Which Clay to Use?

As soon as you realize that there are so many types of clay and clay bodies on the market, you may well be shell-shocked. Making a decision as to which clay to choose can truly be overwhelming.

Some times this decision is made without you realizing there is a decision. Many hobby stores do carry limited clay supplies, and you may have picked up clay without realizing there were different types. For example, at my local Hobby Lobby, I found a couple of low-fire clays (a white and a red earthenware) and a buff mid-range clay.

These clays are generalized clay bodies, usually better for hand building pottery than for throwing. If you are absolutely new to clay, I'd strongly suggest you begin with hand building anyway. (More on that later this week.)

If you are really in love with clay (nothing to be ashamed of there!), you may look for a local or regional pottery supplier. If you can't find one near you, don't be shy about ordering your supplies online or over the phone. The nearest full clay supplier for me is about 1.5 hours away, with a lot of heavy traffic in between. I usually order my clay and supplies online and pay for the shipping. (It ends up being about the same amount as it would be for my gas, time, and trouble.)

When you are looking for a clay body that really suits you, there are three primary considerations:

1. The very first consideration is what kind of work will you be doing with it. Do you want to make dinnerware? Are you interested in creating sculptural pieces? Knowing your purpose guides all other decisions.

2. How much green strength do you need when working the clay, as opposed to how much plasticity you need? Larger pieces generally need more strength, whereas throwing clay bodies need good plasticity and workability.

3. What temperature range do you want to work in? Dinnerware really should be done in a mid- to high-fire clay (and glazes), whereas sculptural pieces can be low-fire clays. (Some dinnerware is created in earthenware, but since it breaks so much easier and is more porous, it isn't really the best choice.)

4. You may eventually also want to explore specialized clay bodies, such as ovenware (for casserole dishes), raku clay bodies (with high thermal shock resistance), and paper clay (lighter weight and better green strength for large and complicated sculptures).