It's hard to beat the richness of oil-based metallics. The Minden mounted colonel that I worked on yesterday evening. He ought to look pretty good when finished. I spent a pleasant hour or so last night, following The Young Master's bedtime, carefully teasing tiny bits of Winsor & Newton, or perhaps Grumbacher, gold and silver oils onto the mounted Austrian officer, who will oversee the composite battalion of Minden Austrian grenadiers. They, of course, are the fellows in the foreground. Those of you with longer memories might recall that these miniatures have been on the painting table since January. Real life, however, has meant that progress has been at a standstill since late February. I even put them away in a box for a couple of months to reduce dust and cat fur build-up! However, I managed to get my seat back into the painting chair last night, and here we are. A steady hand, despite the usual after dinner infusion of...