Many people assume that clay science is somewhat less involved that glaze science. However in some ways it is much more difficult to formulate and maintain clay bodies. This is because there is a heavy emphasis on both their fired and physical working properties. Clays have to be formed and shaped, glazes do not.
Clays have to achieve the critical balances involved with vitrification.
Clay bodies tend to be made from less reliable materials and require close scrutiny to maintain their properties. Like glazes, understanding the complexities of clay bodies requires marshalling several different viewpoints, that is, understanding things on different levels. We encourage you to learn to test your clay bodies thoroughly to fully understand them and to control their consistency over time. The Magic of Fire book is available on line and it has many chapters to help you understand clays and clay bodies. Casting Slip Bodies - Digitalfire Corp. To do ceramic casting properly it is very important to understand the 'rheology' of a slip and know how to measure its specific gravity and viscosity.