork we have received! From portrait and characterful sketches to lively, mischievous studies, our students have truly captured the spirit of these much loved animals….
Many of us are looking for small, grounding hobbies at the moment, something calming, affordable and easy to pick up at home. Drawing or painting is one of the simplest ways to switch off for a little while, and you…
We are delighted to share the final assignment work of Jayne Cornforth, who has recently completed the Botanical Coloured Pencil Diploma with tutor Gráinne Murphy. For her assignment, Jayne created two stunning botanical studies: a Princess Irene Tulip and a…
if you have been following our blog for a while, you will know that we have been featuring the amazing work by student Lucy Hammond. Lucy has continued showed just how versatile an illustrator she is. This stage of the…
The Coloured Pencil Certificate Course at the London Art College is a wonderful opportunity for students to explore one of the most versatile and accessible mediums available to artists today. Often underestimated, coloured pencil work can be incredibly rich and…
For our final art challenge of the year, we are keeping things fun and friendly with a theme that everyone will enjoy – Cats and Kittens! Cats make wonderful subjects for art. They can be elegant, mysterious, playful, or mischievous…
What a cheerful collection of artwork we have for this week’s art challenge! Our students have been busy drawing and painting chickens, and the results are absolutely wonderful. From proud roosters to inquisitive hens, each piece captures the unique charm…
We are thrilled to share another stunning assignment from Carol Wong, a student studying on our Botanical Painting Diploma. The focus on this set of work was in Pen & Ink, combined with watercolour. Carol chose to illustrate a Hibiscus…
We are delighted to share some beautiful artwork from Joan Henderson, who is currently studying on the Coloured Pencil Diploma Course. For her second set of assignments, Joan produced a variety of coloured pencil drawings, including a detailed study of…
One of the most inspiring aspects of the Illustrating Children’s Books Diploma Course is seeing how each student approaches the same brief in completely unique ways. Recently, our students were set the task of illustrating a scene based on a…
This weekend’s theme is Chickens! Chickens are full of character – from their bright feathers and quirky expressions to the way they scratch, peck, and strut about. For this challenge, we would like you to create a drawing or painting…
This weekend’s challenge was all about the letter R, and our students ‘rose’ to the occasion brilliantly! From radiant roses and regal robins to rushing rivers, rustic rooftops, and even Rudolph with a red nose, the variety of ideas and…
We are delighted to share the stunning work of student Lisa Dickinson, who has been working on her Botanical Painting Diploma Course with us. For her latest assignment, Lisa chose to study and paint the Echinacea Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea…
We are delighted to showcase the beautiful watercolours of Clare Roberts, a student currently studying on the Watercolour Diploma Course, tutored by Steven Hersey. Clare has been working on landscapes, drawing inspiration from her visits to both the Mawddach Estuary…
One of the most important aspects of illustrating for children’s books is creating characters that feel alive on the page. Children connect most strongly with personalities they can recognise and relate to, whether that’s a cheeky rabbit, a brave young…
We are delighted to share some wonderful news from our wonderful tutor Monika Cilmi. Monika has recently been appointed as a part-time Fine Art Lecturer at Fresh Art College of Arts in Paphos, Cyprus. Fresh Art is a small but…
Welcome to our Alphabet Challenge. Every month this year we are giving students a different letter of the alphabet so that they can draw or paint anything beginning with that letter. Its the last challenge of November and it’s the…
What a fantastic collection of artwork we have received for our Spooky challenge this week! From pumpkins to witches, to friendly ghosts and even Snoopy. Our students really embraced the Spooky theme with imagination. It is always wonderful to see…
At the London Art College, one of our most popular distance learning programmes is the Pet Portrait Diploma Course, tutored by experienced artist Heather Jolliffe. This course is ideal for anyone who loves animals and wants to learn how to…
We are delighted to showcase a selection of work by student Anne Lloyd, who is studying on our Drawing and Painting Diploma Course. Anne’s paintings are full of freshness and energy. Each piece shows her willingness to explore and enjoy…
