I have a school project due in a couple weeks and I need to make a life size sculpture of a camera. I don't want to make it solid because that would use a lot of clay and wouldn't evenly cook. Can I put something inside like aluminum foil?
The aluminum will not allow the clay to shrink as it dries. The clay will crack. Also, the aluminum will melt around 1200* so you need to know how hot you will be firing the kiln. You should be able to make the camera body by the slab method and make a box and add the lens and knobs. This will give you a hollow body.
Assuming you mean polymer clay - aluminum foil is fine and is commonly used. In fact you almost have to use it to have uniform thickness because solid will crack from shrinking during baking. Fired ceramic clay, nope - aluminum foil melts much too low a temp.
What kind of clay and what kind of cooking?
I assume so, since it can go in ovens when you cook. I'd just make sure its in a relatively smooth shape, like folded until it forms a rectangle, before putting it in the clay.
