• 60 designs
  • Checked October 2026

Hat Painting Ideas

Press for three hat designs, each with its colors, the part of the hat it uses and the tool.

Hat Painting Ideas

Show all 60
  1. Purple and green stripes around the cone, a gold bucklePurple, green, gold, black. Even rings up the cone; a square buckle on a black band. Tape.
  2. Six balloons in your two colors, strings tied to the buttonBlack cap, any two colors, white. Six balloons toward the front edges; white strings to the middle. Round brush.
  3. Your state's outline filling the board, a gold star on one placeBlack cap, white, gold. The outline reaches all four edges; the star marks a town of your own. Paint pen.

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All 60 designs

Baseball caps 12

  • Checked bill in two colors under a plain crown Black, white. Squares ruled across the top of the bill, the crown untouched. Tape.
  • Daisies edging the curved strap opening behind the crown Any cap color, white, yellow, green. Small daisies follow the curved edge of the opening. Dotting tool.
  • Duck cap: the bill as an orange beak, eyes on the front Yellow, orange, black, white. Orange on both sides of the bill; two eyes on the front panels. Round brush.
  • Floral print under the bill only, crown left plain Any cap color, pink, green, white. Small flowers cover the underside of the bill. Round brush.
  • Keyboard bill: black keys in twos and threes at the front edge White, black. White over the top of the bill; the black keys are masked and filled. Tape.
  • Mountain line around the crown just above the bill Navy, white, pale blue. Peaks run across all six panels; snow caps in white. Liner brush.
  • Orange crown: six panels as segments, pith on the seams Orange, white, green. Each panel a segment; white lines on the seams; a green top button. Liner brush.
  • Paint spatter over a white cap, the bill kept clean White cap, four brights. The bill is masked; color is flicked over the crown only. Toothbrush.
  • Six crown panels in six colors, the top button white Six brights, white. One color per panel, split exactly on the seams. Flat brush.
  • Sky crown with clouds, a sun on the top button Sky blue, white, yellow. Clouds cross the seams; the button and short rays in yellow. Sponge.
  • Watermelon cap: green crown, red bill with seed dashes Green, red, black, white. A white rind line where the bill meets the crown. Round brush.
  • Your own initials in block capitals on the two front panels Any cap color, white, black. One letter per front panel, a black shadow on each. Stencil.

Graduation caps 12

  • Board as a diamond kite, its tail of bows to the back corner Red, yellow, white. Two cross spars meet at the tassel button; the tail runs off the back point. Tape.
  • Butterfly on the diagonal, wing tips at the side corners Black cap, orange, white. The body lies front to back through the button; wings fill both halves. Round brush.
  • Chalkboard-green board with your year chalked large Dark green, white, tan. A tan ledge line along the back edge; the numerals in rough white. Chalk pen.
  • Confetti dots thick at the back corner, sparse in front Black cap, gold, white, one bright. Dots of three sizes, crowded behind the tassel button. Dotting tool.
  • Finish-line checks along the two front edges Black cap, white. Two rows of squares on the edges that meet at the front corner. Tape.
  • Name on the back edge, class year numerals over the board Black cap, white, gold. Large gold numerals fill the square; small white capitals behind them. Paint pen.
  • Paper-plane trail looping from the back corner to the front Black cap, white. A dashed loop passes around the button; the plane sits at the front point. Paint pen.
  • Road running from one corner to the tassel button Black cap, gray, white, yellow. The road narrows toward the button; dashes down its middle. Liner brush.
  • Six balloons in your two colors, strings tied to the button Black cap, any two colors, white. Six balloons toward the front edges; white strings to the middle. Round brush.
  • Summit flag at the front corner, a ridge climbing to it Black cap, white, gray, red. A ridge rises along the diagonal; a red flag at the front point. Liner brush.
  • Tassel button as the letter O in a short word of your own Black cap, white. Capitals sized so the O lands exactly on the button, a ring painted around it. Stencil.
  • Your state's outline filling the board, a gold star on one place Black cap, white, gold. The outline reaches all four edges; the star marks a town of your own. Paint pen.

Cowboy and straw hats 12

  • Bandana paisley on the underside of the brim Red, white, black. White teardrops and dots on red, seen when the brim tips up. Dotting tool.
  • Boot-stitch scrolls along the crown crease in cream Cream. Dashed scroll lines follow both sides of the crease from front to back. Paint pen.
  • Cow spots on a white hat, the band painted black White hat, black. Uneven patches over crown and brim; a solid black band between. Round brush.
  • Every third row of the straw weave picked out in coral Coral. Color follows single rows of the weave around the crown and across the brim. Liner brush.
  • Hawk feather tucked into a painted band, quill to the crease Brown, cream, turquoise. A turquoise band; the feather slants back along the crown's side. Liner brush.
  • Lemon slices around a straw sun hat's brim Yellow, white, green. Slices evenly spaced on the brim's upper side, a leaf between each. Round brush.
  • Stars scattered on the brim, one large star on the crown Any hat color, white, gold. Small stars around the brim; a gold one on the crown front. Stencil.
  • Straw hat with a painted ribbon and bow at the band Navy, white. A striped ribbon around the crown and a flat bow with two tails. Flat brush.
  • Sunset bands on the crown, black saguaros standing on the brim line Orange, pink, purple, black. Three level bands of color; the cactuses rise from where brim meets crown. Flat brush.
  • Turquoise diamonds painted as a band around the crown Turquoise, black, white. A row of diamonds where a hatband would sit, outlined in black. Liner brush.
  • Twisted rope painted around the brim's rim in two browns Tan, brown. Short slanted strokes in two browns all the way around the brim's rim. Liner brush.
  • Wildflowers climbing from the band into the crown crease Yellow, red, blue, green. Stems start at the band; the tallest flower reaches the crease. Round brush.

