One-of-a-kind Handpainted/Handmade Neckties

[Bob in SF]

Some friends asked for handpainted wildlife-themed neckties.

Nice chance to work a narrow vertical canvas (like pen design, only different).

I used handmade acrylic paints - raw pigments ground into Golden GAC 900 fabric medium for handbrushing and Golden Airbrush medium (well-filtered after mixing) for airbrushing.

I sewed the ties out of solid colored silk twill (from Britex fabrics in San Francisco), inter-lined with medium/heavy weight necktie interfacing (65/65 wool blend, made in Netherlands, available on Amazon); using my own original cardboard patterns.

The trick is to use very little paint with feather-light brush strokes (barely touching the ridges of the silk twill necktie surface), thereby keeping the surface supple with normal drape.

Air-dried for a week, then gently ironed with a press cloth on silk setting.

They are:
Bettas, Saxony Bird of Paradise, Mother and Daughter Zebras,
Flamingo with Eggs, Hummingbird, and Suspicious Lemurs

Happy Sunday to all! - Bob

 

[mark james]

Bob, I love reading your posts because I never know what the heck you are coming up with next!

BUT NECKTIES !

And although I cannot remember the last time I actually wore a necktie, they look awesome.

Wonderful!

 

[Charlie_W]

Amazing!!!
Thanks for sharing! I too enjoy reading your processes. It is sort of like reading a book or listening to a radio mystery story and having to envision each step of your masterpieces instead of simply watching a video.
Keep them coming!

 

[magpens]

I like the fish, and the flamingo !!!

But I haven't worn a necktie for many years.

 

[ajollydds]

Fabulous work! I was just telling my wife yesterday about how amazing your talents are across many mediums. Now we add another medium to the list. Thanks for sharing.

 

[elkhorn]

Incredible, Bob! You never cease to amaze me. Very, very nice.

 

[Talltim]

Very, very impressive.

 

[Jim15]

You are an incredibly talented man Bob. I love looking at your work.

 

[Bob in SF]

Sincere thanks for the kind words Mark, Charlie, Mal, Ankur, John, Tim, and Jim; and others who like this little excursion.

I've had some fun challenges with these over the years - here's a close-up of a chimp tie that I did a while ago for a primatologist friend at the CA Academy of Sciences:

Thanks again! - Bob

 

[magpens]

I really like THAT !!!

It would be fun to wear such a tie and watch the eyes of the person you face !!!

On a T-shirt it probably wouldn't have much effect .... but on a tie ? ....... !!!!

 

[Dehn0045]

I love your work Bob, you're a true artist! Thanks for sharing and being so generous with your methods.

 

[BRobbins629]

Finally, a tie I can spill soup on and few will notice. Don't wear them often, but when I do there's usually a stain to be found. Nice work but would look better on the wall than around my neck.

 

[MikeL]

You have all kinds of artistic talents and an imagination to go with the talent. Nice!

 

[Bob in SF]

Thanks Mal, Sam, Bruce, and Mike!

Bruce - the wall idea is good - might make/paint some more and frame them with scroll-cut tie-shaped frames (+/- "shirt collars"), complete with tie shaped matting and glass...hmmm...

Accessory brains - another reason to like this forum.

- Bob

 

[magpens]

Are they accessory brains ? .... or networked brains ?

Surely not accessory-to-the-crime kind of brains !!! LOL !

Whatever ... it is great to have the resources this forum provides !!!

 

[Bob in SF]

Mal - networked sounds right.

Figuring 86 billion neurons per brain x 26,522 forum members = the possibility of
2,280,892,000,000,000 networked neurons (give or take a few cells) if everyone signs on at the same time/thread. Hmmm...

 

[magpens]

Bob, gotta check your calcs ..... see you in a couple of decades !!!