the ceramic process is lengthy and has many steps and stages. it all starts with a lump of clay and sometimes with dry materials. Once a form has been created if it’s by wheel throwing, slab construction, or hand-built with coils of clay, that form needs to dry. the first step in drying is called leather hard, where the clay is still wet enough to scratch and carve the surface and attach handles and so on. The second phase is bone dry which is the final stage of drying, before the first firing. the first firing is called a bisque firing which brings the clay into a state of ceramic, so that the item is hardened and will be able to have glazes applied, then it is ready to be glaze fired. which is the second and final firing, which for me is to a temp. called cone 6, or approx. 2232 degrees fahrenheit.