How to Choose the Right Clay Body for Your Project

Choosing the right clay body for your project is one of the most important decisions you can make as a ceramic artist, whether you’re a hobbyist or a professional. Whether you’re working with earthenware clay, stoneware clay, porcelain clay or the more accessible air dry clay, the proper selection ensures your work behaves exactly the way you expect.

It’s essential to know how each clay body works, when it is best used, how it feels, and how it behaves when fired or unfired, as well as other practical considerations.

What is a Clay Body?

The term clay body refers to a specific formulation of clay - and any added materials - that delivers particular properties, such as plasticity, firing range, strength, texture and colour. 

Understanding Clay Bodies

Each clay body has different behaviours, textures and more, making them useful for varied projects.

Earthenware Clay

Perfect for entry-level hobbyists and colour-rich, this clay body is best for hand-built sculptures, decorative tiles, educational projects or creating your first pot. We stock a strong range of earthenware clays.

When to use Earthenware: It is often the first choice for decorative pieces or tiles. With a lower firing range and lively colour palette, this body is popular for handbuilding and colourful glaze application.

How Earthenware feels: Typically soft and plastic, earthenware is easy to shape and form. It’s ideal for beginner potters in early wheel-thrown attempts or for handbuilding.

How Earthenware behaves in different situations: As a lower-fire body, earthenware matures at a moderate temperature and is somewhat porous unless glazed. It can be less durable than other bodies.

Stoneware Clay

Our stoneware range is durable, versatile and fires at mid-to-high temperatures. It makes an excellent choice for functional or durable pieces.

When to use Stoneware: Stoneware clay is a strong choice for creating durable, functional pieces. From plates and mugs to jugs and storage jars, this clay body is a workhorse in creating robust everyday items.

How Stoneware feels: Stoneware feels slightly firmer than earthenware and may have some grog or texture depending on the formulation. It responds well to both handbuilding and wheel-throwing techniques.

How Stoneware behaves in different situations: Stoneware clay is fired at higher temperatures, becoming denser, less porous, and more chip-resistant. 

Porcelain Clay

Porcelain is a fine, translucent and high-precision clay for more elegant projects. It is best used in high-end tableware, thin-walled forms, and refined work where finish matters.

When to use Porcelain: Porcelain clay is best for refined, elegant work. Uses include delicate teacups, fine tableware, and white ware designed to reveal subtle glaze effects.

How Porcelain feels: Porcelain feels very smooth, supple, and somewhat demanding to work with. It often requires skill to handle the fine particle size and retain the thickness of the clay body, making it less ideal for beginners. 

How Porcelain behaves in different situations: Porcelain is fired at some of the highest temperatures and fires to a translucent, hard body. It is highly durable but less forgiving when faced with uneven drying or wall-thickness issues.

Air Dry Clay

Air dry clay does not need to be fired and is an accessible medium that is perfect for creatives, allowing users to create whatever their imagination desires.

When to use Air Dry Clay: If you don’t have access to a kiln or want to create projects outside a kiln environment, air dry clay is perfect for modelling, sculpture, prototyping, and education. It’s ideal for hobby projects.

How Air Dry Clay feels: This clay is soft, pliable and designed to be workable without kiln access. It dries at room temperature.

How Air Dry Clay behaves: As the name suggests, this clay doesn’t require firing. It lacks the hardening of kiln-fired clays. Ideal for modelling and finishing with paint or varnish, and therefore shouldn’t be used for functional ware.

Selecting the Right Clay Body for Your Project

It’s important to get the right clay body for your project. Consider the item's end use: will it be functional, decorative, or a modelling piece? You should also assess your equipment and the clay body's required firing range; for example, if you don’t have access to a high-temperature kiln, then porcelain may be impractical.

Evaluate the clay's working characteristics. Understand the texture and plasticity of the clay, the hand feel, and more, as these impact how easy it is to smooth, form and finish. The sculptural and functional demands of your project will also push you in a specific direction.

You should also match the clay to the colour aesthetic and finish you’re looking for. Porcelain offers a refined, translucent white finish, while earthenware can offer warmer colours.

Use Case Scenarios for Clay Bodies

• Teaching a class? Choose earthenware or air-dry clay for ease of use and cost-effectiveness.

• Working in a studio, creating saleable projects? Choose stoneware for a balance of strength and ease.

• Creating a sculptural showpiece? Go with porcelain, but be prepared for the higher skill demands. 

• Prototyping or modelling? Air dry clay is the best option for modelling work.

Pick the Right Clay Body with Potclays

Choosing the right clay body means starting with your end goal: understanding what the piece will be doing, how it should feel, and how it will be finished. This will help you to understand the equipment and skill level required, as well as the properties that the finished piece will need. 

At Potclays, we supply a wide range of clay bodies that are perfect for turning your imaginative ideas into finished projects. With a clear understanding of how certain clays behave, you’ll be able to make informed decisions every time you pick up the body.

Need help finding the clay body for your work? Get in touch with us today.