Oars in, lines out, river running fast.
An illustrated drift boat scene with three anglers on a teal river under pines, for days on moving water.
A wooden drift boat carries three anglers down a fast river, one rowing and two casting. Honey brown planks, rust orange and moss green jackets, and foam ivory spray sit against pine green banks.
- Three anglers in one wooden drift boat
- Rust orange caster at the bow
- Pine green forest on the far bank
- Foam ivory spray off the bow
- Teal river running the lower half
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 drift boat noses into the rapids. The rower leans on the oars in moss green, the angler up front casts in rust orange, and a third stands at the stern with his rod high. Pines crowd the far bank and the water curls up ivory at the bow.
Wear it at the put-in, the boat ramp or the shop counter. From across the parking lot it reads as a boat on a river. Up close, people find the three faces and the bent rods.
Charcoal linework carries this one. Keep the rods thin and the plank seams even, and the honey brown hull will read as wood instead of a flat shape.
The water it was painted from
Madison RiverSouthwest Montana · MT
- River
- Madison River, Southwest Montana
- States
- MT
- Fish
- Rainbow trout, Brown trout, Mountain whitefish
- Water type
- Freestone
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
- pale sky blue, pine green, slate grey, river teal, honey brown, rust orange, moss green, charcoal, foam ivory
Details
- Subject
- drift boat with three anglers
- Style
- illustrated outdoor scene
Make it yourself
The palette
- Pale sky blue
- Pine green
- Slate grey
- River teal
- Honey brown
- Rust orange
- Moss green
- Charcoal
- Foam ivory
The layers
9 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.
- Sky
- Forest
- Banks
- River
- Boat
- Caster
- Crew
- Linework
- Spray
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
Pale sky blue
1 part blue to 4 parts white, a drop of green so it does not drift purple
Pine green
2 parts green, 1 part black, a drop of blue to cool it
Slate grey
White with blue and a touch of black, about 4 : 1 : ½
River teal
2 parts blue, 1 part green, a touch of white to lift it
Honey brown
Equal parts red, yellow and blue, then a drop of black to deepen it; or burnt umber straight from the bottle
Rust orange
2 parts orange, 1 part brown, a drop of red
Moss green
2 parts yellow, 1 part green, a drop of black to deaden it
Charcoal
1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
Foam ivory
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
pale sky blue — a soft wash across the top behind the trees
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour Pale sky blue — 1 part blue to 4 parts white, a drop of green so it does not drift purple
- 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 · Forest — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
pine green — a dense row of pines along the far bank
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.
3 · Banks — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
slate grey — boulders and rocky shoreline on both sides
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Slate grey — 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 · River — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
river teal — the fast current filling the lower half
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour River 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.
5 · Boat — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
honey brown — the wooden hull, gunwales and oars
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Honey 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.
6 · Caster — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
rust orange — the jacket of the angler casting from the bow
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Rust orange — 2 parts orange, 1 part brown, a drop of red
- 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 · Crew — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
moss green — the rower's shirt and the stern angler's vest
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Moss green — 2 parts yellow, 1 part green, a drop of black to deaden 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.
8 · Linework — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
charcoal — outlines, fly rods, faces, hat brims and plank seams
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Charcoal — 1 part white to 3 parts black, a drop of blue
- 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.
9 · Spray — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
foam ivory — the curling wave at the bow and glints on the water
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour Foam ivory — 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 and mask off everything outside the artwork area. Settings below are a starting point; test on scrap first.
Sky mask: pale sky blue at about 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 15 cm away. Fade it lightly toward the tree line.
Forest mask: pine green at 20–25 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 10 cm away. Build the pine tips in short vertical strokes.
Bank mask: slate grey at 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 10 cm away. Leave the rock tops slightly lighter.
River mask: river teal at 20–25 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 12 cm away. Sweep in the direction of the current.
Boat mask: honey brown at 20 PSI, 0.3 mm needle, 8 cm away. Darken under the gunwale for depth.
Caster mask: rust orange at 15–18 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 5 cm away for the bow angler's jacket.
Crew mask: moss green at 15–18 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 5 cm away for the rower's shirt and the stern vest.
Linework: charcoal at 12–15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 2–3 cm away. Pull the rods, faces, hats and plank seams freehand or with a fine stencil.
Spray mask: foam ivory at 15 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, 4 cm away. Flick the wave crest at the bow and a few glints on the water.
Let the paint dry fully, then heat-set or air-cure as your paint maker directs.
Seal with a thin, even coat of compatible clear topcoat and let it cure 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
- Thick fly rods look like sticks. Lower the pressure and move fast for thin, tapered lines.
- Orange and green jackets bleeding together. Let each mask dry before lifting it and laying the next.
- Muddy river from overspray onto the boat. Mask the hull fully while the teal goes down.
- Flat pines. Add a second, darker pine green pass at the base of the trees for depth.
Tips
- Mix a drop of charcoal into the honey brown for the hull shadow so it matches the linework.
- Spray the teal river in curved passes that follow the waves; it gives motion before the ivory goes on.
- Do the three faces last in the linework pass, when your hand is warm and steady.
- Keep foam ivory sparse. A few bright flicks read as spray; a solid patch reads as snow.
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 — 9 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
How it was made
2 iterations led here; the saved one is marked
1
2 Saved
Remixes
No remixes yet — make your own version.
Where this came from
“it should be a drift boat”
trucker hat · made
0 — nothing entered the score yet, at the Derby's published weights, since . Views are not counted.
- drift boat
- fly fishing
- anglers
- river
- rapids
- pine forest
- wooden boat
- rowing
- casting
- trucker hat
- outdoor scene