Autumn Rainbow Trout Trucker Hat
by @dekasso
Up and out, before the leaf lands.
A rainbow trout leaping from blue rippled water beside a falling golden leaf, in a painterly wildlife style for days spent near a river.
A rainbow trout bursts clear of the water, jaw open, while a single leaf drifts down beside the splash. Olive green, rose pink and charcoal spots on the fish sit over sky blue clouds and cobalt ripples, with one golden yellow leaf for warmth.
- Rainbow trout caught mid-leap, jaw open
- Golden yellow leaf falling beside the splash
- Cobalt and sky blue rippled pool
- Charcoal spots over olive green and rose
- White spray, droplets and drifting clouds
The cap
One design, four caps. The front panel is what the paint or the dye sits on, so it changes the hat.
Trucker
The house cap — structured mid profile, foam-and-mesh back, snapback.
Specs
- Profile
- Mid profile
- Build
- 6-panel · Structured — buckram behind the front
- Crown
- 3½ in (8.9 cm)
- Visor
- Pre-curved, 2¾ in (7 cm)
- Closure
- Snapback
- Adjusts to
- 21½–24 in (54.5–61 cm)
- Airbrushed on
- Natural cotton twill
- Sublimated on
- White polyester foam
Rope cap
Structured five-panel with a near-flat brim and a cord across it.
Specs
- Profile
- Mid-high profile
- Build
- 5-panel · Structured
- Crown
- 4 in (10.2 cm)
- Visor
- Near-flat, 2⅞ in (7.3 cm), contrast rope
- Closure
- Snapback
- Adjusts to
- 21½–23¾ in (54.5–60.5 cm)
- Airbrushed on
- Stone cotton twill
- Sublimated on
- White polyester twill
Dad hat
Soft, low and unstructured — washed cotton with a strap back.
Specs
- Profile
- Low profile
- Build
- 6-panel · Unstructured — soft front
- Crown
- 3¼ in (8.3 cm)
- Visor
- Curved, 2¾ in (7 cm)
- Closure
- Strap back, brass buckle
- Adjusts to
- 21–23½ in (53.5–59.5 cm)
- Airbrushed on
- Washed khaki cotton
- Sublimated on
- White polyester twill
Five-panel camp
Flat brim, low crown, packs flat in a vest pocket.
Specs
- Profile
- Low profile
- Build
- 5-panel · Unstructured
- Crown
- 3¼ in (8.3 cm)
- Visor
- Flat, 2½ in (6.4 cm)
- Closure
- Strap back, side-release clip
- Adjusts to
- 21½–23½ in (54.5–59.5 cm)
- Airbrushed on
- Field olive nylon-cotton
- Sublimated on
- White polyester
Fit
| Cap | Profile | Crown height | Visor | Adjusts to |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trucker | Mid profile | 3½ in (8.9 cm) | Pre-curved, 2¾ in (7 cm) | 21½–24 in (54.5–61 cm) |
| Rope cap | Mid-high profile | 4 in (10.2 cm) | Near-flat, 2⅞ in (7.3 cm), contrast rope | 21½–23¾ in (54.5–60.5 cm) |
| Dad hat | Low profile | 3¼ in (8.3 cm) | Curved, 2¾ in (7 cm) | 21–23½ in (53.5–59.5 cm) |
| Five-panel camp | Low profile | 3¼ in (8.3 cm) | Flat, 2½ in (6.4 cm) | 21½–23½ in (54.5–59.5 cm) |
One size per cap. Run a tape around your head just above the ears, keeping it level — anything inside the range above will close on it.
Two finishes
The same design, made two ways. Pick one in the panel; the cap and the quantity are yours to choose too.
Hand airbrushed
$85 for one hat, on a trucker
Painted to order — would ship in about 2 weeks
How it is made
- How it is made
- Sprayed by hand through this design's own stencils, one layer at a time, each left to dry before the next mask goes down.
- How it looks
- Soft gradients and hand-cut stencil edges. Every cap is a little different.
- What it sits on
- On a natural cotton twill front.
- Durability and care
- Water-based paint, heat set and sealed. It takes rain and a season on a boat; spot clean with cool water, never a washing machine.
