A wall or other dwelling surface defect repair compound that is pigmented a color that makes it readily distinguishable from the solid surface by its contrasting color. The pigmentation can be a conventional universal latex paint tint, and the compound can be joint compound. By mixing the tint into the joint compound, a colored paste-like mixture results that can be spread over the defect in the wall. Upon hardening, the pigmented mixture is easily seen by a worker who sands the mixture to match the wall's contour, and then primes and/or paints the wall and the mixture. By tinting the compound a color that is distinguishable from the wall's color, the worker can easily find all regions of the wall that require sanding and/or priming prior to painting.