To recreate the Madison-era distemper paint, a reproduction distemper was produced in the same way it would have been in ca. 1797 and applied with traditional brushes to ensure that it had the same texture as the original.  The first step is to melt the hide glue and mix the dry ocher pigments into a separate pail of water.  Next, the separate glue and pigment solutions are combined to create the distemper paint.  Because the hide glue in the distemper paint starts to harden as it cools, the painters keep the distemper warm by placing their paint pails in a larger bucket full of hot water.  It usually takes two coats of distemper to completely cover the walls and the paint is applied over a sizing primer, or clearcole, made from unpigmented hide glue.