- Bone Dry - Clay that is completely dried but not yet fired. Clay forms are most fragile at this stage.
- Leather Hard - Clay which has dried sufficiently to be stiff, but is still damp enough to be joined to other pieces.
It is important to wait until clay is leather dry, because it will hold its shape without folding in on itself. But the clay won't be too dry, so more clay will be able to hold to it if needed.