# Ngoni — Visual BOM Brief

**Purpose:** Direction for the visual BOM plate (graphic design / photo layout)  
**Primary variant:** Kamele 10-string  
**Date:** 2026-05-08

---

## Layout Spec

- **Format:** Letter (8.5 × 11 in) landscape or A4 portrait
- **Style:** White background; labeled part photos arranged around a hero assembly image
- **Hero image:** Assembled Kamele 10 ngoni, 3/4 view from player's perspective (goatskin facing viewer, neck going upper-left)
- **Color accent:** Warm walnut brown + cream (goatskin); no heavy graphic treatment

---

## Parts to Show (with suggested photo angles)

| Line | Part | Photo Angle | Label |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bowl (glued-up, pre-lathe) | Side view showing ring-stack | Segmented Bowl Blank — Black Walnut (11 rings × 10 seg) |
| 2 | Bowl (finished, post-lathe) | 3/4 top view | Finished Bowl — 12.6 in Ø |
| 3 | Goatskin | Flat overhead showing full skin | Goatskin Rawhide Head — 16 in Ø |
| 4 | Neck blank | Diagonal showing grain | Neck Blank — Hard Maple 30 in |
| 5 | Finished neck | Profile showing D-shape | Finished Neck — 1.0 in Ø round |
| 6 | Bridge | Close-up showing notches and crown | Bridge — Hard Maple, 10 notches |
| 7 | String set | All 4 gauges laid out on ruler | Nylon String Set — 0.85 / 0.95 / 1.05 / 1.20 mm |
| 8 | Tuning rings (konso) | Close-up showing slide mechanism | Leather Konso Tuning Rings × 10 |
| 9 | String anchor rod | Short piece on wood surface | Steel Anchor Rod — 3/8 in Ø |
| 10 | Glue + finish | Titebond III bottle + tung oil bottle | Adhesives & Finish |

---

## BOM Table (to appear below part photos)

See bom.csv for full BOM table. For the visual plate, show only the primary Kamele 10 columns:
- Columns: Line · Part ID · Item · Qty · Material · Notes

---

## Caption / Quote

> "The ngoni's bowl is turned from stacked walnut rings — the same segmented technique used for the kora and ashiko drum. The goatskin head is stretched and dried in place, tuned by ear and by memory."

---

## Photography Notes

- Use natural light (window light); avoid harsh studio shadows on goatskin
- Show ring glue lines clearly in the bowl photo — they are a design feature, not a flaw
- Include a coin or ruler in at least one part photo for scale
- Capture the konso detail close-up: this is the most visually distinctive hardware element
