A day in the life of a lantern - Piercing or 'cut-work'

Beep beep! Telegram...

First two workshop days completed in Fes! Here is a little overview of the beginning stages of design and fabrication of a Moroccan lantern.

The initial form is sketched out by the Mallem (workshop master) to his own or his customer's preference and annotated with approximate measurements. One of the questions I hoped visiting these workshops would help me answer is how net patterns of forms that cannot be mocked up in cardboard are worked out (e.g. round forms).

With help from my translator Mohammed I understand that the initial sketch is sent to a third party who renders it in Auto CAD. Originally, the sketch would've been sent to a technical draughtsman who would render the net by hand. I am relieved to hear this- this part of the process is so technical, and needs to be mathematically perfect. It always causes me difficulties, especially when working on more complex hollow forms. The decorative patterns used in the pierced work aren't standard or workshop/mallem specific but rather just sourced from wherever (online, customer's own photos etc). The patterns we were using were hand drawn, but translation skills had been stretched as far as they could go on this matter so left it to guess work!

The patterned paper nets are glued to the brass sheet with a medieval looking amber glue (gotta be animal based...) I'm using both 0.9mm and 1.2mm sheet, I think this might relate to the size of the lantern rather than mixed thicknesses in one lantern. Every space is marked with a dot and drilled on a really juicy pillar drill that feels invincible. They use a conical burr thing rather than a drill bit which is much more sturdy.

Burrs caused by the drilling are ground off the reverse of the brass sheet with an angle grinder. Actually this is a bit of a revelation - I see very little file use whilst in the workshop. I have no angle grinder. So many processes could be sped up with one. I'm getting some cutting discs and sorting my life out when I get back.... Then the sheet's flattened out with a satisfying wooden mallet.

It is bloody impressive that the whole thing is pierced by hand. It's not really what I expected - I thought there would be more automation. Each lantern is imbued with power!

The workshop Mallem Mbaraki and I. He is brilliant and has a mischievous pixie-like giggle that bubbles out spontaneously. Note the spectacular lanterns above us that the workshop has produced:

BMV xx