Handicraft workers combine artistic and manual skills to design, make, repair, adjust, maintain and decorate precision instruments, musical instruments, jewellery and other precious-metals, pottery and porcelain ware. They apply traditional and/or recently developed techniques to carve, mould, assemble, weave and decorate various glass, ceramics, textile, straw, stone, wood and leather articles.
Tasks performed usually include: making, calibrating, repairing, maintaining and installing musical and precision instruments; fabricating, adjusting, repairing, or appraising jewellery, ceremonial or religious items, gold, silver, other precious metals, or gems; cutting, filing, polishing and setting precious and semi- precious stones including gems and diamonds and engraving designs on jewellery and precious metal articles; preparing pottery, porcelain ware, sanitary ware, bricks, tiles and abrasive wheels by hand or by machine; blowing, moulding, pressing, cutting, trimming, grinding and polishing glass, shaping molten glass according to patterns; decorating articles made of wood, metal, textiles, glass, ceramics and other materials, and planning, laying out and painting letters, figures, monograms and designs to make signs; applying traditional techniques like seasoning, impregnation to prepare wood, straw, rattan, reeds, stone, clay, shells, and other materials, and carving, moulding, assembling, weaving, or painting and decorating various articles for personal or household use, or for decorative purposes; preparing materials to make wicker furniture, brushes and brooms and weaving various kinds of baskets; applying traditional techniques and patterns to produce woven fabrics, knitted, embroidered and other garments and household articles.