Publicity poster for Hall's Patent Sanitary Washable Distemper, circa 1915, manufactured by Sisson's Brothers of Bankside, Hull. Distemper paint is an ancient type of paint made of water, chalk, and pigment. It is bound with either an animal glue or the adhesive qualities of casein, a resin that comes from solidified milk. The primary problem with distemper paint is that it is not durable and flakes easily. At the beginning of the 20th-Century, it was popular as it came in various colours, was easy to apply and being washable was an added bonus.