Sublimation printed
$32 for one hat, on a trucker
Printed to order — would ship in 5–7 business days
How it is made
- How it is made
- The design is printed in dye onto transfer paper, then pressed with heat so the dye soaks into the polyester fibres.
- How it looks
- Full colour edge to edge, and identical every time.
- What it sits on
- On a white polyester foam front — sublimation only takes on white polyester.
- Durability and care
- The dye is in the fibre, not on it, so it will not crack or peel. Gentle wash, air dry.
The artwork
A rainbow trout arcs out of the pool, spotted back curved, rose band catching the light. White spray hangs in the air around it. Off to the right, one golden yellow leaf tumbles toward the rings spreading across the water.
It reads from across a parking lot at the put-in and still holds up close at the tailgate. People see the fish first, then the leaf, then the droplets frozen mid-flight. Autumn on a river, worn on your head.
White carries this whole piece. The splash crown, the scattered drops and the glints on every ripple are small white marks laid last over the blues, so a crisp mask and a light hand decide whether the water looks wet or chalky.
What arrives
- The hat
- A care card
- On a hand airbrushed hat, a numbered tag naming the water it was painted from, when the design names one
Looking after it
Hand airbrushed
- Spot clean with cool water and a soft brush. Never a washing machine.
- Keep it out of a hot car for long stretches — heat-set paint is tough, but a dashboard in July is not a test worth running.
- Reshape the brim by hand while damp.
Sublimation printed
- Spot clean, or gently hand wash in cool water. No bleach.
- Air dry. Do not iron the print.
- Reshape the brim by hand while damp.
- The dye is in the fibre, so the print will not crack or peel.
Details
Airbrush palette
- Colours
- sky blue, cobalt blue, black, olive green, rose pink, charcoal, golden yellow, white
Details
- Category
- Leaping Rainbow
- Subject
- rainbow trout
- Style
- painterly wildlife scene
Make it yourself
The palette
- Sky blue
- Cobalt blue
- Black
- Olive green
- Rose pink
- Charcoal
- Golden yellow
- White
The layers
8 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.
- Sky and water base
- Deep water
- Top fade
- Trout back
- Red band
- Detail
- Leaf
- Highlights
The kit's stencil set is cut from these layers; with the cutter (12 hats and up) you cut your own from this design's layer files.
How to mix each colour
Sky blue
1 part blue to 4 parts white, a drop of green so it does not drift purple
Cobalt blue
Primary blue, a drop of white to lighten it, a drop of black to deepen it; build it in thin coats
Black
Black from the bottle, sprayed in light passes; a heavy coat bleeds
Olive green
2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm it
Rose pink
1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
Charcoal
1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
Golden yellow
Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
White
Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
Setup
- Ventilation or a spray booth. Water-based paint still throws a fine mist, and you will be breathing it for hours.
- A half-mask respirator rated for paint mists. A dust mask is not one.
- A compressor with a moisture trap, set and tested on a card before you start: wet air spits water into the paint.
- Reducer and a cleaning pot within reach, so a clog is a ten-second fix instead of a ruined panel.
- Spray a test card for every colour before it touches the cap. Colour reads differently wet, dry and on twill.
Prep
- Lint-roll the front panel. Every fibre left on it prints as a speck in the paint.
- Mask the mesh, any seams you want clean and the whole visor, underside included, with low-tack tape and paper.
- Stretch the crown over the cap jig so the front panel is taut and curved the way it will be worn. Spraying a slack panel flat distorts the design when it is worn.
- Spray one light coat of transparent base so the colour sits on the fabric instead of soaking into it.
Layer by layer
1 · Sky and water base — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
sky blue — the whole panel, light at the top and deepening toward the pool
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Sky blue — 1 part blue to 4 parts white, a drop of green so it does not drift purple
- Needle
- 0.5 mm (a 0.35 mm works, it just takes longer)
- Pressure
- 25–30 PSI
- Distance
- 6–8 in from the panel
- Passes
- 3–4 light passes, building the colour
- Dry
- 10 minutes, or 60–90 seconds with a heat gun on low, before the next mask goes down
Tip Fade wet to dry and never lay one heavy coat: twill wicks paint sideways and the edge blooms.
