Richard Scollins Military Artist

Richard Scollins Artist 1946 – 1992

The book ‘The Soldier’ Richard Humble and Richard Scollins, Crescent was recently obtained via an Amazon seller (not the speediest in delivery but a good clean book!) Is a ‘unique pictorial history of the fighting man, from the dawn of history in the 3rd millenium BC to the wars of the 1980’s’. The book presents the finest works of Richard Scollins, a military artist hitherto best known to specialist uniform and military modelling enthusiasts with text by his friend and colleague, military historian Richard Humble’.


It is a great compilation of his work and a huge thanks to Scott for pointing me in the direction of this fine ‘tome’. As the jacket states and anyone who has admired the work of Richard Scollins knows the illustrations are not ‘parade ground’ but captures the real face of soldiering, the fatigue despair courage dust and grime with depictions showing stained and torn uniforms sore feet and brocken boots! The book depicts the defiant Spartans at Thermopylae to Napoleons old guard at Waterloo, ECW, Roman Legionary and the Para in the Falklands. The illustrations are in Colour and black and white (just like the old MM articles) with 40 group works and 150 single figures.





Richard Scollins was born in 1946, was educated at Ilkston Grammar School, Derby and Newport Colleges of Art, and the Faculty of Education, Cardiff University. He was a part- time lecturer in Art, and as a free-lance artist been involved in a wide range of work from book and magazine illustration, comic strips, and LP covers to package design, pub signs and television graphics. Richard was a co-author on a number of books and produced an LP record on the Derbyshire dialect!. He was also a member of an English country dance and folk song band. His main interest was in in all aspects of the arts, social and military history and English Customs and folklore. (it is noted on several publications that he was a pacifist but had a feel for the grimness of the reality of war I sympathise totally with this viewpoint!)





I have some of the Cassell History of warfare series in my library including the often quoted ‘Warfare from Waterloo to Mons’ by Michael Glover, and check out the great blog by matt inspired by that book and his brand new website with his brand new Danish figures of 1846 Waterloo to Mons Miniatures…I have succombed in a minor way! (See I cant go to Salute the bank of Scotland group would need re financing again!! Plus all the sherpas I would need at £12 a ticket each to enter afformentioned wargaming extravaganza to carry the bounty away!!) also Warfare in the Age of Bonaparte by Michael Glover and Warfare in the Ancient World by Richard Humble these all have some of Richards illustrations in, amongst others but sadly I cannot see accreditation to his artistic skill in the books anywhere.





Of course he was a regular illustrator for Military Modelling and where I enjoyed seeing his work…please bring back more of this artistic depiction wargaming/ modelling magazines!!





Finally he illustarted Osprey books as well and below is their thubnail sketch of Richard on their web site

Osprey publishing
Rick Scollins was one of the most popular artists ever to work for Osprey. He was born in 1946 and pursued a career as an artist after four years at art college and a postgraduate teaching course at Cardiff. Rick quickly developed a distinct style and, despite being a pacifist, he gained a feel for military subjects. His artwork was always realistic and is highly sought after by collectors. Rick Scollins died in December 1992.


Summing up I believe Richard Scollins was one of the best military artists and I for one miss his work in books and magazines. I am just pleased that he was as prolific illustrator as he was but what more would he have produced?

1st Regiment of Foot Guards 1685

After a nasty brush with the thoughts of buying plastic ECW's below (which I know will happen!) but if I avoid 'Salute' with all its goodies it should be a 'managable' acquisition!! I am returning to the late 17th Century with the Foot Guards. In the 1980's I used to attend toy fair swapmeet extravaganzas often at Sandown or Kempton Park racecourses. This was due to having for the first time a full wage packet in my pocket and to try and obtain Airfix, Frog etc kits and plastic figures. Now as ever I went off on a tangent and collected diecast/metal artillery pieces (I have stil 2 or 3 Astra pre war models, Britains etc) and cigarette/tea cards (I love the tea cards a real reminder of childhood why o why dont they do it now instead of silly knitted monkeys!)

I have a couple of sets of Cigarette cards depicting military uniforms including a set from 1976 by Carreras ltd called simply Military Uniforms. They are a series of 50 and are basicaly the uniforms of the guards regiments as they evolved over time from Card 1 depicting a musketeer of the King's Royal Regiment of Guards of 1660 to card 50 of a regimental sergeant major of the Grenadier Guards in 1960. They are very nice illustrations if a bit 1970's!!

Above is card No5 depicting an officer of the First Regiment of Foot Guards in 1685. On the reverse it states 'At the coronation of JamesII, officers of this regiment were magnificently dressed, some in coats of cloth of gold, others in crimson velvet and some of fine scarlet cloth. the second regiment was also splendidly dressed but the officers had buttons of gold thread wheras the First had silver plate. The men of the first had blue breeches and stockings while those of the Second Regiment had red.'

Anyway I've got a few Belgians Carabiniers from 1914 to finish this weekend and must order a few Parkfield Mini's for Sedgemoor!

Haselrig's Lobsters an Illustration by Richard Scollins

This was the first article and picture of a new series on the ECW in Miltary Modelling back in May 1977!! it was about one of the more unusual cavalry units especially fighting for parliament in 1643.






Sir Arthur Haselrig was in charge of Wallers cavalry and to quote Trevor Hopkins ' Sir Arthur Haselrig M.P., a truley fascinating personality; bellicose, rich and staunchly republican, when Sir Arthur made his military reports to the House of Commons it was usually with a carbine slung to his back and pistols at the hips!' what a great picture those words paint! Scollins of course does the regiment justice with a superb impression of what an officer and trooper of the regiment would have looked like in 1643, being notably the first and only full regiment of true cuirassiers to see action in the civil war. The fully enclosed helmet and metal gauntlets were probably replaced by a 'lobster pot' helmet and leather gloves which would have been much more practical.

The lobsters fought at Lansdown, Roundway Down, Cheriton and finally were badly mauled at Cropedy Bridge. They probably had a limited role in the second battle of Newbury before being absorbed into the New Model Army in 1645.

Cromwell's Ironsides at Marston Moor - Richard Scollins Illustration

'Marston Moor was the most important and bloodiest battle of the Civil war and it was due to the decisive charges of the Ironsides that the fate of that day was at last determined'Alan Buttery MM January 1985.

The second article on Cromwell's Ironsides gave an account of Marston Moor and details for wargaming and modelling using Minifigs, Laing's and Jacobite Miniatures. Langley Models produced a fine Mounted Trooper at the time in 54mm

Richard scollins picture is very evocative showing the action when Cromwell's Ironsides hacked their way through Ruperts men while a summer thunderstorm added to the noise and cacophony of battle.

Cromwell's Ironsides - Richard Scollins Picture

As mentioned recently on Ralph's excellent blog 'Wars of Louis Quatorze'Richard Scollins superb illustrations used to liven up articles in Military Modelling. I think that this is what I miss the most from the modern slick magazines and MM sadly now does not feature on my magazine buying radar as its predominatly full of tanks (I model tanks myself but I like variety) and usually very expensive ones and covered in resin and etched brass!! Marriot, Fosten, Younghusband etc all used to provide great illustrations and I miss this element in the current journals. Also I liked one magazine which featured modelling, wargaming and military history. Perhaps its my age (I am now in the grumpy old man age bracket)however on the wargaming and modelling front we've never had it so good every army produced in metal and plastic, tanks and aircraft of every nation and mark.....but I just miss the journal that was Military modelling and the old Airfix magazine from the 70's & 80's!!!

This picture was from MM December 1984 in an article by Alan Buttery on Cromwell's Ironsides (Part1)