Come fly with me...
Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, welcome aboard KLM flight 0641 to New York...
As it is the time of year when so many people board an airplane to get to their holiday destination, I thought I'd show you something I made a few years ago.
I have worked as a flight attendant for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for more than 13 years . With KLM as my theme, I decided to enter a miniatures contest "Small fantasies in large packages", held by the Dutch miniatures magazine 'Poppenhuizen & Miniaturen'. I used an old KLM catering container as my 'roombox'. Inside the catering container the scene depicts a 12th scale version of part of an airplane galley and cabin. It represents a moment during boarding of flight KL0641 to New York.
In the front of the container part of the galley can be seen, where the flight attendant is putting away some meal trays which were just delivered by catering services.
The right hand side of the galley with the ovens, coffee machines and circuit breakers. The guy from the catering service is waiting for a fresh cup of coffee.
The coffee machine on the left has nearly finished brewing some lovely fresh coffee. Champagne is waiting to be opened for the business class passengers.
In the back of the container I built part of the cabin of the airplane. Passengers are boarding and a flight attendant is assisting one of the passengers with his luggage. These four dolls in the back were my first ever attempts at sculpting dolls.
As working with clay is not my favourite thing to do, I was very happy with the way the dolls turned out. Painting the faces was something I found quite hard, although that may have had something to do with the paint and tools I used back then... ;) Something I really liked and which no-one has ever noticed is that I have dated the piece by using a newspaper page with the year 2005 printed on it. Look at corner of the paper the old man is holding...
This was my first doll sculpt, a tourist class passenger searching for his seat number. He will find his seat further towards the back of the plane...
All pictures can be viewed bigger by clicking on them.
For more pictures and the full story on how I've made this roombox, please go here.
As it is the time of year when so many people board an airplane to get to their holiday destination, I thought I'd show you something I made a few years ago.
I have worked as a flight attendant for KLM Royal Dutch Airlines for more than 13 years . With KLM as my theme, I decided to enter a miniatures contest "Small fantasies in large packages", held by the Dutch miniatures magazine 'Poppenhuizen & Miniaturen'. I used an old KLM catering container as my 'roombox'. Inside the catering container the scene depicts a 12th scale version of part of an airplane galley and cabin. It represents a moment during boarding of flight KL0641 to New York.
In the front of the container part of the galley can be seen, where the flight attendant is putting away some meal trays which were just delivered by catering services.
The right hand side of the galley with the ovens, coffee machines and circuit breakers. The guy from the catering service is waiting for a fresh cup of coffee.
The coffee machine on the left has nearly finished brewing some lovely fresh coffee. Champagne is waiting to be opened for the business class passengers.
In the back of the container I built part of the cabin of the airplane. Passengers are boarding and a flight attendant is assisting one of the passengers with his luggage. These four dolls in the back were my first ever attempts at sculpting dolls.
As working with clay is not my favourite thing to do, I was very happy with the way the dolls turned out. Painting the faces was something I found quite hard, although that may have had something to do with the paint and tools I used back then... ;) Something I really liked and which no-one has ever noticed is that I have dated the piece by using a newspaper page with the year 2005 printed on it. Look at corner of the paper the old man is holding...
This was my first doll sculpt, a tourist class passenger searching for his seat number. He will find his seat further towards the back of the plane...
For more pictures and the full story on how I've made this roombox, please go here.
that is really great, I'm impressed. You're very talented, congratulations.
ReplyDeleteOese
Josje, this is one of the most interesting room box I have ever seen. I still can't quite figure out what the box you use is and what do you mean by front and back of the box. It must be a fairly deep one from the look of things. Amazing job! Will KLM pay you loads for this? It should belong to their archive! And done by a former KLMer too! Nothing more special than that! Well done, Josje! I should be clicking to read more and I will!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fantastic idea - and everything looks
ReplyDeletevery realistic. The dolls and their clothes
are just perfect and so is everything else in
the box!
This is an amazing roombox. I love the neck of the passanger looking for his seat and the gentleman trying to find privacy in his newspaper with all the fuss around him and the stylish impeccable attire and looks of the lady in the front. I thought there was something very glamorous in people working on planes, always so beautiful and neat-looking. The part where you have all the machines and compartments for food and things is just beautiful really. Everything made well in small size is so fascinating. Thank you for sharing this special miniature!
ReplyDeleteJosje, what a truly great project this is. Loved every millimeter of it. I have no trouble recognizing all the structural elements. Your project really takes me back to the years I spent installing aircraft interiors for Boeing including the galleys now and again. Having done that kind of work I always carefully check out those areas any time I take a trip on an airplane. Galleys, stow bins, seats, lavatories, ceiling panels, class dividers, cockpit panels, window panels, carpets, you name it I have probably installed it. I have even created models (mockups) of those areas but only full scale 1:1, never in miniature. Perhaps someday I will get to see your miniature version in person, I will look forward to that.
ReplyDeleteI love your blog! So many beaty things here! :)
ReplyDelete...Greetings from Finland! ;)
Fantastic! What a wonderful scene. The dolls look fantastic and I love all the details you put in place. :-)
ReplyDeleteAMAZING. What a pleasure to look through these images and see such artistry!
