This may be the clinical definition of clay, but for the artisan, clay offers nearly limitless possibilities for creative three-dimensional expression. If you have ever wanted a medium with which you can create subtractive or additive art forms and end with a fired, permanent record of your work, clay may be the answer. The physical composition of clay varies greatly, and all commercially manufactured clays are carefully calculated mixtures of earth and minerals. A balance is created among plasticity, wet strength, dry strength, absorbency, shrinkage, surface texture, overall color of fired material, and firing capabilities. Some potters and sculptors even concoct their own private mixtures in order to comply with the needs of their personal work.
Tools used in the creation of clay work can vary greatly.
Metal tools, usually with handles, are often used to cut, slice, score or form clay. Most of these metal tools are used when the clay is pliable and soft and are effective at removing a controlled amount of material. Others are made of smooth wood or rubber and are used primarily as surface-smoothing tools. Many of the tools are fashioned after those made from animal bones by early man. A myriad of tools can also be created by the artisan from found materials or adjustments to existing commercial tools.