Sunset River Mayfly Trucker Hat

Last light, first hatch.

A golden mayfly over a pine-lined mountain river at sunset, in magenta pink, violet, golden yellow and slate blue, for days spent on the water.

A golden mayfly hovers over a rushing mountain river under a pink and orange sunset sky. It is coloured in golden yellow, magenta pink, violet and pine green, with cream white riffles on slate blue water.

Golden mayfly with pale, see-through wings
Magenta and orange sunset over violet peaks
Slate blue river with cream white riffles
Pine green tree lines on both banks
Eight colours across eleven layers

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

A cloth tape measure around the crown of a blank cap

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 mayfly hangs in the air, wings up, tails trailing, its body glowing gold. Behind it the sky burns magenta and orange over violet ridges. Below, slate blue water breaks white around rounded rocks, and pines crowd both banks.

Wear it on the walk down to the river, or anywhere you want a little evening light on your head. People see the bug first, then the sunset, then the water running underneath it.

Wing transparency is the part to get right. Keep the cream white thin so the river and sky still show through, then let fine charcoal veins give the wings their shape.

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

A cap being spot-cleaned with a soft brush

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: magenta pink, sunset orange, golden yellow, violet, pine green, slate blue, cream white, charcoal

Details

Category: Brown Trout
Subject: mayfly
Style: painterly landscape

Make it yourself

A hat-painting bench with a blank cap, stencils and an airbrush

AdvancedAbout 5 hours at the bench, plus curing11 layersYou'll need an airbrush, a cap jig and 8 colours

The palette

Magenta pink
Sunset orange
Golden yellow
Violet
Pine green
Slate blue
Cream white
Charcoal

The layers

11 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.

Sky
Sunset glow
Sun
Mountains
Pines
River
Reflections
Riffles
Mayfly
Wings
Detail

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

Magenta pink
1 part red to 4 parts white, a drop of blue if it looks salmon
Sunset orange
1 part red to 2 parts yellow
Golden yellow
Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
Violet
2 parts blue, 1 part red, a drop of white to keep it from going muddy
Pine green
2 parts green, 1 part black, a drop of blue to cool it
Slate blue
White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
Cream white
White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of brown
Charcoal
1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue

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
magenta pink — a soft fade across the top, deepening toward the edges
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Magenta pink — 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 · Sunset glow — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
sunset orange — a warm band low behind the peaks
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Sunset 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.
3 · Sun — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
golden yellow — a bright core at the centre of the horizon
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.
4 · Mountains — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
violet — layered ridgelines under the glow
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Violet — 2 parts blue, 1 part red, a drop of white to keep it from going muddy
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 · Pines — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
pine green — tree lines down both banks
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Pine 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.
6 · River — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
slate blue — the moving water and the rounded rocks
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.
7 · Reflections — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
golden yellow — sunset streaks running down the river
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 · Riffles — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
cream white — foam lines and broken water around the rocks
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Cream white — White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of 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.
9 · Mayfly — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
golden yellow — the segmented body, legs and long tails
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.
10 · Wings — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
cream white — two pale, see-through upright wings
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Cream white — White with a drop of yellow and the smallest touch of brown
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.
11 · Detail — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
charcoal — wing veins, body segments, antennae and rock shadows
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour Charcoal — 1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
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 full panel outline. Spray magenta pink across the top in a soft fade. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, about 15 cm away.
Mask off the upper sky. Spray sunset orange in a low band behind where the peaks will sit, at 18 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, 10–12 cm, blending into the pink.
Spray golden yellow in a small core at the horizon centre, at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm. Build it slowly so it glows rather than blots.
Place the ridgeline mask. Spray violet for the mountains, darker on the far ridges, at 18 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, 10 cm.
Place the bank masks. Spray pine green for both tree lines, at 20 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, 8–10 cm. Freehand a few spiky tops at closer range.
Mask the sky and banks. Spray slate blue for the river and rocks, at 20 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, 12 cm, leaving lighter gaps down the centre.
Spray golden yellow reflection streaks down the middle of the river, at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 6–8 cm.
Using a riffle stencil, spray cream white foam lines around the rocks, at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 5–6 cm.
Place the mayfly body mask. Spray golden yellow for the body, legs and tails, at 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 5 cm.
Place the wing mask. Mist cream white in thin passes, at 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 8 cm, keeping the wings see-through.
Spray charcoal for wing veins, body segments, antennae and rock shadows, at 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 3–4 cm. All settings above are a starting point; test on scrap first.
Let the panel cure fully, ideally overnight, then seal with a clear topcoat in light, even passes.

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

Wings sprayed too heavy turn solid. Mist cream white in several thin passes and check after each one.
Golden yellow over wet blue goes green. Let the river dry fully before adding reflections.
Hard stripes in the sunset come from spraying too close. Back off to 12–15 cm for the sky.
Charcoal detail can spatter at low pressure. Thin the paint slightly and test on scrap before the wing veins.

Tips

Blend the sky while the pink is still fresh so the orange melts into it without a hard line.
Leave bare slate blue gaps in the river before adding reflections; the gold reads brighter against them.
Lay the mayfly mask last and press its edges down hard so thin legs and tails stay crisp.
Darken the river edges with a touch of charcoal to pull the eye toward the centre.

An airbrush, compressor, moisture trap, six colour bottles and a cleaning pot. — The kit

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$91

Stencils

Pre-cut mylar stencil set for this design — 11 layers$181

Paint & masks

Water-based textile airbrush colour, 2 oz — one per colour in this design$482 oz × 8
Transparent base and reducer, 4 oz$71
Low-tack masking film and ¼ in tape$81
Matte fabric sealer, 4 oz$121

Equipment

Starter airbrush set — 0.3 mm dual-action gravity brush, mini compressor, braided hose$1291
Cap jig — holds the crown taut while you spray$241

Guide

Printed step-by-step guide for this designIncluded1

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$7812

Stencils

Desktop stencil cutter, 12 in — the "stencil printer": cuts mylar from this design's layer files$2991
Stencil mylar, 7 mil, 12 × 12 in$2210 sheets
This design's layer files, every layer (SVG)Included1

Paint & masks

Water-based textile airbrush colour, 4 oz — one per colour in this design$1124 oz × 8
Transparent base and reducer, 16 oz$161
Low-tack masking film$181 roll
Matte fabric sealer, 16 oz$281

Equipment

Dual-action gravity-feed airbrush, 0.3 mm$1351
Quiet compressor with tank and moisture trap$1791
Cap jig and two spare crown forms$641
Tabletop spray booth with exhaust fan$1491
Cleaning pot, brushes and a half-mask respirator$991
Heat gun for curing$351

Guide

Printed step-by-step guide for this designIncluded1

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$756144

Stencils

Stencil cutter-plotter, 24 in — the production "stencil printer"$6491
Stencil mylar, 7 mil, 12 × 12 in$8550 sheets
This design's layer files, every layer (SVG)Included1

Paint & masks

Water-based textile airbrush colour, 32 oz — one per colour in this design$38432 oz × 8
Transparent base and reducer$491 gal
Low-tack masking film$543 rolls
Matte fabric sealer$891 gal

Equipment