Evening River Stonefly Trucker Hat
by @dekasso
The air thick with wings, trout looking up.
A stonefly touching down on an evening river between tall cliffs, with rising trout and a sky full of insects, in rose, tan and teal.
A big orange stonefly lands on a river at dusk while a cloud of winged insects fills the sky and two trout wait below. It is coloured in dusky rose, sandstone tan, teal and burnt orange, with cream ripples and bubbles.
- Orange stonefly landing on the river
- Two trout waiting under the surface
- Rose evening sky full of insects
- Tan cliffs framing both banks
- Cream ripples and rising bubbles
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 stonefly lands in the middle of the river, wings spread wide, legs kicking up rings of cream water. Above it the rose sky is busy with dozens of insects, and tan cliffs close in on both banks. Below the surface two trout hang in the teal, pink stripes catching the light.
It wears like the last hour on the water, when the sun drops behind the rim and everything starts to move. People see the bug first, then the swarm, then notice the fish waiting underneath and look again.
The waterline is the line to get right. Mask the river edge cleanly before the teal goes on, so the stonefly sits on top of the water and the trout stay clearly below it.
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
- dusky rose, lavender, sandstone tan, burnt orange, sage green, teal, dark brown, cream
Details
- Subject
- stonefly over rising trout
- Style
- illustrated scenic panel
Make it yourself
The palette
- Dusky rose
- Lavender
- Sandstone tan
- Burnt orange
- Sage green
- Teal
- Dark brown
- Cream
The layers
11 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.
- Sky
- Far hills
- Cliffs
- Cliff shadow
- Banks
- River
- Trout
- Trout band
- Stonefly body
- Swarm and detail
- Light
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
Dusky rose
1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
Lavender
Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
Sandstone tan
3 parts white, 2 parts yellow, 1 part brown
Burnt orange
1 part red to 2 parts yellow
Sage green
2 parts green, 1 part white, a drop of black to dull it
Teal
2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
Dark brown
Equal parts red, yellow and blue, then a drop of black to deepen it; or burnt umber straight from the bottle
Cream
White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of brown
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 — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
dusky rose — a soft evening fade across the top, paler toward the horizon
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Dusky rose — 1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
- 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 · Far hills — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
lavender — low distant ridges where the river bends away
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Lavender — 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.
3 · Cliffs — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
sandstone tan — the tall cliff walls on both banks
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Sandstone tan — 3 parts white, 2 parts yellow, 1 part brown
- 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 · Cliff shadow — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
burnt orange — warm ledges and shaded faces on the cliffs
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Burnt orange — 1 part red to 2 parts yellow
- 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.
5 · Banks — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
sage green — grassy strips along both shorelines
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Sage green — 2 parts green, 1 part white, a drop of black to dull it
- 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 · River — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
teal — the water surface and the band beneath it
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Teal — 2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
- 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 · Trout — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
sage green — two trout holding below the surface
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Sage green — 2 parts green, 1 part white, a drop of black to dull 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.
8 · Trout band — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
dusky rose — the pink stripe along each trout's flank
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Dusky rose — 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.
9 · Stonefly body — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
burnt orange — the segmented body and legs of the big stonefly on the water
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Burnt orange — 1 part red to 2 parts yellow
- 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.
10 · Swarm and detail — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
dark brown — wing veins, antennae, the cloud of flying insects, trout spots
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Dark brown — Equal parts red, yellow and blue, then a drop of black to deepen it; or burnt umber straight from the bottle
- 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.
11 · Light — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
cream — ripples, splash rings, rising bubbles and the glow on the big wing
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour Cream — White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of brown
- 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
Clean the panel, tape off the edges and lay the full design out lightly so every layer has a reference. Settings below are a starting point; test on scrap first.
Sky mask open: spray dusky rose across the top, heavier at the rim and fading down. Around 20 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, 15–20 cm away.
Far hills mask: lavender low on the horizon in light passes. About 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 10–15 cm.
Cliff mask: sandstone tan over both cliff walls, building in thin coats. About 20 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, 10–15 cm.
Same mask, shadow cut-outs: burnt orange into ledges and shaded faces. About 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 5–8 cm for crisp edges.
Bank mask: sage green along both shorelines. About 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8–10 cm.
River mask with a clean waterline: teal over the surface and underwater band, a touch deeper at the bottom. About 20 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, 12–15 cm.
Trout masks: sage green for both fish bodies. About 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 5–8 cm.
Trout band mask: dusky rose along each flank, soft at the edges. About 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3–5 cm.
Stonefly body mask: burnt orange for the segmented body and legs. About 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3–5 cm.
Detail stencil: dark brown for wing veins, antennae, the flying swarm and trout spots. About 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 2–4 cm.
Highlight stencil: cream for ripples, splash rings, bubbles and the glow on the big wing. About 10 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 2–3 cm.
Let the panel cure fully, at least overnight, then heat-set and seal following your paint maker's directions.
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
- Muddy waterline: teal creeps over the stonefly. Mask the insect fully before spraying the river.
- Heavy dark brown swarm blots out the sky. Use low pressure and short bursts for each insect.
- Trout lost in the teal. Leave a little space around each fish and keep their sage green slightly lighter than the water.
- Fuzzy wing veins from spraying too far away. Move in close with the fine needle and drop the pressure.
Tips
- Cut the swarm stencil with insects of several sizes so the far ones read smaller and the sky gets depth.
- Keep the dusky rose sky darkest at the top edge; the fade toward the horizon is what reads as evening.
- Spray the cream highlights last and sparingly; a few bright rings around the stonefly do more than many.
- Let each layer dry to the touch before laying the next mask so tape lifts nothing.
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 — 11 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
Remixed from
- Evening River Stonefly Trucker Hatyou are here
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.
- stonefly
- trout
- rainbow trout
- river
- evening
- dusk
- fly fishing
- insects
- cliffs
- trucker hat
- rising trout
- dry fly