The clay drying stages will take time to understand. Understanding will come through experience and observation. Make sure to observe your clay vessels throughout the days or weeks to get a better understanding of what drying stage they are at and how to use them.

Drying Stages:

·     Soft Leather – At this drying stage of the clay body, there should still be a lot of moisture retained inside. Think of this stage as you would a piece of soft leather, soft leather is very flexible, pliable and easy to shape, but it has little rigidity. Use this stage for throwing/molding/building the shape or rough outline of your clay project. 

·     Leather – At this drying stage of the clay body, there should still be a less moisture retained inside. You can tell that there is still moisture because the pot will feel cool to the touch. It will however be less malleable and plastic then it was at the soft leather stage.

This stage is good for stamping, rolling or pressing designs into. It’s also good for joining multiple pieces together because it can hold its shape better without slumping or warping. Use the score and slip method to add at this stage.

·     Hard Leather – At this drying stage of the clay body, there should be little moisture retained inside. At this stage it will still be cool to the touch and will not look ashy like it will at the bone dry stage. 

The hard leather stage is a great stage to carve in to make more detailed and precise work. You can also add pieces during this stage using the score and slip method. DO NOT put a lot of pressure on your work at this stage, it is less malleable and may crack. This is an excellent time to burnish (polish) your pots as well. You can do this with a spoon, a polished stone or anything else that is non-porous and holds a good sheen. The shinier the object you use, the shinier and smoother the pot will be.

·     Bone Dry – At this drying stage of the clay body, there should be no moisture retained inside. It will look whiter/lighter in color than it does when moisture is still in the clay body. It should feel room temperature when touching the surface. It will be hard to burnish at this stage unless you apply water to the surface using a spray bottle. 

In the bone dry stage you can soften edges and take away granules or rough textures on the surface of the clay. To do this, simply take a soft bristle paint brush or something similar and dip it in water before brushing it over the surface. This is also a good stage for applying terra sigillata.

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