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Drying and Trimming

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Drying

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Once the pot has the rough shape desired by the potter, the clay is allowed to dry to a state called "leather hard". At this point, the clay can hold its shape while being handled and turned upside down, but it's still wet enough that the potter can trim off excess clay or cut or impress in designs.

 

Trimming

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In the leather hard state, tools are used to trim excess clay from the sides and base of the vase.  A foot can be cut into the bottom of the vase and decorative incising can be applied to the exterior or interior, if desired.

 

Drying Again

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The vase is then allowed to dry fully in preparation for the first firing. This state is called "bone dry". If the vase isn't bone dry when fired, it can blow up in the kiln. That's because the water inside the clay is converted to steam, which expands greatly when heated past the boiling temperature of water.

Up to this point, we simply have clay in the shape of a vase. If it becomes wet, it can turn back into raw clay. It is called "greenware" at this stage.​