Henry's Fork Rainbow Trout Trucker
by @dekasso
A rainbow breaks the evening glass.
A rainbow trout jumping a pine-lined river at dusk, in peach, coral pink, teal and forest green, for long days on the water.
A rainbow trout jumps clear of a pine-lined river at dusk, throwing rings across the water. A peach and coral pink sky, teal swirls and forest green pines frame the fish.
- Rainbow trout mid-jump over a calm river
- Peach and coral pink dusk sky
- Forest green pines on both banks
- Teal rings spreading under the splash
- Slate blue mountains on the horizon
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 hangs in the air, mouth open, red band bright along its side. Below it, teal rings spread out where it left the water. Peach light pours down the river between two dark walls of pine, and a slate blue ridge sits far off.
Wear it on the drive to the river, on the bank at last light, or anywhere the evening finds you. People see the fish first, then the glow behind it, then the tiny pines.
Peach comes first and it has to stay soft. That sky fade also becomes the river, so keep it light and even before any green goes near it.
The water it was painted from
Henry's Fork of the SnakeEastern Idaho · ID
- River
- Henry's Fork of the Snake, Eastern Idaho
- States
- ID
- Fish
- Rainbow trout, Brown trout
- Water type
- Spring creek
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
- peach, coral pink, slate blue, forest green, olive, teal, charcoal, white
Details
- Subject
- rainbow trout
- Style
- painted landscape scene
Make it yourself
The palette
- Peach
- Coral pink
- Slate blue
- Forest green
- Olive
- Teal
- Charcoal
- White
The layers
10 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.
- Sky glow
- Sky blush
- Far ridge
- Pines
- Banks
- Water rings
- Trout back
- Red band
- Spots and eye
- Splash
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
Peach
Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
Coral pink
1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
Slate blue
White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
Forest green
2 parts green, 1 part black, a drop of blue to cool it
Olive
2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm it
Teal
2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
Charcoal
1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
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 glow — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
peach — a warm fade across the top that runs down the river as reflection
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Peach — Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
- 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 · Sky blush — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
coral pink — soft streaks in the sky and on the still water
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Coral 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.
3 · Far ridge — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
slate blue — a low line of distant mountains under the glow
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Slate blue — White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
- 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 · Pines — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
forest green — tree lines climbing both banks
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Forest green — 2 parts green, 1 part black, a drop of blue to cool 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.
5 · Banks — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
olive — grassy banks and the reeds in the foreground
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Olive — 2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm 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 · Water rings — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
teal — swirling circles and shadow under the jumping fish
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 back — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
olive — the upper body and tail of the fish
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Olive — 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.
8 · Red band — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
coral pink — the stripe along the flank and the gill plate
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Coral 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.
9 · Spots and eye — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
charcoal — scattered spots, fin edges and the eye
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.
10 · Splash — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
white — spray, belly shine and light on the ripples
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
Settings here are a starting point; test on scrap first. Mask the full panel outline. Spray peach at 18 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, 15 cm away, fading it across the top and down the river path.
Keep the sky mask on. Mist coral pink at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 10 cm away in thin streaks through the sky and along the water.
Place the ridge mask. Spray slate blue at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm away for a low, soft mountain line.
Lay the pine masks on both banks. Spray forest green at 20 PSI, 0.4 mm needle, 6 cm away, building tree tips with short bursts.
Mask the banks and reeds. Spray olive at 18 PSI, 0.4 mm needle, 6 cm away, flicking upward for grass blades.
Place the ring mask over the lower water. Spray teal at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 5 cm away, tracing the swirls and darkening under the fish.
Mask the trout silhouette. Spray olive on the back and tail at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 5 cm away, fading toward the belly.
Mask the flank stripe. Spray coral pink at 12 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 4 cm away along the side and gill plate.
Freehand or dot-stencil charcoal at 10 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 2 cm away for spots, fin edges and the eye.
Finish with white at 10 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3 cm away for spray, belly shine and ripple highlights.
Let it dry fully, heat-set following the paint maker's directions, then seal with a light clear 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
- Laying coral pink too heavy turns the dusk muddy. Mist it in thin passes and stop early.
- Charcoal spots that bleed look like smudges. Drop pressure and move closer for crisp dots.
- Pulling masks while paint is wet drags colour into the sky. Wait until the surface is dry to the touch.
- Skipping the heat-set leaves colour that fades. Cure before sealing.
Tips
- Spray the river reflection in the same pass as the sky so the two peach tones match.
- Let each layer flash dry before the next mask goes down, or edges will lift.
- Keep the white for last and use it sparingly; a few bright dots sell the splash.
- Angle the pine bursts upward so the trees taper to sharp tips.
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 — 10 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.
- rainbow trout
- trout
- fly fishing
- henry's fork
- river
- sunset
- dusk
- pine trees
- mountains
- jumping fish
- trucker hat
- landscape