Since the PART 1 of our Spray Cap series covered some of the basic definitions and spray cap lingo, it’s time to dive into the spray caps currently on the market! We feel it is always easier or, at least more helpful to have some visual reference when explaining different spray painting techniques and tools. The following images were taken using MTN Hardcore cans as the spray paint pressure is high, like that of Montana SPEED spray cans but with the control of a valve similar to that of MTN 94 spray cans.

 

A Photographic Guide to Montana Spray Paint Spray Caps

From here on out we will break down each Montana Spray Can Spray Cap with its spray sizes, identifying colors and a description of how each is used.  We included photographs to help you better visualize the cap and spray!

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: HARDCORE FAT CAP

Spray Paint Diameter Range:3 cm – 12.5 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description:Orange Body - Black Bus

The Hardcore Fat Cap is the spray cap with the widest line application in the entire range of MTN caps. Recognizable for its signature orange color, this spray cap color was specifically designed to be easily identifiable extremely quickly. Case in point, a brightly colored spray cap like this makes it easy to find quickly if you lose it in a bag or on the ground.

One of the more technical ways you can identify this cap as a super fat spray cap, is via the enormous notch in its stem. This larger notch is what allows a larger paint output and with a simple blow test (blowing through its stem) you will notice that air comes out easily.

The Hardcore Fat Cap was purposefully designed by Montana Colors to allow graffiti artists fill large areas in a short period of time. It is not only suitable for use midnight missions, but is also extremely helpful when you want to quickly fill in part of a piece, a sketch or just cover a surface of considerable size.

A secondary but fundamental use for this cap is for creating color fades / gradients. The width of the line coupled with specific application techniques allows for uniform color gradations.

Finally, a third use for the Hardcore Fat Cap spray cap is in calligraphic writing or handstyles. The Hardcore Fat Cap allows you to do "flares" (cone-like effect lines) very easily, although they occupy a large surface area due to its wide nature.

So while the Hardcore Fat Cap is designed primarily to have a fat spray circumference, you can see that it has many uses.  With the right techniques you can apply the paint in at least three different ways with this single spray cap type.

 

 

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Astro Fat Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 3 cm – 12.5 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Translucent White - Black Bus

The Astro Fat Cap functions practically the same as the Hardcore Fat Cap. It is sometimes called a softball cap but is generally known as one of, if not the fattest spray caps across the board. To help you better understand the best application scenarios for this cap, we showcase the difference in performance on different Montana Spray Paint brands.

 

As you can see, the spraying range of the Astro Fat Cap on a high pressure spray paint such as MTN Speed is significantly higher than on a low pressure aerosol such as MTN 94.

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Super Fat Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 3 cm – 8 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Silver - Black Bus

The Super Fat Cap, while eliciting a very fat diameter spray, it’s not quite as fat as the Hardcore or Astro Fat Caps. It’s slightly narrower spray means that functionally it is more precise than its big brothers, Astro and Hardcore. Even though you have a little more control with the Super Fat Cap, it is still classified as a high output cap recommended for high speed, fades, and flare calligraphy. More expert writers may utilize this spray cap for outlining pieces at high speed – but it takes a lot of practice to engage this cap in that way.

 

 

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Hardcore Medium Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 2 cm – 6 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Black - Orange Bus

The original Hardcore Medium Cap was designed to offer a cap that was halfway between a Hardcore Fat and a Pink Fat Cap; a cap that’s a bit wide and defined and also effectively fills in surfaces as efficiently as possible.

 

 

 

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: NY Fat Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1.9 cm – 5 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: White - Black Bus

The NY Fat Cap is the classic fat spray cap – down since day one! The NY Fat (New York Fat) Cap is a wide outline cap that functions quite similarly to its equally legendary brother, the Pink Fat Cap. Generally the NY Fat cap is an all-terrain cap. Due to its design, it especially appeals to those who are nostalgic for old school aerosol cans and are accustomed to using these types of classic caps. Plus in many cases it is one of the only spray caps that will fit on multiple different spray can brands.

 

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Pink Fat Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1.8 cm – 5 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: White - Pink Bus

The Pink Fat Cap is the cap that became renowned for revolutionizing graffiti. It was created specifically as the first fat spraying cap designed for graffiti writers who need to paint as fast as possible. When you are looking at the Fat Pink Cap, you will notice the small notch in its stem that adjusts the cap’s performance depending on the valve system and pressure of each spray can it’s used on.

*As you can see in the image, there’s a massive difference between the outline width achieved with MTN Speed as there is with MTN 94.

