Thursday, February 07, 2008

HOW TO TIE A BOW TIE

Hello! Uncle Eddie here! Tonight I'm going with John, Kali and Mike to the Annie Awards ceremony at U.C.L.A.! John's getting a life achievement award! It is of course, a black tie affair. Only the most suave animation people will be there. It's all very refined, very upper crust.

Most men will wear bow ties and ten'll get you twenty that most of the ties won't be tied right. Most artists are butterfingered when it comes to things not of the drawing board. Well, I wouldn't want any Theory Corner Readers to have that problem. If you're going to the Awards tonight, and you're having trouble with your tie, here's a tutorial just for you! 



First, adjust the tie to maximum length. You can tighten it later.  Put it around your neck and let one end be about an inch and a half longer than the other.


Now tie a standard simple knot, letting the long end do most of the wrapping. 


Here's (above) what I mean. Just a plain old, common as water, knot.


Now take the short end and crimp it between your fingers.


After the crimping it should look like this (above): The classic bow tie shape. I forgot to say that the other end of the bow tie doesn't come into play here so you get it out of the way, maybe by flinging it over your shoulder. 


Now, take the long end that was over your shoulder (above) and let it fall in front of the crimped bow tie shape.


Now this (above) is the hard part, the thing that seperates the men from the boys.  The problem is that there's no way to photograph it.  I tried, and my hands always got in the way.  Maybe I should have drawn this, instead of taking pictures.....Aaargh! Too late now! I'll have to talk you through it.

Ok, take the bottom of that long, vertical piece in the foreground,  bring it around the back of the tie, up and over, til what's left dangles over the front of the tie again. 


Now, as you see here (above)....You take the dangling part and stuff it through the loop in the middle of the tie.  Hard to see, I know. You have my sympathy.


Come to think of it, before you do any stuffing, take a look at the shape of the tie. One side has a bow and the other side has a straight end.  Each side needs to be completed by getting the part that it's missing. The bow side needs a straight end, and the straight part needs a bow. Stuff the part that was dangling through the middle loop so each part of the tie gets what it needs.


And Voila! There it is! 


Well, it doesn't look like much at this stage. 



Wiggle and pull things around till it begins to take shape (above).  When you get it right, reach around the back and tighten the tie buckle till it fits nice and snug. That's it!


I was going to say, "Simple wasn't it?", but it's not really.  Actually, it's kind of complicated. Just remember that each end of the tie, both the right and the left, require two parts: a bow and a straight end. Do whatever you need to do to make that happen.



19 comments:

Nico said...

This was actually the most informative blog post I have ever read.

aw man, I wish I could go with ya'll to the show. I'd be kicking the back of Kali's seat the entire drive!

Congratz to John. Have fun!

Jennifer said...

Have fun at the Annies! Congrats to John!

Trevor Thompson said...

Dammit! I missed my plane! I wanted to go so bad!

Well, there will be others. You'll probably get the next one, Eddie, and I'll be there for that.

One word: Clip-on.

- trevor.

Amir Avni said...

Cool, I hope you'll write about the ceremony!

Uncle Eddie,

This is off topic, but I recently completed a series of personal influence posts, and I was wondering if I could get your opinion on it

http://toonamir.blogspot.com/search/label/Influence

BTW, To make it easier: On a Mac there's a speech function, you select any text and your Mac will read it for you.
Go to system preferences> speech> Text to speech>select system voice (I recommend Vicky) and and set key (to activate the speech function)

Pete Emslie said...

Actually, I always think an untied bow tie looks even shnazzier - sort of like two fish dangling around your neck.

Chris S. said...

I was very close to going to the Annie Awards for the possibility of meeting you, John, and Kali (my three favorite blogs on the web). I've never been to LA and I have imagined it to be this wonderland of philosophical and hilarious animators with excellent taste in movies and music. Is that about right?

Well ... it wasn't to be. I was sooo close (had the tickets scoped out on the travel sites, scheduled 3 vacation days from work) - but we decided we had to save our money so we can finally finish the house we've been renovating for a year! Logical and Boooorrrriiinnng.

Have fun tonight!!! Thanks for the bowtie instructions.

Kali Fontecchio said...

Hahaha- you're so funny Eddie, and suave too! BUt if I remember correctly..when we shot my film you couldn't tie a bow tie hahaha. Or maybe my memory's going and that was someone else, hahaha.

Can't wait to see you later!!!

lastangelman said...

Isn't John K a little young to get a lifetime achievement award? I thought they gave those things out when you're around eighty-five ....
anyhoo, have a good time, drinks lots of tasty beverages and double order the steaks, extra rare.
Oh, oh, oh start a bread fight with Kali at table and put that on YouTube!

Diego Fernetti said...

Wonderful tutorial. Now I haven't received my invitation to the Annie Awards, so I don't kow what I'll do with this knowledge about bow ties.

I.D.R.C. said...

I'm boycotting the awards because my work has never been acknowleged. It's never been completed, either, but I'm still bitter.

Nico said...

Kali- I believe that was me.

(hangs head in shame)

Anonymous said...

The Annies have been black tie OPTIONAL for the past few years. Check your invitation. You don't have to wear a tux. You should wear your Uncle Eddie suit. That would be cool.

Anonymous said...

I've NEVER seen a magician make a cigarette disappear into a bowtie so well! I mean, one minute it's there, the next, it was gone! Unbelievable!!!
Hehehehe!
Great post UE!

Wishing you and everyone a great time!
L

jasmine said...

i like ur blog its great one thanx forsharing it

jasmine
tech-chek.blogspot.com

Vincent Waller said...

Im sorry I missed the festives. Im hunkered down over in
Bristol.
I hope y'all had a wonderful time. Did you cross paths with Stevie?
See you soon.
Thanks for the bow tie tips.
Now I'm a little over dressed for the pub.

Trevor Thompson said...

I think you need an award for 'Worm Paranoia'. That cartoon is has everything I love about cartoons working for it on all eight cylinders AND a worm with a tremendous peace medallion to boot.

Does it get funnier than that? I submit that it does not.

- trevor.

WIL BRANCA said...

SSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEXY!

Bengo said...

Occasionally you flash a face that makes me sleep with the light on.

carlo guillot said...

Well Eddie, THAT'S style. And I've just found that you have a Czech fan that had follow your advises.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCu2XMTU76s