Lt Col Colin Campbell Mitchell

[Wings5797]

The still night air over Crater City was shattered by the sound of bagpipes as pipe major Kenneth Robson struck up with Monymusk – the regimental charge of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders.
It was 7pm on July 3, 1967, and the 700 men of the 1st Battalion Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders were on the edge of the city, tensely awaiting the order to advance.
Two weeks before, on June 20, the Army had experienced one of its bloodiest days since World War II, when 22 soldiers – three of them Argylls – were massacred by rogue elements of the local Arab police, who now controlled Crater, a city built on an extinct volcano in the heart of the British colony of Aden in the Middle East.
After the attack, the senior British commanders in Aden had ordered the Army to withdraw from Crater, leaving the city in the hands of the police mutineers.
But one man was determined to end the stand-off and bring Crater back under British control – the commander of the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, Colonel Colin Mitchell. He was a pugnacious, outspoken maverick who after that night’s events, would forever be known as Mad Mitch.
From the Daily Record

Hello Folks

I have had this fine bust, from Mitches Military Models, in my Grey Regiment for more than 18 months now. The master was sculpted by pF’s Fex and released by MMM 2 years ago almost to the day.
My rendition is painted with water soluble oils, Prussian Blue, Cadmium Red Dark, Cadmium Yellow Light, Lamp Black and Titanium White.
I hope that you like this effort and I look forward to your comments.
All the best,
Keith

 

[Nap]

Keith,

Very nice clean painting , nice uniform colour as well ...medals ....impressive mate

Good start to the tear

Thanks for sharing

Nap

 

[Helm]

Looks great Keith can't speak for the uniforms etc but the face looks real enough for sure
Steve

 

[Nap]

Looks great Keith can't speak for the uniforms etc but the face looks real enough for sure
Steve

Agree , as for uniforms ..looks good and accurate

Nap

 

[prhayes68]

Looks like one for Nap with those medals! Very nice work Keith.

Pete

 

[Nap]

Looks like one for Nap with those medals! Very nice work Keith.

Pete

Already done this. !!!!.....but you are right the medals attracted my attention ( see picture )

Keith has done a fine job on his version

Nap

 

[Eludia]

Nice job Keith, a fantastic example of what can be achieved with a limited palette (and also a good advert for WMO for all the doubters out there )

 

[Eludia]

As a matter of interest, can you share your flesh mix?

I'm using Burnt Sienna/Yellow Ochre/Tit White (all W&N Artisan) at the minute, I'd be interested in how you manage it with a limited palette

 

[Wings5797]

Many thanks for your more than generous words of encouragement Gentlemen. I find it very motivating when you Guys respond to my efforts, let alone in such a positive way.
Best of wishes to you all and looking forward to so more fine work from you all in 2015.
Keith

 

[Wings5797]

Kevin,
As the Medal Master and NMM advocate, I always swirl my brushes with brain banging away hoping that they meet your approval.
Good to see your version again, one day I will learn from you how to make these awards look as though there is a huge amount of space to paint them.
Cheers Mate,
Keith

 

[Wings5797]

Looks great Keith can't speak for the uniforms etc but the face looks real enough for sure
Steve

Steve,
Thanks Mate. I always value your support of my stuff and your undying enthusiasm for all things pF.
I think 'A true stalwart' is the correct terminology.
Cheers,
Keith

 

[Wings5797]

Looks like one for Nap with those medals! Very nice work Keith.

Pete

Pete,
Great to hear from you my friend. I am pleased that you like this one I am just amazed that I did it without calling on your expert advice.
I hope that all is well with you,
Keith

 

[Wings5797]

Nice job Keith, a fantastic example of what can be achieved with a limited palette (and also a good advert for WMO for all the doubters out there )

Billy,
Many thanks Mate. It is an interesting way to paint and I tried it with the forethought that before I started to use just the five colours I never just used paint strait from the tube. So things are not that different really. Sometimes the metals, mostly the silvers, are a bit of a task but that's part of the NMM challenge.
There is no such thing as a free lunch Mate and being of the old school, I will strike a deal with you..... I will tell you how I get my flesh tones if in exchange you tell me the meaning of the acronym WMO. I find I struggle a bit with TLA's.

Your flesh mix is very similar to what I would have used given a box full of oil paints. I would have added raw sienna and a blue or green dot to make the flesh a little more realistic.

Today I use the same colours but have to make them before or as I arrive at the flesh mix.
The whole mix is based on a variable yellow and red mix with white as the driver for the actual medium and light tones. For the brown in put, and this is important, use red and black in various measures with the flesh to suit the location or situation of the figure. Blue and red makes a fine brow but I find that it can gives a green look to the flesh.
If you try this and need any help at all buzz me a line and I wil help you out if I can.
Cheers Mate,
Keith

 

[Nap]

Hi Guys,

It would be nice to see some more of the British army in full dress from this period ..with a few medals flying around !

"Huge amount of space" ...we wish ! ...I do line around my ribbons etc with a grey black going to black in the shadows ....seems to "pop" them out ..or maybe it's just my age!!

WMO , TLA , NSFW ..OMG ...must be some secret code

Nap

 

[Eludia]

WMO = Water Mixable Oils

Thanks for the reply Keith, I'll need to have an experimentation session at some point.

 

[Nap]

WMO = Water Mixable Oils


I knew that ...oh how embarrassing ! It's my good looks !

Nap

 

[swralph]

Nicely painted.
Ralph.

 

[Wings5797]

Nicely painted.
Ralph.

Many thanks Ralph,
good to hear from you Mate.
All the best,
Keith

 

[Joe55]

That's a sharp looking bust Keith. Well done!

Joe

 

[prhayes68]

Pete,
Great to hear from you my friend. I am pleased that you like this one I am just amazed that I did it without calling on your expert advice.
I hope that all is well with you,
Keith

He's not a Guardsman, is he Happy New Year to you. Hope all is well.

Pete