what is difference between carving porcelain and pottery?

Carving porcelain and pottery differs primarily due to the unique characteristics of the clay bodies themselves. While pottery (typically earthenware or stoneware) is more plastic and forgiving, porcelain is dense, less plastic, and often fired at much higher temperatures. This makes carving porcelain a technique suited for fine, shallow-relief, and intricate details, whereas pottery carving often leans toward bolder, rustic textures. 

• Plasticity and Texture: Pottery clay is generally more forgiving and "soft." Porcelain has a "rubbery resistance" and lack of plasticity, which means it requires faster, more precise carving techniques.
• Detail and Precision: Because porcelain is finer-grained and vitrifies into a dense, smooth surface, it allows for sharper, more intricate carvings. Pottery, being coarser and softer, is better suited for rustic, deeper, or hand-built textures.
• Drying Time: Porcelain dries faster and can be harder to manage, meaning the artist must carve at specific, often early, stages.
• Carving Tools: While tools overlap, carvers often prefer sharper, specialized tools for porcelain to manage its hardness.
• Aesthetic Goal: Carved porcelain is often used to showcase translucency (where light shines through the thin, carved areas), while carved pottery is often about creating a tactile, rustic feel. 

• Composition: Porcelain is made from kaolin clay, feldspar, and silica, creating a very white, dense, and non-porous material. Pottery (earthenware) is typically made from,, and is more porous.
• Firing: Porcelain is fired at extremely high temperatures (1,200–1,400°C), making it very hard, whereas pottery is often fired at lower temperatures.
• Durability: Fired porcelain is more durable, harder, and resistant to staining compared to pottery.
  

In essence, carving porcelain is about precision, delicacy, and utilizing translucency, while carving pottery is often about texture, form, and rustic,, sturdy, or functional designs.