2 · Deep water — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
cobalt blue — the rippled rings and the darker pool beneath the jump
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Cobalt blue — Primary blue, a drop of white to lighten it, a drop of black to deepen it; build it in thin coats
- Needle
- 0.35 mm
- Pressure
- 20–25 PSI
- Distance
- 4–6 in from the panel
- Passes
- 2–3 passes
- Dry
- 10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
3 · Top fade — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
black — a dark fade across the top edge of the artwork, framing the sky
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Black — Black from the bottle, sprayed in light passes; a heavy coat bleeds
- Needle
- 0.35 mm
- Pressure
- 20–25 PSI
- Distance
- 4–6 in from the panel
- Passes
- 2–3 passes
- Dry
- 10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
4 · Trout back — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
olive green — the back and upper flank of the leaping fish, plus the fins
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Olive green — 2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm it
- Needle
- 0.3 mm
- Pressure
- 18–22 PSI
- Distance
- 3–4 in from the panel
- Passes
- 2–3 passes per tone, light to dark
- Dry
- 10 minutes between tones
Tip Light tones first: a light colour over a dark one needs many coats, a dark one over a light one needs two.
5 · Red band — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
rose pink — the band along the flank and the blush on the gill plate
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Rose pink — 1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
- Needle
- 0.35 mm
- Pressure
- 20–25 PSI
- Distance
- 4–6 in from the panel
- Passes
- 2–3 passes
- Dry
- 10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
6 · Detail — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
charcoal — the spots, eye, fin edges, open jaw and the fine ripple lines
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Charcoal — 1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
- Needle
- 0.35 mm
- Pressure
- 20–25 PSI
- Distance
- 4–6 in from the panel
- Passes
- 2–3 passes
- Dry
- 10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
7 · Leaf — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
golden yellow — the falling leaf at the right and a warm tint on the fins
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Golden yellow — Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
- Needle
- 0.35 mm
- Pressure
- 20–25 PSI
- Distance
- 4–6 in from the panel
- Passes
- 2–3 passes
- Dry
- 10 minutes before lifting the stencil
Tip Spray away from the stencil edge, not into it, so the air does not push paint underneath.
8 · Highlights — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
white — the clouds, the splash crown, flying droplets, ripple glints and the pale belly
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour White — Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
- Needle
- 0.2–0.3 mm
- Pressure
- 12–15 PSI
- Distance
- 1–2 in from the panel
- Passes
- Freehand, in short controlled strokes
- Dry
- 10 minutes, then check it before you cure
Tip Low pressure, close in and moving: stop the stroke before you release the trigger.
Step by step
Mask the panel outline, then lay sky blue over the whole area as the base. Try about 20 PSI, a 0.5 mm needle, 15 cm away. Treat every setting here as a starting point and adjust to your paint.
Cut a ripple mask and spray cobalt blue into the lower pool and the rings, darkening toward the bottom edge. 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, about 10 cm.
Freehand or soft-mask a black fade across the top edge of the artwork so the sky darkens upward. 18 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, 15 cm for a soft blend.
Place the trout silhouette mask and spray olive green on the back, upper flank and fins. 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, about 8 cm.
Mask the flank band and gill plate, then mist rose pink in a soft band along the body. 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 6 to 8 cm.
Use a spot stencil and fine freehand for charcoal: spots, eye, jaw line, fin edges and thin ripple lines. 12 to 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3 to 5 cm.
Mask the leaf shape and spray golden yellow, then dust a little over the fins for warmth. 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, about 6 cm.
Finish with white: cloud shapes, the splash crown, droplets, ripple glints and the pale belly. 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3 to 5 cm for the sharp dots.
Let the paint cure for at least 24 hours somewhere dry and dust-free before touching it.
Seal with a thin, even coat of a fabric-safe clear sealer, let it dry fully, then add a second light coat.
Cure
- Heat set at 300°F / 150°C. Water-based textile paint is not wash-fast until it is heat set.
- Cap press: 3–5 minutes with a teflon sheet over the design.
- Or heat gun: 2–3 minutes per panel, keeping it moving 2–3 in off the fabric so it does not scorch.
- If you have neither, air cure for 72 hours before the cap touches water.
Seal
- Two light coats of matte fabric sealer, UV-resistant, from 8–10 in, 15 minutes apart.
- Leave it 24 hours before the cap is worn.
- Never a gloss sealer on cotton twill: it shines, cracks along the creases and looks like a sticker.
