Renos, anyone?

Drywall compound is a great way to play in the studio - a LOT more fun than renovating a room in the house.

As long as one works on a non-flexible support, it works as well as does modelling paste, and it's a fair bit cheaper especially when you purchase by the gallon.  If you're working on a canvas, however, I recommend Liquitex Flexible Modeling Paste, which will offer the 'give' you need on a movable support.

Here I selected a mat board and some thin plastic and metal grids.

Discarding one due to the thickness of the plastic, I placed the grids over the mat board, and applied drywall compound liberally with a palette knife.

I scraped the excess off and returned it to the pail for later use, and then carefully removed the grids, washing them thoroughly for re-use later.

 I scratched back into the compound with the tip of my paintbrush, and

left the piece to dry thoroughly overnight. 

The next day I dropped fluid paint into the incised area. When it was dry, I

spritzed with diluted acrylic paints in various colours, although I often use thinned acrylics and paint them on.

I secured a found felt heart inside the painted one with liquid medium.  More paints will be dry-brushed in areas, and a week or two of observation will tell me what else is required to finish the painting.

Now tell me you'd enjoy renovating a room more than this kind of play!