Watercolour is often seen as one of the trickiest mediums to master. Its fluidity, transparency, and unpredictability can leave beginners feeling out of control. But that unpredictability is also what makes it so exciting. By embracing watercolour’s natural behaviours and…
Option 1: Spooky Halloween – Adults For those who enjoy atmosphere and drama, this challenge is all about creating a spooky Halloween scene. Think pumpkins glowing in the dark, eerie full moons, haunted houses, witches flying across the night sky,…
This week we set students the challenge of capturing the rich, warm tones of autumn for their weekend art challenge, and what a stunning collection we received. From golden leaves to hedgehogs and cosy countryside scenes, to the wearable fashions…
We are delighted to share a selection of beautiful watercolour paintings by student Iris Russell, who is currently studying on the Watercolour Diploma Course with tutor Steven Hersey. For her fifth assignment, Iris explored texture and pattern through a series…
We are pleased to feature the artwork of Ritwika Ghose, who is currently studying on our Oils Certificate Course. Ritwika has produced some beautiful pieces for her assignments, showing both sensitivity and strength in her approach to oils. For one…
Diving into pastels is like embracing a beautifully tactile world you can draw, paint, smudge, and layer colours in a way that feels immediate and joyful. However, their delicate nature means they require some thoughtful techniques to master. From selecting…
This weekend’s theme is “Autumn Colours.” Autumn is a season full of inspiration – rich golds, fiery reds, deep oranges, and soft browns. For this challenge, we would like you to create a piece of artwork inspired by the colours…
This weekend’s art challenge invited students to slow down and take inspiration from the natural world, with the theme of wild flowers. Whether growing in hedgerows, fields, or springing up unexpectedly in gardens and pathways, wild flowers are full of…
We are pleased to share the work of Craig Brain, a student on the Watercolour Diploma Course tutored by Steven Hersey. Craig recently completed a pair of snowy landscape paintings, each capturing a striking mountain view with trees and reflections…
We are delighted to showcase the artwork of Lorelei Biddulph-Armstrong, a talented 15-year-old student who has been studying on our Drawing for Children Course with tutor John Byrne. Lorelei has shown real creativity and skill across her assignments, with drawings…
Oil pastels are bold, vibrant, and wonderfully versatile. Unlike soft pastels, which are dry and powdery, oil pastels have a waxy, crayon-like texture that makes them perfect for expressive marks and rich, painterly effects. They are easy to pick up…
We are excited to reveal the winners of this year’s London Art College Annual Art Competition! Once again, our students have shown just how much creativity, imagination and technical skill is being developed across all of our courses. After much…
This weekend’s theme is “Wild flowers.” For this challenge, we would like you to take inspiration from wildflowers – whether you find them growing in the garden, spot them on a walk, or choose from a reference photo. Wildflowers can…
This weekend we continued our alphabet challenge, with students asked to create a drawing or painting based on something beginning with the letter G. Once again, you have all come up with a great selection of creative ideas! From gentle…
We are delighted to showcase a selection of artwork by Raihaan Akram, who is studying on the Drawing with Pens Course with tutor Monika Cilmi. Raihaan’s pieces demonstrate just how versatile pen drawing can be. From expressive landscapes and detailed…
For her second assignment, Lucy Hammond continued to impress us with her artwork. Working with pen and ink, she illustrated the classic verse There was a man from Nantucket with wit and character. She then experimented with drypoint etching, collagraph,…
We’re thrilled to share the wonderful news that student Jacqueline Prothero has just completed our Drawing & Painting Diploma Course with a well deserved Distinction! Under the expert tuition of Paul Weaver, Jacqueline has demonstrated strong observational skills, an adventurous…
Welcome to our Alphabet Challenge. Every month this year we are giving students a different letter of the alphabet so that they can draw or paint anything beginning with that letter. Today it’s the turn of ‘G’. Think of any…
For this weekend’s challenge, we asked our students to think small – literally! The theme was Miniature Worlds and the task was to create a drawing or painting no larger than postcard size. We were blown away by the tiny…
We are delighted to share more work by Jayne Cornforth, who is studying on the Botanical Coloured Pencil Diploma. These pieces come from Assignments 4 and 5, where Jayne explored both floral and vegetable studies with great attention to detail….