Clean-up
- Flush the brush with water, then airbrush cleaner, until it sprays clear.
- Strip the needle and wipe it toward the tip, never away from it.
- Never soak the brush body overnight.
Common mistakes
- Spraying white too wet makes blobs that run. Drop the pressure, move closer, and pull the trigger in short taps.
- Too many charcoal spots flatten the fish. Space them out and leave the belly clear.
- Lifting the ripple mask too early smears the cobalt. Wait until the paint is touch-dry.
- Skipping the cure before sealing traps moisture. Give it the full day before any clear coat.
Tips
- Cut the trout mask in one piece so the body edge stays clean against the splash.
- Test the rose pink on scrap first; it should glow through the olive edge, not sit on top like a sticker.
- Keep white droplets uneven in size and spacing so the spray looks thrown, not stamped.
- Let the black fade dry before the clouds go on, or the white will turn grey.
Every kit size
Trucker · kit for 1 hat
$229
Bought separately $255 · you save $26
Includes Starter airbrush set · Cap jig · and 7 more
Every item in this kit · 9 items
Blanks
- Trucker blank, natural cotton twill front$9
Stencils
- Pre-cut mylar stencil set for this design — 8 layers$18
Paint & masks
- Water-based textile airbrush colour, 2 oz — one per colour in this design$48
- Transparent base and reducer, 4 oz$7
- Low-tack masking film and ¼ in tape$8
- Matte fabric sealer, 4 oz$12
Equipment
- Starter airbrush set — 0.3 mm dual-action gravity brush, mini compressor, braided hose$129
- Cap jig — holds the crown taut while you spray$24
Guide
- Printed step-by-step guide for this designIncluded
Trucker · kit for 12 hats
$1,085
$90.42 a hat
Bought separately $1,234 · you save $149
Includes Dual-action gravity-feed airbrush · Quiet compressor with tank and moisture trap · Cap jig and two spare crown forms · Tabletop spray booth with exhaust fan · and 11 more
Every item in this kit · 15 items
Blanks
- Trucker blank, natural cotton twill front$78
Stencils
- Desktop stencil cutter, 12 in — the "stencil printer": cuts mylar from this design's layer files$299
- Stencil mylar, 7 mil, 12 × 12 in$22
- This design's layer files, every layer (SVG)Included
Paint & masks
- Water-based textile airbrush colour, 4 oz — one per colour in this design$112
- Transparent base and reducer, 16 oz$16
- Low-tack masking film$18
- Matte fabric sealer, 16 oz$28
Equipment
- Dual-action gravity-feed airbrush, 0.3 mm$135
- Quiet compressor with tank and moisture trap$179
- Cap jig and two spare crown forms$64
- Tabletop spray booth with exhaust fan$149
- Cleaning pot, brushes and a half-mask respirator$99
- Heat gun for curing$35
Guide
- Printed step-by-step guide for this designIncluded
Trucker · kit for 12 × 12 hats
$3,165
$21.98 a hat
Bought separately $3,724 · you save $559
Includes Two dual-action gravity-feed airbrushes · Production airbrush · Twin-piston compressor with tank and two regulators · Production spray booth · and 13 more
Every item in this kit · 17 items
Blanks
- Trucker blank, natural cotton twill front$756
Stencils
- Stencil cutter-plotter, 24 in — the production "stencil printer"$649
- Stencil mylar, 7 mil, 12 × 12 in$85
- This design's layer files, every layer (SVG)Included
Paint & masks
- Water-based textile airbrush colour, 32 oz — one per colour in this design$384
- Transparent base and reducer$49
- Low-tack masking film$54
- Matte fabric sealer$89
Equipment
- Two dual-action gravity-feed airbrushes, 0.3 mm$270
- Production airbrush, 0.5 mm, for base fades$95
- Twin-piston compressor with tank and two regulators$329
- Production spray booth, two fans$289
- Three cap jigs$192
- Cleaning station, respirator and spare cartridges$139
- Cap heat press for curing$279
- Drying rack, 24 caps$65
Guide
- Printed step-by-step guide for this designIncluded
The creator
Remixes
No remixes yet — make your own version.
Where this came from
trucker hat · made
0 — nothing entered the score yet, at the Derby's published weights, since . Views are not counted.
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