Dremel maker Harry Arling

Artist

Harry Arling

Interview with creative Harry Arling

Harry Arling is an artist through and through: a true creative. He is also a huge fan of Dremel. So, it is high time to ask him some questions!

Country
Netherlands
Specialty
Repurposing old plastics to art.
Experience
10+ years
Occupation
Artist

Harry telling us more about his art

We asked Harry how he comes up with his ideas and where he gets his inspiration from. Watch the video here:

Questions we asked Harry

“I create 'kosmotronics' – which are works of art made from plastic waste. My work ranges from little water pistols to dust busters and from hard hats to big plastic Easter eggs – every last little bit of plastic is put to good use. People don't always believe that my works of art are made almost entirely from plastic. But they are!”

“That depends. Sometimes I'm commissioned to produce a work of art, in which case the final product will depend on what my client wants. For example, I was once asked to turn a hard hat into a hanging work of art. The client wanted the shape of the hard hat to be recognisable, but for the ultimate piece to be intended for a very different use. That was a fun challenge.

People often give me material, or I'll find it somewhere. Sometimes, I'll have it lying around in a corner somewhere for half a year before I finally get round to using it. Because a lot of my pieces are quite small, my preferred equipment to use is a Dremel multi-tool with a flexible shaft. I find this attachment a lot more versatile and manageable than other tools.”

Project Gallery

Custom built toy "Baot with wheels power by walking mashine"
Custom built toy "New age war mashine"
Custom built toy "Plane with chair for sidekick"
Custom built toy "Robot beetle"

Do you have any tips that you'd like to share?

“I discovered, by coincidence, that polishing works very well with soft plastics. However, soft plastic melts faster, so it’s wise to use a slower rotation speed. The polishing wheel creates a soft and smooth surface, because of which paint sticks easier too. A great way to kill two birds with just one stone!”

What's the best reaction you've ever had to your works of art?

“That was during the Florence Biennale. I really wanted to be part of the event, but you have to pay to exhibit there. Thanks to crowdfunding, I was eventually able to participate and exhibit two works of art as it would cost more to exhibit a third piece. I decided to opt for a different approach, I wore one of my works of art: a kosmotronic hard hat! The event was attended by a total of 450 artists, but within no time at all, everyone was talking about my hard hat. It was a real conversation starter! That was quite a smart thing to do, even if I do say so myself. Ha-ha.”

Used Products/Tools

DREMEL® 8220

DREMEL® 8220

Multi-Tool - Cordless. Luminous. Max power.

DREMEL® Flexible Shaft (225)

DREMEL® Flexible Shaft (225)

Experience even more precision and manoeuvrability, even in hard-to-reach places.

100 pieces DREMEL® Multipurpose Accessory Set (723)

100 pieces DREMEL® Multipurpose Accessory Set (723)

100 high quality genuine Dremel accessories including EZ SpeedClic accessories

Need more inspiration?

Profile image of Anouk Wipprecht

Anouk Wipprecht

Fashion and technology. At a first glance they seem opposites of each other. When you look at the creations made by Anouk you can see they go hand-in-hand.

Dremel maker Justin Brooker

Justin Brooker

Want to learn more about Justin and the hand engraving work he does? Take a look at these videos to get to know Justin better. He tells you tips on the types of material to use and best techniques to achieve intricate and personal engraved projects.