Drawing with Robots : Creative Reuse of Electronic Waste

Drawing with Robots : Creative Reuse of Electronic Waste

Build your own drawing machine from scrap robotics and salvaged materials!

In this evening course, you’ll turn broken toys, motors, and old electronics into simple drawing robots. No coding required — just hands-on making, experimenting, and a bit of creative problem-solving.

After a short intro session and some example videos, most of the course is workshop time: hacking, wiring, testing, and tuning your machine to move and leave a mark. You’ll have access to a wide range of salvaged components, plus tools and guidance throughout.

Bring your own scrap materials too if you have them — anything from toy parts to brushes or bits of wire.

At the end of the course, we’ll host a public Robot Drawing Battle — where your machines can face off in a friendly (and chaotic) showdown of wobbly lines and malfunctioning movement. Participation optional, but encouraged.

Time and Dates:

5 x sessions
September 9th – 23rd Tuesdays & Thursdays – 17:30–21:00

Public Robot Drawing Battle: 23rd Sept – Time and location TBA

You’ll learn:

How to hack and repurpose toy robot mechanisms • Basics of analog movement and simple circuits • How to test, adjust, and improvise using scrap parts • Tips for presenting and performing your machines

Instructor:

Sam Rees is a British transdisciplinary artist, designer, and educator based in Iceland. His work spans robotics, creative coding, and experimental print, often combining hacked toy robots, found materials, and e-waste into absurd, hands-on installations rooted in a maximalist, folk-art-inspired aesthetic.

From printed matter to interactive arts and computer science, Sam’s background bridges art, design, technology, and waste culture. He maintains evolving archives of salvaged toy robot mechanisms, DIY printers, and drawing machines, used as research material for his practice and pedagogy. He teaches interactive media at the Iceland University of the Arts, where he also manages the university hackspace. In the past, he co-founded the Fjúk Arts Centre residency in Northeast Iceland and co-organised the Reykjavík Zine & Print Fair.

http://www.ififoundafrozentimewarpidputitinthemicrowaveatyourhouse.co.uk/

Grants
Are you entitled to a grant from your union or the Directorate of Labour to attend a course or study? See more information; Grants

•