Weedbed Brown Trout Trucker Hat
by @dekasso
Holding low where the weeds sway.
A brown trout swimming above olive weeds and grey stones, in a realistic painted style, for a day on the water or in town.
A brown trout cruises over a weedy riverbed, fins spread, in clear green water under a rippled surface. Golden yellow flanks carry black and brick red spots against bottle green water, olive weeds and pebble grey stones.
- Brown trout over a weedy riverbed
- Golden flank with black and red spots
- Bottle green water, white surface ripples
- Olive weeds and pebble grey stones
- Eight colour layers, realistic style
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 brown trout hangs in green water, mouth slightly open, fins out. Its golden flank is dotted black, with a few red spots low on the side. Olive weeds lean around it and round grey stones sit on the bottom, while white ripples mark the surface above.
Wear it to the river, the fly shop or the dog park. From across a room people read it as a fish in water; up close they find the red spots and the weeds bending past its tail.
Brick red spots are the last word on this trout. Keep them small and few, set low on the flank, and they read like the real fish rather than a pattern.
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
- bottle green, white, olive, pebble grey, golden yellow, black, brick red
Details
- Subject
- brown trout
- Style
- realistic wildlife painting
Make it yourself
The palette
- Bottle green
- White
- Olive
- Pebble grey
- Golden yellow
- Black
- Brick red
The layers
8 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.
- Water
- Surface
- Weeds
- Riverbed
- Trout body
- Back shading
- Black spots
- Red spots
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
Bottle green
1 part yellow to 1 part blue; more yellow for a warm green, more blue for a cool one
White
Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
Olive
2 parts yellow, 1 part black, a drop of red to warm it
Pebble grey
4 parts white, 1 part black; a drop of blue for cool grey, a drop of brown for warm stone
Golden yellow
Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
Black
Black from the bottle, sprayed in light passes; a heavy coat bleeds
Brick red
Primary red from the bottle; a drop of yellow warms it, a drop of blue cools it
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 · Water — 0.5 mm · 25–30 PSI
bottle green — the underwater field, deepest at the edges and lighter toward the middle
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Bottle green — 1 part yellow to 1 part blue; more yellow for a warm green, more blue for a cool one
- 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 · Surface — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
white — thin wavy ripple lines across the top of the water
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour White — Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
- 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 · Weeds — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
olive — tall weed blades rising and bending from the bottom
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.
4 · Riverbed — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
pebble grey — rounded stones tucked along the base
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Pebble grey — 4 parts white, 1 part black; a drop of blue for cool grey, a drop of brown for warm stone
- 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 · Trout body — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
golden yellow — the flank, belly and fins of the fish
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Golden yellow — Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
- 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.
6 · Back shading — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
olive — the darker back and top of the head
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.
7 · Black spots — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
black — spots across the back and flank, the eye and fin edges
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.
8 · Red spots — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
brick red — small spots scattered along the lower flank
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour Brick red — Primary red from the bottle; a drop of yellow warms it, a drop of blue cools it
- 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
Cut the full panel mask and lay bottle green across the water field, darker at the edges. Start around 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 15 cm away; treat these settings as a starting point and test first.
Let the green flash dry, then mask the ripple band and pull thin white wavy lines along the top at about 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 5–8 cm away.
Place the weed stencil and spray olive blades rising from the bottom, around 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 10 cm, letting some blades fade toward the top.
Mask the riverbed and dot pebble grey stones along the base at 18 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 10 cm. Leave small gaps so the green shows between them.
Lay the trout silhouette mask and fill golden yellow across body and fins at 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 12 cm. Build two light coats so the green does not tint it.
With the body mask still on, fade olive along the back and top of the head at 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 8 cm, blending down into the yellow.
Place the spot stencil and add black spots, the eye and thin fin edges at 12–15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 4–6 cm.
Swap to the red spot stencil and set small brick red spots low on the flank at 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 4 cm.
Lift all masks, let the piece rest for 24 hours, then heat set according to your paint maker's guidance.
Finish with a light coat of flexible fabric sealer and let it cure fully before wearing.
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
- Spots that bleed into blobs: lower the pressure, move closer and press the stencil flat before each burst.
- A muddy, greenish trout: keep the body mask sealed and let each yellow coat dry before the next.
- Too many red spots: place only a handful low on the flank, then step back before adding more.
- Peeling masks lifting wet paint: wait until each layer is dry to the touch before removing stencils.
Tips
- Spray the golden yellow over a dried green layer only inside the trout mask, and use two thin coats for a bright flank.
- Fade the edges of the water darker by sweeping the gun past the mask edge; it frames the fish without extra stencils.
- Vary weed blade angles so they look like they are bending in a current behind the tail.
- Test every colour on a scrap first to check flow and spot size before touching the panel.
Every kit size
Trucker · kit for 1 hat
$224
Bought separately $249 · you save $25
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$42
- 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
$1,073
$89.42 a hat
Bought separately $1,220 · you save $147
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$98
- 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
$3,124
$21.69 a hat
Bought separately $3,676 · you save $552
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$336
- 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.
- brown trout
- trout
- fly fishing
- trucker hat
- river
- weeds
- underwater
- fish art
- green
- golden
- riverbed
- wildlife