Radiant Mayfly Hatch Trucker Hat
by @dekasso
Wings up, sun right behind them.
A mayfly with raised, veined wings and long tails against a sunburst of blue, pale yellow and white, made for days on moving water.
A mayfly rests on the horizon line with its veined wings raised against a burst of sunlight. It is coloured in sky blue, pale yellow and white light over a khaki band, with an amber body and umber detail.
- Mayfly with veined wings raised to the sun
- Pale yellow rays on a sky blue edge
- Banded amber body and long umber tails
- Low khaki horizon under the insect
- Seven colour layers, light to dark
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 single mayfly sits on a low khaki horizon. The sun breaks right behind its wings, and pale yellow rays fan out into a sky blue edge. Every vein in the wing shows against the light, and the long tails trail off to the right.
Wear it to the river when the bugs start coming off. From across the water, people see a bright fan of light and a small amber body in the middle of it. Up close, they see the wing lattice and the banded tail.
Umber wing veins are the part to get right. Cut that mask cleanly, spray it last and keep it light, so the sun still shows through the wing instead of sitting behind a dark net.
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
- sky blue, pale yellow, white, khaki, smoke grey, amber, umber
Details
- Subject
- mayfly
- Style
- realistic sunburst illustration
Make it yourself
The palette
- Sky blue
- Pale yellow
- White
- Khaki
- Smoke grey
- Amber
- Umber
The layers
7 layers, in this order. Each mask comes off and the paint has to dry before the next one goes down.
- Sky
- Sunburst
- Sun core
- Horizon
- Wing panels
- Body
- 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
Sky blue
1 part blue to 4 parts white, a drop of green so it does not drift purple
Pale yellow
Mix by eye against the photograph; test on the card first
White
Opaque white from the bottle; two thin coats cover better than one thick one
Khaki
4 parts white, 1 part yellow, a drop of brown; a drop of green for khaki
Smoke grey
4 parts white, 1 part black; a drop of blue for cool grey, a drop of brown for warm stone
Amber
3 parts yellow, 1 part red, a drop of black to deepen it
Umber
Equal parts red, yellow and blue, then a drop of black to deepen it; or burnt umber straight from the bottle
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
sky blue — a soft fade around the outer edges
Mask None on the panel itself: the mesh and the visor are already masked from the prep.
Colour 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 · Sunburst — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
pale yellow — long rays fanning out from behind the wing
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Pale 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.
3 · Sun core — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
white — a bright glow where the rays meet
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.
4 · Horizon — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
khaki — a low band of land along the bottom
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Khaki — 4 parts white, 1 part yellow, a drop of brown; a drop of green for khaki
- 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 · Wing panels — 0.35 mm · 20–25 PSI
smoke grey — a faint tint inside the upright wings
Mask Lay this layer's mylar stencil and burnish the edges flat with your thumbnail.
Colour Smoke 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.
6 · Body — 0.3 mm · 18–22 PSI
amber — banded abdomen, thorax and the base of the tails
Mask The hand-cut subject stencil, inner pieces first, then the outline piece.
Colour Amber — 3 parts yellow, 1 part red, a drop of black to deepen 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.
7 · Detail — 0.2–0.3 mm · 12–15 PSI
umber — wing veins, legs, eye, segment lines and the long tails
Mask None: freehand, with a shield card held against any hard edge.
Colour Umber — Equal parts red, yellow and blue, then a drop of black to deepen it; or burnt umber straight from the bottle
- 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 everything outside the artwork area. Spray sky blue around the outer edges as a soft fade. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, about 15 cm away.
Lay the sunburst ray mask in place. Spray pale yellow in long strokes outward from the centre. Starting point: 18 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, about 10 cm away.
Remove the ray mask. Mist white into the centre where the rays meet to build the sun core. Starting point: 15 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, about 8 cm away.
Mask the sky and spray khaki for the horizon band along the bottom, keeping the top edge crisp. Starting point: 20 PSI, 0.5 mm needle, about 10 cm away.
Place the wing panel mask. Dust smoke grey very lightly so the light still reads through. Starting point: 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, about 6 cm away.
Place the body mask. Spray amber over the abdomen, thorax and tail base. Starting point: 15 PSI, 0.35 mm needle, about 6 cm away.
Place the detail mask. Spray umber for wing veins, legs, eye, segment lines and tails in short light passes. Starting point: 12 PSI, 0.2 mm needle, about 4 cm away.
Treat all settings as a starting point and test each colour on scrap fabric first.
Let the paint dry for 24 hours, then heat set following your paint maker's guidance.
Finish with a thin, even coat of 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
- Heavy umber on the wing veins blocks the sunburst. Use low pressure and several light passes.
- White core spread too wide washes out the yellow rays. Keep it tight to the centre.
- Lifting masks too soon smears the edges. Wait until each layer is dry to the touch.
- Skipping heat setting leaves the colours soft. Cure before sealing.
Tips
- Spray the rays from the centre outward so each one fades at its tip.
- Keep the smoke grey wing tint faint; the sun should glow through the wings.
- Test the umber detail pass on paper first to check line width.
- Let each layer dry to the touch before laying the next mask.
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 — 7 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.
- mayfly
- mayfly hatch
- trucker hat
- fly fishing
- sunburst
- dry fly
- insect art
- river
- amber
- sky blue