We are very pleased to congratulate Delia Chamberlin on completing the Still Life Certificate Course with tutor Alan Dedman. Delia has produced some excellent work throughout the course, showing a real ability to observe objects carefully and translate them into…
Oil painting has been a favourite medium for centuries, chosen by artists from the Old Masters to today’s contemporary painters. Its rich colours, smooth blending, and versatility make it endlessly rewarding. However, it can also feel intimidating for beginners because…
This weekend we are inviting you to think small… very small! The theme is “Miniature Worlds.” Your task is to create a tiny drawing or painting no bigger than a postcard. You can use any medium you like – pencil,…
This week’s alphabet challenge brought a slightly trickier letter: Y! But as always, our brilliant students rose to it with style, imagination and a great sense of fun. Yaks were certainly the stars of the show, majestic, hairy and full…
We are delighted to share the work of Dawn Howard, who has been studying on the Pet Portraits Diploma Course with tutor Heather Joliffe. Dawn has completed a beautiful series of studies featuring two German Shepherds, working across different media…
We are very pleased to share some recent work by Arpapatch Sari, who is studying on our Botanical Painting Diploma Course. For this assignment, Arpapatch explored fruit and vegetables – a subject she admitted she had not drawn before, as…
Stepping into the art world is exciting—and sometimes intimidating. It’s common to wrestle with perfectionism, to doubt your work, or to feel stalled by the fear of making mistakes. But what if I told you these struggles are not signs…
Welcome to our Alphabet Challenge. Every month this year we are giving students a different letter of the alphabet so that they can draw or paint anything beginning with that letter. Its the last challenge of September and it’s the…
Hands are one of the most expressive and trickiest parts of the human body to draw or paint. They can reveal character, emotion and movement all in one gesture. For this weekend’s challenge, we asked our students to tackle this…
We are delighted to share that Heather Crick has successfully completed the Still Life Certificate Course with tutor Alan Dedman. Heather has produced a wide range of imaginative and thoughtful still life pieces during her studies. From classical arrangements and…
We are delighted to showcase the work of student Hazel Cope, who is studying our Colour Awareness Course with tutor Monika Cilmi. Hazel describes herself as a self-taught artist, and has found the course invaluable for expanding her understanding of…
When starting your painting journey, it is natural to focus on paints and colours first. Yet one of the most important tools in your kit is the humble brush. The type of brush you use can change how paint flows,…
This weekend we are setting you the challenge of drawing or painting hands. Hands can be one of the trickiest subjects to capture, but they are also incredibly expressive and full of character. Think about how much we use our…
Welcome to our latest weekend art challenge where we set our students the task of creating artwork in only three colours. Limiting your palette can do surprising things. It sharpens your eye, strengthens your composition and forces you to think…
We are delighted to share some wonderful work from Carol Wong, a student currently studying on our Botanical Painting Diploma. Carol recently completed a Fruit and Vegetables assignment, and her PDF submission was outstanding. Not only did she include her…
We are delighted to share the success of Hanh Nguyen Thi Duc, who has just completed the Landscape Diploma with tutor Paul Weaver and achieved a well deserved Distinction. Hanh is based in Vietnam and has worked extremely hard throughout…
When you are starting out in art, one of the most overlooked but essential tools is the paper itself. Many beginners focus on pencils, brushes, or paints, but the surface you work on can have just as much impact on…
This weekend we would love you to try something a little different – a Three Colour Challenge! The idea is simple: create a piece of artwork using just three colours – pink, blue and yellow. You can choose any medium…
What makes something a “super find”? It could be a lucky treasure spotted at a car boot sale, a well-loved object from a charity shop, a curious item found on a beach walk, or even a cherished everyday item that…
We are delighted to congratulate Linn Aspen on successfully completing the Illustrating Children’s Books Diploma with a Distinction! Linn is based in the USA and has a strong background in the creative arts, including design and illustration. She joined the…
We are thrilled to share the wonderful news that Vicki Moore has successfully completed the Illustrating Children’s Books Diploma with a Distinction! Vicki began the course back in 2022, studying under tutor Maggie, and continued her creative journey through to…
We are delighted to share the artwork of Anthony Snell, a student who has recently completed our Still Life Certificate Course with tutor Alan Dedman. Anthony has submitted his final assignment, completing a varied and thoughtful collection of still life…
This weekend we have a lovely idea suggested by one of our students – thank you! The theme is “Super Finds.” For this challenge, we would like you to create a piece of artwork inspired by something you have discovered…
This weekend we set students the task of creating a drawing or painting of anything beginning with the letter M and the entries did not disappoint! From magnificent macaws and mesmerising mermaids to a whole page of marvellous M-themed doodles,…
We are excited to introduce Lucy Hammond, a student on the Illustration Diploma Course with tutor Steven Hersey. Lucy’s first assignment submission left a real impression on her tutor: “She submitted her first assignment a few days ago and it…
We are delighted to share some exciting news from our tutor Paul Weaver, who has just had a new article published in the October 2025 issue of Leisure Painter & The Artist magazine. The feature, titled Panoramic Highland Landscapes in…
Learning to draw with pencils is a great way to build strong artistic foundations. It is portable, affordable, and incredibly versatile. Whether you are sketching from life, planning a painting, or developing fine detail in a finished piece. But like…
Welcome to our Alphabet Challenge. Every month this year we are giving students a different letter of the alphabet so that they can draw or paint anything beginning with that letter. Its the last challenge of August and it’s the…
This weekend we invited our students to head to the coast – at least in spirit – for a challenge themed around Harbour Life. The brief was simple: capture the essence of a harbour scene, whether it be bustling fishing…