What type of clay is typically used for more decorative purposes and is often part of slip decoration?

Colored slips are often used in decorative pottery and serve as a technique for enhancing the visual aspects of ceramic pieces. Slip decoration involves applying a mixture of clay and water (the slip) that can be colored with various pigments. This technique allows artists to create intricate designs and patterns on the surface of ceramics, particularly earthenware, which is more porous and typically fired at lower temperatures.

While other options like stoneware and earthenware are types of clay bodies with specific properties and firing temperatures, colored slips specifically refer to the decorated medium used in the application process, making them the best choice in this context. Kaolin, on the other hand, is a type of white clay primarily used for porcelain rather than for decorative applications involving colored slips. Therefore, colored slips stand out as the primary material associated with decorative practices in ceramics.