Best Fashion Illustration Workshops in London 2026

Blog by London Fashion Illustrator Elyse Blackshaw

I'm Elyse, a London based Artist and Fashion Illustrator. What most people don't know about me is that I'm also an experienced teacher, with a PGCE (Post Graduate Certificate of Education acquired in 2016) with QTS (Qualified Teacher Status) and 11 years experience teaching in schools and delivering workshops. I've taught students and participants of all ages - from primary school - 18+. The experience I have means that I know exactly how to differentiate for different ages, abilities, and adapt to any environment and location. What I'm particularly confident in is creating positive, inclusive atmosphere.

Alongside being a Fashion Lecturer at University for the Creative Arts, a visiting Lecturer at Manchester Fashion Institute, between 2025 and 2026, I have delivered creative workshops for a variety of clients such as sketch London, The British Library, London Borough of Culture, amie wine studio, traid, and Colfe's school.

Photography by anyothermedia

2026 is shaping up to be an incredible year for fashion illustration. With more people looking for hands on creativity, expressive mark making, and community driven art sessions, workshops are booming across the UK.

I have designed and curated fast paced creative workshops that combine expressive illustration, material exploration, and confidence building. My sessions are rooted in industry knowledge, accessible creativity, and an inclusive ethos, making them ideal for brands, cultural venues, schools, universities, and event spaces looking to offer something fresh, inspiring and memorable.

I work with:

• Museums

• Galleries

• Brands

• Creative studios

• Libraries

• Universities

• Schools

• Festivals

• Event producers

• PR & experiential teams

  
  

Below are a few examples of workshops I currently offer or have delivered across the UK!

1. Fashion Illustration Workshops at warm, stylish spaces perfect for relaxed drawing and conversation

I run workshops in smaller, design led studios, the kind of spaces where people feel at ease straight away. They are contemporary, welcoming, and thoughtfully lit, making them ideal for social, confidence building illustration sessions. These venues lend themselves beautifully to creative gatherings, wine‑and‑draw evenings, team socials or brand activations where people are encouraged to experiment, loosen up, and enjoy the process.

• Participants can sip and sketch

• All participants leave with original illustrations

• Renewed creative confidence - perfect for practising artists or beginners

• Practical drawing techniques they can continue at home

• Ideal for adult audiences, creative communities, public programming, membership perks, VIP customers

2. Fashion Illustration Workshops at visually rich spaces that elevate the experience

Photography by anyothermedia

Some of my workshops have taken place in beautifully curated, art driven venues. Places where design, culture and creativity spill into every detail. These venues create a sense of occasion: guests walk in and instantly feel inspired.

The atmosphere naturally encourages bold mark making, playful illustration, and that sense of stepping into a creative world far removed from the everyday. These settings make workshops feel more like immersive cultural experiences.

3. Creative Workshops at Cultural & Educational Institutions

Working with institutions such as charity stores, libraries, and museums allows me to design workshops that are not just fashion illustration but relevant to their focus such as fairy tales, sustainability, culture. These spaces attract families, young creatives, curious adults, and community groups, each bringing a different energy to the session. They are ideal environments for character design, world building, mixed media experimentation, and drop‑in style activities that invite people to step into illustration with zero pressure.

• Participants can drop in at flexible times

• Workshops can be tailored to specific briefs, topics or themes

• All participants leave with original illustrations that can also be transformed into public art

• Access to new materials

• Practical techniques they can continue at home

From collaging symbols to represent cultural identities...

To public artwork celebrating cultural identities...

Artwork doesn't have to stop at the workshop. It can be exhibited in public to enrich community spaces.

4. Fashion Illustration Workshops within Education

My school workshops are energetic, supportive, and fully adaptable to GCSE Textiles, colleges or university level. I bring contemporary fashion illustration into the classroom through engaging exercises and bold creative techniques.

I deliver specialist sessions for fashion students at designed to push their illustrative voice, develop research led drawing approaches, and build industry ready portfolios. My teaching blends traditional drawing discipline with contemporary experimentation.

Key focus areas:

• Gesture & silhouette

• Visual identity & personal style

• Figurative illustration

• Mixed media development

• Portfolio critique & refinement

  
  

Educational institutions book these sessions to help students expand their creative confidence and prepare for industry opportunities. Ideal for boosting curriculum creativity or supporting students during portfolio development.

Why Organisations Book My Workshops

Fashion Zine workshop at sketch hosted by Elyse Blackshaw and Zoë Thompson - Photography by anyothermedia

Professional, engaging delivery

I tailor every session to your audience, whether that’s families, students, teams, or brand partners.

Aligns with fashion, culture, design & education sectors

From wine studios to libraries to universities, my workshops fit seamlessly into different environments.

Supports wellbeing and creativity

Sessions focus on confidence, expression, and experimentation, not perfection.

Highly visual and social media friendly

Workshops naturally generate beautiful content for brand storytelling.

Flexible formats

Available as:

• 2 hours for events

• Full day workshops for education or half-day masterclasses

• Ongoing programmes

• Drop in sessions

• Bespoke commissions

Whether you’re planning a public programme, launch event, team creative session, or educational workshop, I’d love to collaborate and bring expressive fashion illustration to your audience. You can contact me at info@elyseblackshaw.com to discuss ideas and dates.

I look forward to hearing from you, Elyse x