Tin/ aluminium foil will work for stuff that is just one off models or things that won't have to put up with vulcanisation or lots of pressure. It's more or less regularly used for making larger scale garage kits, masks, props etc. especially when using non-drying modelling clay (and polymer clay). There's even people building entire models out of foil.
While foil can be used without a wire armature (and not using a wire armature has some merrits*), generally for bigish models you first build a wire armature and then tightly wrap that in foil. Tightly as in 'no air pockets'- important when using eg polymer clay that'll be cured in an oven, as trapped air will try to find a way out and can cause cracks in a sculpt.
Usually you'd then build up the basic shape with more foil and more wire that you tightly wrap around the foil for more strength. Last 'layer' of that wire foil cake usually is wire, as that helps to not only strengthen the armature but also will provide your sculpting material of choice with something that is easier to stick to than bare foil. A little trick for better adhesion is to use crumpled foil.
Once you've reached a point where you're happy with the general shape/ thickness/ strength of your foil bulked armature, you start adding putty/ clay/ paper mache/ plaster wraps/ whatever.
Personally I've never had any problems with polymer clays, milliput or greenstuff (or a mix of any two of those) not sticking to simple household aluminium foil.
Air drying clays can be a bit tricky as most of them will shrink to an at least somewhat visible extent and that can leave visible 'seams' where the clay kind of lifts off the underlying surface, the surface can also fracture while drying (a bit like a dried out river bed will crack). For larger pieces they generally work better on/ over an absorbent core (eg a paper mache hill clad in clay). Though you could always combine that with the foil/ wire (foil/wire -> paper mache ->clay).
One thing to keep in mind is that air drying clay is heavy- if you're going down that route, have a look at those 'super light' air drying clays as well. While I found the light ones I used anoying to work with (a bit like trying to sculpt something with icing), they're still usefull for adding more bulk to the armature and generally can be sculpted over with more hard wearing/ easier to work with materials.
My advice would be: buy some air drying clay, a package of the 'super light' stuff, and experiment a bit before you start on the real thing.
I've sculpted over styrofoam, cork, aluminium foil, action figures, plastic eggs and various putties with air drying clay and so far it hasn't fallen off. I actually just tested standing on one foot on a terrain piece and it didn't succumb to my weight, so pretty solid if you don't use it for delicate structures.
*If no wire is used and you're using a sculpting material that hardens enough, then you can pull out the foil later for creating a partially hollow model.