What clay can be used to sculpt?

Question:Is the clay used for throwing/sculpting different from what you would find naturally in the ground? Meaning, do arts/supply stores put additives in them that make them better to mold or can I go to a job site tomorrow, grab a ball of clay, get it wet and mold it like any other store clay?

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: Is the clay used for throwing/sculpting different from what you would find naturally in the ground? Meaning, do arts/supply stores put additives in them that make them better to mold or can I go to a job site tomorrow, grab a ball of clay, get it wet and mold it like any other store clay?

The clay used for throwing and sculpting is normally a compounded clay. Clay mixed from several sources.

I have used the same clay for sculpting and throwing. But I have also used a clay with more grog for sculpting. Grog is clay that has already been fired and broken into small bits to give the clay more texture, make it more shrink resistant when drying, less likely to crack when drying..

A lot of sculpture is normally just bisk fired.

When choosing a clay decide on how the final firing will be.
One place I go fires to cone 5 to cone 6
Another place I go normally fires to cone 10

If you go to a job site and get some clay you would need to clean the clay and do a test fire. The test fire involves putting a small piece inside an other piece like a bowl that would contain the clay being tested if it melted at the temperature being fired.

get it at the art store. It's cheap. No, it's not the same clay as what you'd find at a job site lol.

Guess it depends on the job site. I worked in a mold-making joint, so we had the real stuff.
I wouldn't go to a store. The amount you need, you should probably be able to order it for less money
I think the "real"stuff is just more consistent. I have some land that is definitely sculpt-ready clay, but I wouldn't want to bother having to pick the gravel and roots out of it.

While I haven't yet tried it myself, I keep hearing about a product called Celluclay; it's sold by the pound. If you like it, won't you tell us all about your experience using it?
Thanks in advance.