What characterizes leather hard clay?

Leather hard clay is characterized by a specific stage within the drying process of clay. At this stage, the clay retains some moisture but is firm enough to hold its shape. This allows artists and potters to carve into the surface or add additional details without the risk of distortion that comes from working with softer, more pliable clay.

This characteristic makes leather hard clay ideal for specific techniques, such as carving textures or joining pieces together with slip. Since it’s not yet completely dried, it is also easier to manipulate than completely dry clay, which becomes very fragile.

The other choices do not accurately describe leather hard clay; completely dry clay is typically referred to as bone dry, and it lacks the workability found in leather hard clay, while soft, wet clay can be easily molded but lacks the firmness that leather hard clay provides. Glazing is done at a later stage, usually after the clay has been fired for the first time, not while it is still at the leather hard stage.