Golden Hour Grasshopper Trucker Hat
by @dekasso
Late summer, legs cocked to jump.
A realistic sepia grasshopper on a grass stem over sage teal water, in honey gold and bronze, made for hopper season on the bank.
A grasshopper clings to a bent grass stem above a thin band of still water, every leg spine and wing vein in view. It is coloured in honey gold, bronze and burnt umber, with sage teal below and cream catching the light.
- A bronze grasshopper poised on a grass stem
- Honey gold glow with smoky umber edges
- Sage teal water band along the bottom
- Fine wing veins and leg spines
- Cream gloss on eye and thorax
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 grasshopper grips a curved stalk of grass, back legs folded high and ready. Honey gold light fills the space behind it, and a strip of sage teal water lies quiet below. Cream gloss sits on the eye and the edge of each leg.
Wear it on a dry August bank when the meadow is ticking with insects. From across the river people see a bronze hopper glowing on warm gold, and up close they find the wing veins and the segments on its belly.
Cream highlights carry this piece. Keep them small and sharp, a thin line on the thorax plate and a single dot on the eye, so the bronze body reads as rounded and polished.
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
- honey gold, burnt umber, bronze, sage teal, cream
Details
- Category
- Grasshopper
- Subject
- grasshopper
- Style
- realistic sepia illustration
Make it yourself
The palette
- Honey gold
- Burnt umber
- Bronze
- Sage teal
- Cream
The layers
7 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.
- Ground
- Vignette
- Water band
- Grass stem
- Grasshopper
- Detail
- 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
Honey gold
3 parts yellow, 1 part brown, a touch of white so it stays opaque
Burnt umber
Equal parts red, yellow and blue, then a drop of black to deepen it; or burnt umber straight from the bottle
Bronze
Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
Sage teal
2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
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 · Ground — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
honey gold — a warm glow across the whole panel, brightest behind the insect
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Honey gold — 3 parts yellow, 1 part brown, a touch of white so it stays opaque
- 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 · Vignette — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
burnt umber — smoky shading that darkens the corners and edges
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Burnt umber — 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.
3 · Water band — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
sage teal — a soft green strip along the lower edge, like still water
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Sage 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.
4 · Grass stem — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
bronze — a curved stalk with feathery seed heads running under the insect
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Bronze — 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.
5 · Grasshopper — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
bronze — the body, folded wings, jumping legs and long antennae
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Bronze — 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.
6 · Detail — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
burnt umber — abdomen segments, wing veins, leg spines and the shadow under the stem
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Burnt umber — Equal parts red, yellow and blue, then a drop of black to deepen it; or burnt umber straight from the bottle
- 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.
7 · Highlights — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
cream — gloss on the eye, thorax plate, leg edges and the top of the stem
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
Mask off the artwork area. Spray honey gold over the whole panel at about 20 PSI with a 0.5 mm needle from 15 cm, building heaviest in the centre. These settings are a starting point; test on scrap first.
Leave the gold to dry. Fade burnt umber into the corners and edges at 18 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, 12–15 cm, keeping the centre clear for the insect.
Lay the water mask along the lower edge. Mist sage teal at 18 PSI, 0.4 mm needle, about 10 cm, letting the top of the band soften into the gold.
Place the stem stencil. Spray bronze at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 5–8 cm, for the curved stalk and the feathery seed heads.
Place the grasshopper stencil. Fill the body, wings, legs and antennae in bronze at 15 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 5–8 cm, keeping the edges crisp.
Use the detail mask. Add burnt umber for the abdomen segments, wing veins, leg spines and the stem shadow at 12 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 3–5 cm.
Finish with cream highlights freehand or through a small mask at 10–12 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 2–4 cm: the eye, thorax plate, leg edges and top of the stem.
Let the paint cure fully, about 24 hours at room temperature, or heat set as your paint maker directs.
Seal with your usual clear topcoat in two light coats, letting each dry before the next.
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
- Umber creeping into the centre muddies the glow. Mask a soft oval over the middle while you shade the edges.
- Lifting stencils before paint dries smears the leg edges. Wait until the surface looks matte before moving a mask.
- Too much cream turns the insect chalky. Stop at a few bright points and step back before adding more.
- A hard line on the water band looks pasted on. Hold the airbrush further back on the top edge to feather it.
Tips
- Build the honey gold in thin passes so the glow behind the insect stays brighter than the edges.
- Keep the bronze body slightly darker on the underside; it makes the grasshopper sit on the stem rather than float.
- Draw the wing veins as short, light strokes; a few broken lines read more natural than a full grid.
- Tilt the piece toward a lamp while adding cream so you can see where real light would hit.
Every kit size
Trucker · kit for 1 hat
$213
Bought separately $237 · you save $24
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 — 7 layers$18
Paint & masks
- Water-based textile airbrush colour, 2 oz — one per colour in this design$30
- 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
$1,048
$87.33 a hat
Bought separately $1,192 · you save $144
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$70
- 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
$3,043
$21.13 a hat
Bought separately $3,580 · you save $537
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$240
- 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.
- grasshopper
- hopper
- trucker hat
- fly fishing
- terrestrial
- insect
- sepia
- honey gold
- bronze
- grass stem
- summer