GENERAL INFORMATION. Sun Painting or Heliographic Art is a process whereby certain fabric paints are applied to fabric and while still wet, objects like stencils, leafs, feathers etc are placed onto the wet fabric. It is then placed in the sun. the outlines of the objects are transferred to the fabric.

If it is exposed to too higher sun, the paint will dry very quickly and not be able to absorb and adhere to the surface. This causes the paint to sit on top of the surface and crack, peel and flake off.

It's always best to avoid painting or staining in direct sunlight. The surface you're painting has its own temperature, which may differ from the ambient, or air temperature. A black wall that has been in direct sunlight for a few hours is likely to be substantially hotter than the air.

“It should be at least 50° F when you're applying the paint and shouldn't drop below 32° F at night for several days after,” says Rico de Paz, who oversees Consumer Reports' paint tests. Even if it's warm during the day, the paint won't form a good film if temperatures drop too low at night.