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful scene and one that no one has done before. So true to life.
ReplyDeleteWOW, what a labor of love! Everything is so detailed and looks so real! Fabulous!! Hugs, Marsha
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting roombox and you are extremely talented jugding by your first-ever self-made dolls!
ReplyDeleteAmazing....everything is so perfect.
ReplyDeleteYour dolls are splendid for a first attempt.
Jayne
Amazing! Such detail! I am fascinated by this.
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful idea. Your dolls and miniatures are perfect. You are very talented. I love the mini galley with everything you would find in a real plane. The air hostess is beautiful and your setting is full of fun and humour. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteLovely pics! Well done! Congrats.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for your wonderful comments! So sorry I am late in answering, as it is summer vacation here I am not spending too much time behind the computer but a lot of time doing other fun stuff outside.
ReplyDeleteJosje
Sans, the catering containers are used in the galley of an airplane and contain all kinds of goods, like bread rolls, cans of soft drinks, wine bottles, glasses and papers and forms. In the second picture you can see the miniature versions along the wall like little cupboards. The real one is 47 cm high, 29 cm wide and 40 cm deep. It has a door on the front, so this part of the container has become the front of the roombox where I have located the galley. In the back part, where the cabin is located, I have used some optical illusions (like lights and photograps) to make it look much deeper.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if KLM would pay me loads for it, but I would welcome an offer...LOL!
Eva J, some parts of the stewardess dolls clothes were made from my own old KLM uniform ;)
ReplyDeletehannajaleijona, "I thought there was something very glamorous in people working on planes, always so beautiful and neat-looking." You should see us after a busy 12 hour flight...not so neat looking and glamourous then...lol!
ReplyDeleteKarin, I remember reading your post about your former jobs, of course I was particularly interested in reading about your job working for Boeing. It makes your comments extra special, so thank you, I really appreciate that!
ReplyDeleteMy roombox was exhibited a year ago at the 100th birthday exhibition of the Dutch branch of BE Aerospace, Royal Inventum. I was given a tour of the company and was able to see all these things I had worked with for so long being made (the ovens, coffee machines etc.). It was a wonderful experience. It made it even more special that they wanted to exhibit my room box, and that they liked it!
Tallulah~Belle, my attempt at doll making is soooo different to yours...I keep it very simple, haha! I am fascinated by your approach to all of your work.
ReplyDeleteThis is the most fantastic roombox I have ever seen! Truly amazing and beautiful! The people look so real and I love all the details you have put in! It really shows it's been made of an "insider".
ReplyDeleteI also love the little stories you tell for each picture in the full story, and so great that you also shared with us how you have made all this! Not that I would be able to copy any of it...
What a wonderful roombox! I've never seen anything with so much attention to detail. How special it must be for you!
ReplyDeleteOnce again I've been inspired going through your blog. Thanks so much for sharing!
Teresa
simply amazing! i love everything about it!
ReplyDeleteThank you Pubdoll. I had fun making it, thinking of who would be on board of the plane , thinking of what goes on at the moment of boarding and trying to capture that in a very small scene. I did manage to put in a lot of detail, but also a lot has been left out although that doesn't seem obvious. I like to share how I've made things, just as I like to read from others how they've made something. I think you always store that kind of information in the back of your head and then one day it will pop up when you need it and use it :-)
ReplyDeleteThanks MiniMadWoman, it is special to me. Great memories!
ReplyDeleteThanks Mellz!
ReplyDeleteWhat a truly original idea for a room box - I'll look at those catering boxes on aeroplanes with new eyes now.
ReplyDeleteReally happy to have discovered this delightful and original piece. Well done, fantastic work!
ReplyDeleteWe're usually not big fans of dolls in miniature scenes (oooh, controversial!) but we love the way you've integrated them into this scene.
There is really the impression that they are occupied, about to move, frozen only by the closing of the camera shutter. Bravo!!!
Haha DollMum, who knows, you might find a whole scene in there!
ReplyDeleteThank you Emma and Neil! I'm not a doll person either, but some scenes (like this one) would be dead without them. The 'frozen moment' impression was what I was after, good to hear you find I succeeded!
OK I do have to say that I am very very impressed with this! The fact that you used a KLM box as the roombox pulls the viewer right in. An Airline galley is such a tight place to begin with, yet you managed to have several 'mini story snapshots' all at once. The "frozen moment" has Norman Rockwell all over it, as he was the master at capturing a moment. Great execution! -Ron
ReplyDeletewat leuk!
ReplyDeleteReally nice.... very cute...
ReplyDeleteI just came by your page while simply looking for KLM hostess images.... simply amazing..Good Luck...
By Azeem,Malaysia
Thank you Azeem!
ReplyDeleteAnd of course also a belated thank you to Ron and Eric...;)
That's a great idea, Josje! I love it.
ReplyDeleteHave a good flight through 2016 - even if you don't work with KLM anymore:)
Andrea
Thank you Andrea! Time flies, even if I don't anymore ;-) I realized I made this 10 years ago. Have a wonderful 2016!
Delete