Can you fire clay with armature wire?

The perfect framework to preserve the integrity of your piece as you build up your modeling material. As an addition, you may want to consider our hand-made armatures for the head, head-bust and/or figure. If using moist (ceramic/pottery) clay, please note, the armature wire cannot be put in a kiln during firing.

Can you use wire in clay?

Almost any material (including metal and wires) can be used inside (or on, or with) polymer clay and be baked with it, except for a few types of plastic...and that's done all the time btw.

What kind of wire is used for clay sculpting?

Artists and sculptors rely on premium wire to create intimate wire sculptures and sturdy armatures for ceramics, plaster, and paper sculpture. Most of this wire is aluminum, a lightweight metal known for its flexibility and malleability; copper is a little sturdier but also malleable.

Do you need an armature for clay?

Aluminum foil is without a doubt, indispensable as an armature for any polymer clay artist. It has an expansion rate of less than 2% which means it won't expand enough to crack your sculpt. You can use it as a core armature for figures, jewelry or anything else you are working on that has depth.

Can you fire armature wire?

As an addition, you may want to consider our hand-made armatures for the head, head-bust and/or figure. If using moist (ceramic/pottery) clay, please note, the armature wire cannot be put in a kiln during firing. The clay will shrink but the wire will not, resulting in cracking and/or breakage.

Tips for Making a Proper Wire Armature when Sculpting in Clay

Can you bake armature wire?

You can use a wire armature to stiffen the extended parts of a Sculpy (polymer clay) figure, and bake it without the piece cracking, unlike the way ceramic clay behaves. The thickness to use depends on what type of wire you're using.

What can I use instead of armature wire?

Iron wire: it is cheap and has the big advantage that it can be fold at the same place several times without breaking. So you can reuse it.

What is armature wire used for?

Armature wire has been used for many years as the framework or 'skeleton' of sculptures. While most often a stiff aluminum wire, armature wire can also be made from many different materials such as bare copper wire or even stainless steel craft wire.

Do you need armature for air dry clay?

Why do I need one? Unlike traditional materials, air dry clay doesn't need to undergo a lot of heat to become hard, so the armature stays put. An integrated armature is great - it provides a lot of extra strength to the sculpture for its entire life.

Can you sculpt without armature?

At its core, an under-sculpt is what is used to give your figure movement and shape beneath it's final layer. This means that an under-sculpt goes over an armature. [It does not necessarily have to if your figure does not require an armature.]

Can you fire clay with metal in it?

Caution: Clay with metal additions should be fired in a well-ventilated area. Tests of all metals should be done before adding to work.

Can I bake clay with metal?

Metal of any kind is absolutely no problem to bake with polymer clay (or with liquid polymer clay).

Can you put metal wire in the kiln?

High Temp Kanthal A-1 Wire soldout

Kanthal A-1 High Temp Wire can be fired in a kiln, with a melting point of 2730 degrees F. it can be used as a decorative accent on pottery, as loops for kiln fired jewelry, or as an armature wire to support beads or small objects during firing.

What surface does clay not stick to?

Most air dry clays are sticky, and you don't want that on your work surface. We recommend protecting the work area with items such as wax paper, silicone baking mats, or vinyl placemats.

Is there clay that doesn't need to be fired?

Air dry clay has a quite telling name: it's a natural clay that doesn't need firing or baking, as it dries solid when it's exposed to air. It's a good alternative to regular clay when you need to make something quickly, something small or inexpensive.

What happens if you don't fire clay?

If it remains unfired it will eventually crack and fall apart. Water based clay becomes brittle when dry. I don't have a kiln either but I looked around and found a ceramic studio that does firing for a small fee per piece, depending on the size.

Can you use copper wire for armature wire?

These are the types of armature wires you could use for sculpting: Aluminum. Copper. Stainless Steel.

Can you bake clay with wire inside?

With polymer clay, the baking temp is a low 265 degrees F and will not melt wire. Therefore you can use any wire you like baked inside your clay. Plastic coated wire like telephone wire and plastic coated paper clips will even bond with the clay while baking so it has some unique applications.

Can you bake Sculpey with wire?

Can you bake Sculpey with wire in it? Yes, you can, its perfectly safe as long as you don't burn the polymer clay (even then its not toxic, just not very nice).

Can Aluminium wire go in oven?

Most types of metal melt at temperatures way higher than polymer baking temperature, so you don't have to worry about that either. I've made Fimo things with a core of aluminium foil, and no problems at all.