Adding the finishing touches
with FREYA BRAMBLE-CARTER
Lesson 9 of 9
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In the final stage, Freya adds highlights, details, and protective varnish. It’s a moment of reflection - sealing in your work and celebrating the joy of creating something entirely your own.
From the Lesson Workbook
Decorating & Finishing
Adding the Finishing Touches
We've made it to the final touches! This is where everything comes together - colour, form, feeling. I'm just refining a vase I made earlier with a more elaborate design - it's a bit floral, a bit pumpkin or strawberry-like, with these little sculpted ridges and petals. Whatever you've made, now's your moment to bring out its character and seal in all your hard work.
You will need
- Acrylic paints
- Gloss or matte varnish
- Galeria gloss varnish
- Paint pens
Refining Your Paintwork
Once the first layers of paint are dry, you can go in and:
- deepen colours - add richness or shadows
- smooth blends - soften transitions between tones
- add highlights or extra pops - bring energy and focus.
It's all about adjusting what you've already done. Just take your time and enjoy the process.
This is where paint pens can also come in handy - for details, veins, outlines, or playful embellishments.
Sealing with Varnish
This step is key for making your vase watertight and giving it that lovely finished look.
- Wait a couple of days for your pot to fully dry - this helps avoid peeling when you varnish.
- Use either gloss or matte varnish - I like Sculpt brand, but anything designed for acrylics will work.
- Apply a thin layer, let it dry completely, then do another if needed.
Don't forget to varnish:
- the inside, especially the bottom
- the outside base
- every nook and curve.
If you miss the bottom or inside, you might get a soggy pot and a wet shelf - not ideal, but easily avoidable!
"Let the vase tell you what it needs. Follow its curves, listen to its shapes."
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Your Instructor
Freya Bramble-Carter
Contemporary ceramicist
Freya is a ceramicist based in East London. She studied fine art at Chelsea College of Arts while also learning the craft of clay under the guidance of her father, Chris Bramble, a ceramic artist and teacher with over 30 years of experience with whom she shares studio space at Kingsgate Workshops in London. Freya creates tableware as well as larger sculptural vases. Her work incorporates contemporary designs, strongly inspired by the ethos of beauty and nature.
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