How To Keep Clay Supports From Sticking In Sculpture?

[TortoiseAvenger]

I'm trying out some sculpture, and many of the resources use clay supports to hold up arms and things to help support their weight. They state that these will remain intact through the bisque firing. My question is, how do you keep the arm from sticking to the support? Obviously you wouldn't score and slip and not even press down on the piece, but it seems like they would stick together a little bit. If this happens is there a way to separate them without breaking the piece?

[Chris Campbell]

Lots of different ways to do this depending on where it is going.

You can put a thin piece of paper between the support and the sculpture.

You can paint some wax resist on the support so it will not adhere.

Even if it seems stuck after firing, a gentle tap will free it.

[Angie Days]

As Chris tells you, use some paper between the support and the sculpture, some newspaper will do.

Or you can use a clay that is more dry than the one your are working with, use some clay powder between the support and the sculpture and that will do. No sticking and not too much shrinking.

If you build the arms in the precise moment you won't need a support at all. It all depends on the type of clay you are using.