Creating hollow or lightweight wood sculptures requires a blend of artistic vision and technical skill. Here are the most common techniques used by wood sculptors:

1. Relief Carving: This method involves carving designs into a flat wooden panel, leaving the background intact while hollowing out sections to reduce weight. It’s ideal for decorative wall art.

2. Laminating Thin Layers: By gluing together thin layers of wood, artists can create lightweight structures. The hollow spaces between layers reduce overall weight while maintaining strength.

3. Hollowing with Power Tools: Rotary tools and chisels are used to carve out the interior of a solid wood block, leaving a hollow shell. This technique is popular for large sculptures.

4. Segmented Turning: Woodturners assemble small wooden pieces into a hollow form on a lathe, allowing for intricate designs without excessive weight.

5. 3D Modeling and CNC Cutting: Modern sculptors use digital designs and CNC machines to precision-cut hollow wooden forms, enabling complex geometries and minimal material use.

Each technique offers unique advantages, from traditional hand-carving to advanced digital methods, allowing artists to achieve both aesthetic and functional goals in lightweight wood sculpture.