Witch and costume hats 12

  • Cat eyes peering from the cone just above the band Black hat, green, yellow. Two almond eyes with slit pupils on the cone's front. Round brush.
  • Floppy felt hat with three sewn-look patches for a scarecrow Brown, red, yellow, black. Three square patches on the crown; black stitches at their edges. Liner brush.
  • Gold card crown, one gem under each point, a glint on each Gold, red, blue, green. Gold all over; one gem shape under each point, a white glint on it. Round brush.
  • Moon phases marching around a witch hat's brim Black hat, white, gray. Eight moons from new to full and back, evenly spaced. Stencil.
  • Paper party cone painted as a waffle cone Tan, brown, pink, white. Crossed lines over the cone; a pink scalloped drip at the top. Liner brush.
  • Pumpkin-face cone: orange hat, black grin near the brim Orange, black, green. Triangle eyes low on the cone; the tip painted green as a stalk. Flat brush.
  • Purple and green stripes around the cone, a gold buckle Purple, green, gold, black. Even rings up the cone; a square buckle on a black band. Tape.
  • Top hat with rabbit ears painted rising from the rim Black hat, white, pink. Two ears on the crown's front as if a rabbit were inside. Round brush.
  • Tricorn with gold braid on its three folded edges Black hat, gold. A looping braid line along each upturned edge, a button at each corner. Liner brush.
  • Witch hat brim as a ring of stars, the cone left black Black hat, gold, white. Stars of three sizes around the brim's upper side. Stencil.
  • Witch hat with a web spreading down from the cone's tip Black hat, silver. Spokes run from the tip to the brim; curved threads join them. Paint pen.
  • Wizard cone with a spiral of stars from brim to tip Midnight blue, gold. Stars shrink as the spiral climbs; one star sits on the tip. Stencil.

Bucket and sun hats 12

  • Brim stitching rows traced in spectrum order Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet. One color along each stitched row of the brim. Paint pen.
  • Butterflies settled on the brim, one more on the top Any hat color, orange, black, white. Wings open, spaced around the brim. Liner brush.
  • Cloud on top, rain down the side, puddle rings on the brim White, gray, blue. Dashes fall from the top seam; rings where they land. Liner brush.
  • Frog bucket hat: two eyes on the flat top, a wide smile Green, white, black, pink. Eyes near the front of the top; the smile along the side seam. Round brush.
  • Gingham side panel between a plain top and a plain brim White, one color. Crossed bands on the side only; darker squares where they cross. Tape.
  • Goldfish circling the side panel, ripple rings on the brim Pale blue, orange, white. Five fish nose to tail; rings on the brim's upper side. Round brush.
  • Ladybug hat: red top and side with spots, a black brim Red, black, white. A black line splits the top in two wings; spots on both halves. Dotting tool.
  • Name in capitals circling the underside of the brim Any hat color, white. Your own name runs once around the underside. Paint pen.
  • One daisy on the flat top, petals reaching the side seam White hat, yellow, white, green. The center sits mid-top; petal tips touch the seam. Round brush.
  • One line winding from the top's middle to the brim's rim Three brights. One painted line winds over the top, down the side and around the brim. Round brush.
  • Strawberries scattered on the side, the brim leaf green Red, green, white. Berries with white seed dots around the side panel. Round brush.
  • Toadstool hat: white spots on red, gill lines under the brim Red, white, cream. Spots on top and side; fine lines fan out on the brim's underside. Liner brush.

How it works

A baseball cap is a rounded crown with a stiff bill in front; a graduation cap is a flat square board with a tassel at its center. These 60 designs use the bill, the board, the brim and the crown.

Read the full guide

Graduation cap painting ideas

Ask your school what it allows on a cap before you paint one. The board is a square seen from above, and several of the twelve designs are planned around the tassel button: Tassel button as the letter O in a short word of your own, or Road running from one corner to the tassel button. Every name, year and phrase is your own.

Bills, brims and cones

On a baseball cap the bill is the flat part: Checked bill in two colors under a plain crown. The cowboy hat painting ideas keep to the band, the crease and the brim, and the witch hat painting ideas wrap a cone, as in Wizard cone with a spiral of stars from brim to tip.

Questions and answers

What paint do you use on a hat?

We do not test paints. Whether a paint bends with a cap, holds on straw or felt, or survives a wash is on its label, so check it against the hat you have.

Can I paint a team logo on a cap?

None of the 60 uses a team, league, school or brand mark: those belong to their owners. Your own initials in block capitals on the two front panels gives a cap that is yours.

Which designs suit a plain white cap?

Paint spatter over a white cap, the bill kept clean is written for one, and on a bucket hat One daisy on the flat top, petals reaching the side seam starts from white too.

Which hat designs are for Halloween?

The witch and costume group: Witch hat with a web spreading down from the cone's tip, Moon phases marching around a witch hat's brim and Cat eyes peering from the cone just above the band are all painted on a plain black hat.

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