The Bowline Knot from A New Perspective

Think of the bowline as a combination of a loop, a bight and another special bight that captures the other bight.  The sequence is to pull the bight through the loop.  A slip knot has formed.

The end of the rope captures the bight.  Upon capture the end of the rope forms this special bight.  Finally, the bight is pulled through loop.  It reverses a prior step.  The end of the rope follows.  Now this is the bowline.

The second image above is the completed bowline.  It was formed by capsizing the slip knot.  Thus a bowline can be formed from a slip knot.  The opposite is true.  A bowline can roll into slip knot and fail.  To stabilize the bowline, it's common to tie off the end of the rope.  Here the Yosemite tie-off is being used.  The end of the rope traces the up-rope.  Finally, a double fisherman provides additional security.