diff --git a/ahb_techdraw_extensions.py b/ahb_techdraw_extensions.py
index 2ac4deb..34b48ab 100644
--- a/ahb_techdraw_extensions.py
+++ b/ahb_techdraw_extensions.py
@@ -110,12 +110,12 @@ class TechDrawExtensions:
 						parts_to_paint.append(part)
 					
 			# repaint parts that are new in this step (thick line)
+			prev_view = None
 			if 'Assembly_handbook_PreviousStepView' in view.PropertiesList:
 				prev_view = doc.getObject(view.Assembly_handbook_PreviousStepView)
-				if prev_view is not None:
-					for part in view.XSource:
-						if part not in prev_view.XSource and part not in parts_to_paint:
-							parts_to_paint.append(part)
+			for part in view.XSource:
+				if (prev_view is None or part not in prev_view.XSource) and part not in parts_to_paint:
+					parts_to_paint.append(part)
 			
 			# make sure the list is not empty, so that we reset all lines
 			if len(parts_to_paint) == 0:
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ class TechDrawExtensions:
 				default_line_thickness = 0.05
 				line_thickness = default_line_thickness
 				
-				default_color = (0.65, 0.65, 0.65)
+				default_color = (0.5, 0.5, 0.5)
 				color = default_color
 				
 				if part is not None:
@@ -133,12 +133,9 @@ class TechDrawExtensions:
 					
 					center = self.computePartCenter(view, part)
 				
-					if 'Assembly_handbook_PreviousStepView' in view.PropertiesList:
-						prev_view = doc.getObject(view.Assembly_handbook_PreviousStepView)
-						if prev_view is not None:
-							if not part in prev_view.XSource:
-								line_thickness = 0.2
-								color = (0, 0, 0)
+					if self.isNewPartInView(view, part):
+						line_thickness = 0.2
+						color = (0, 0, 0)
 					
 					if self.enable_selected_part_highlight:			
 						for balloon in selected_balloons:
@@ -344,9 +341,16 @@ class TechDrawExtensions:
 		balloon.ViewObject.Fontsize = 4
 		balloon.BubbleShape = 'Inspection'
 		balloon.EndTypeScale = 4
+	
+	def isPartLink(self, obj):
+		if obj.TypeId == 'App::Link':
+			return True
+		if obj.TypeId == 'Part::FeaturePython' and hasattr(obj, 'LinkedObject'): # variant link
+			return True
+		return False
 		
 	def getPartDisplayName(self, obj):
-		if obj.TypeId == 'App::Link':
+		if self.isPartLink(obj):
 			linked_obj = obj.LinkedObject
 			if 'Assembly_handbook_PartDisplayName' in linked_obj.PropertiesList:
 				return linked_obj.Assembly_handbook_PartDisplayName
@@ -356,12 +360,16 @@ class TechDrawExtensions:
 	
 	def isNewPartInView(self, view, obj):
 		doc = view.Document
+		prev_view = None
 		if 'Assembly_handbook_PreviousStepView' in view.PropertiesList:
 			prev_view = doc.getObject(view.Assembly_handbook_PreviousStepView)
-			if prev_view is not None:
-				if not obj in prev_view.XSource:
-					return True
-		return False
+		
+		if prev_view is None:
+			return True
+		else:
+			if not obj in prev_view.XSource:
+				return True
+			return False
 		
 	def getActivePage(self):
 		activeView = Gui.activeView()
@@ -421,7 +429,7 @@ class TechDrawExtensions:
 			objectCenterWorld = partLink.LinkPlacement.Matrix.multiply(partLink.LinkedObject.Shape.CenterOfGravity)
 		elif obj.TypeId == 'Part::FeaturePython' and hasattr(obj, 'LinkedObject'): # variant link
 			partLink = obj
-			objectCenterWorld = partLink.LinkedObject.Shape.CenterOfGravity
+			objectCenterWorld = partLink.Placement.Matrix.multiply(partLink.LinkedObject.Shape.CenterOfGravity)
 		else:
 			objectCenterWorld = obj.Shape.CenterOfGravity