Personally

I wouldn't do that. Well, actually under very specific circumstances I might, but not in an area that already has a finished texture on it. In a workshop or barn where the next owner can splash some paint on it and not care about finishes it would be OK. In a finished structure it will be a liability that will need to have the sheetrock removed and put right again before you put it up for sale.

 My opinion, but an informed one having sold two houses where I had made "improvements" to fit my needs for the spaces involved. 

After a closer look I can see this is a finished garage space. Kind of half way between the scenarios I laid out. I'd do a "Toma" with attached backdrop and lighting. This looks like a perfect situation for a quickly removable approach. It's the approach that I wish I had taken in my garage space. Too late for me.....you still have the opportunity.

Around my joint there has been talk of building a larger space so tearing down my current layout and factoring in demolition along with attempting to save a lot of structures etc. is a real pain. If I do move into another space "Toma on wheels" is on my mind.

Painting on doors

Well it’s not quite a wall, but I painted part of a backdrop across the bulkhead door in my old basement.  Wasn’t my most brilliant move, and it looked pretty stupid after plans changed and the layout no longer went across the door.

It doesn’t take much effort to hang something on the wall to paint a backdrop on, and it will be vastly easier to remove that way if plans change.

I would eliminate the texture

I would eliminate the texture by skimming as you suggested.

Thanks for the fast responses guys

@ Rick your opinions are always welcomed! Yep it's a finished garage. It will only be an 18" swath for the backdrop on a single level plan.  I have all of my old TOMA modules and have found they aren't for me.  Unless the new space is the same size and shape as the old it doesn't work for me.  Even just taking a couple of choice sections I found trying to make them work in the new space may not be the best use of the new space.

@ Ken the issue is what is that something?  I really liked my old backdrop on that was in vinyl but hated the seems in it, No matter what I used they always poked through.  I was thinking of doing a full run of a single piece and have seems in just the corners but that would be 17'.  that winds up being about $200 just for the vinyl!   And then there is the issue of how to attach it to the wall and the marks that may leave.

@ Jim  I kind of defaulted to a light sanding to knock out the knockdown and a light skim coat to fill in the voids.  It's cost effective.  I can always go back with a light sanding and apply a little knock down to break up the straight lines I create if I ever have to restore the area. 

Keep the thoughts coming!   Now the time to have this figured out in case I have to do any prep work before hand

Thanks agian

Steve