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Transversal Cap or Calligraphy Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1.2 cm ø – 4.5 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: White - Black Bus

The Transversal of Calligraphy Spray cap is a cap designed to spray out in a wide line, rather than a circle.  This adjustment in the spray pattern, gives the artist the ability to use this cap like a calligraphy brush or chisel marker. The chisel tip spray provides a horizontal spray line of up to 4 cm and 1.4 cm vertically.

 

-Note: the line can be rotated by rotating the cap’s tip with your fingers.

 

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Lego Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1.5 cm – 5 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Yellow - Black Bus

The Lego cap is one of the newest additions to the family. Despite the fact that its “vintage” shape might discourage some, its performance is impressive. The main reason artists and graffiti writers gravitate towards this cap is that it’s line has a very defined medium thickness. Another advantage, is that it is capable of maintaining a consistent diameter to its spray.

• It is equally valuable at filling in areas and utilizing for line work.
• This cap also works excellent to create “Flares”.

 

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Soft Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 3.6 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Grey - Blue Bus

Halfway between the Pink Fat Cap and the Universal Cap we have the Soft Cap.  The Soft Cap was designed to have a soft edge to its medium diameter spray. The combination of the medium spray and soft edge makes it the idea spray cap for blending and gradients. 

-You can use to fill in medium sized surfaces but it is not recommended for very skinny or very defined lines.

 

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Skinny Pro Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1.2 cm – 3 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Black - Black Bus

One of the most comfortable cap to use is the Skinny Pro Cap due to its ergonomic design that adapts smoothly to your finger tip.  The design of this cap is to give users a high quality cap for outlining from thin to medium lines, small sized fades and reduced size calligarphy.

Its performance is different on high and low pressure cans, however, on both you will notice it’s easy to control.

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Yellow Universal Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: .5 cm – 3 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Yellow - Black Bus

The same color as the Lego Cap, the Yellow Universal Cap performs very similar. TheYellow Universal Cap is a “skinny”-type cap designed to create skinny, well defined lines. This is an indispensable cap for painting with precision and it is very efficient in terms of paint usage.

-We recommend it primarily for defined outlines and filling in smaller areas while conserving the maximum amount of paint possible.

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Transfer Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1.2 cm – 2.5 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Translucent White- Long Clear Straw

This cap is specially designed to extract aerosol paint and empty it into whatever desired container you wish. Its straw avoids paint spillage and concentration. In many cases artists will use this cap to draw paint into a small amount of paint thinner to then use on a brush or other applicator.

-It is possible to use directly on a wall with a similar effect as a Needle Cap.

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Pocket Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1.4 cm – 2.5 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Black - White Bus

The pocket cap is a good medium to thin spray cap that is designed to maintain thickness.  Originally conceived for a high pressure Pocket Can, it fills the roll of being a skinny cap that clogs the least. It is highly recommended for any type of work that doesn’t require defined outlines.

 

-When used for outlining a piece, the results will be reminiscent of 1970s and 80s style pieces. It’s works best for writers going for a more vintage style.

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Needle Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1 cm – 2 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: Red – Short Clear Straw

The Needle Cap is designed to project paint over long distances. Although messy, It is precisely this quality that people like. The result of the buildup of paint in the tube causes very uneven, spattered and in some cases drippy linework. We recommend this cap for painting from a distance and achieving more artistic and spontaneous fades or effects.

- This is a very useful cap for sketching out the first outline or sketch since its reach allows for lines to be projected onto the wall without needing precision. 

 

Aerosol Spray Cap Name: Super Skinny Cap

Spray Paint Diameter Range: 1.1 cm – 2 cm

Spray Cap Visual Description: White - Grey Bus

From the entire range of Montana Colors caps, the Super Skinny is the one that is designed for painting the skinniest lines. Its ultra-thin performance is noted by the hole in the stem instead of a notch. Even though this is a cap designed specifically for thin lines, it still takes practice to be able to get the most potential out of the Super Skinny Cap.

- Uses for this cap encompass all that requires maximum precision: outlines, dots, calligraphy…

Note:

• Since this is a cap with a limited lifespan, it clogs frequently, so we recommend that you purge the cap by spraying paint through it in an upside down position or even while using MTN solvent.
• You can increment its line precision by reducing the pressure of the spray can. This can be achieved by following the same instructions for purging, but while spraying for a longer duration.

 

The following is a piece we painted in which we’ve used each and every one of the spray caps on different cans during parts of the process where they were most suited.

 

As you can see we’ve used:

• The Needle Cap to sketch up the first lines of the piece
• The Pink Fat Cap to add the first fill in color
• The Hardcore Fat Cap to do the fades
• The Soft Cap to pain the 3d color
• The Universal Cap to paint the background
• The Medium Hardcore Cap to add details inside the letters
• The Lego Cap to outline and add the second outline and a few details
• The Pocket Cap for the highlights
• The Super Skinny Cap at the end to do some shines