In school, we are doing these funky clay sculptures...?

Question

...and if the clay in more than and inch and a half thick, we have to hollow it out.
Whenever I try to hollow it out, the walls of the thing cave in.
I seem to have tried everything ranging from exacto knives to pull wires, nothing just seems to work.

Does anyone have any tips or ideas on how to keep the walls up while I hollow it out?

Answer 1

The trick is that you need to let the sculpture dry a bid, but not too much. There is a consistency called "leather hard," and you want your sculpture to reach almost that consistency, and it really should cave in. Also, maybe you are hollowing more than you have to. Just get the walls to be under an inch. If you fire slowly than your artwork shouldn't explode.

Answer 2

It sounds to me like you are trying to hollow out the clay while it is still too wet.

You should let the clay dry to leather hard before doing any sort of hollowing or carving. The clay is firmer at leather hard and will keep its shape better, but still be soft enough to carve.

You could also place newspaper inside to help it keep its shape. When it is bone dry, you can remove the paper or just leave it in - it will burn out in the firing.

Another solution is to build your piece using coils instead of working with a solid piece of clay. You can also build with slabs.

Generally, exacto blades are too sharp and fine for trying to hollow it out. Pull wires are meant to completely slice a block of clay, not carve or hollow. You want to use a spoon shaped tool or a tool with a loop on the end to hollow something out.

Good Luck on your project.

Answer 3

Well, why not roll the clay out to less than an inch and a half thick for starters?
Can you not use your fingers?
I'd have to know what the clay sculpture was that you'd have to hollow it out.
A wheel is used for making pottery.

Answer 4

Blow their minds. Make it phallic looking and you won't need to hollow it out.