Drakan
This astonishingly beautiful piece of cross stitch is so rich with color that it changes hues in different lights during the day. (Click twice for the larger view.)
11 x 17"
Begun 16 April 2009, finished 20 April 2010
61,400 stitches
142 colors (114 colors in the figure's clothes alone)
432 hours and 5 minutes
My birthday gift from royal_cobalt
Below the cut, see her with it, and some really nifty shots of the art in the making, and closeups of the stitches. See how many colors go into the water, and the brown of the ship, and the sky.
Here is the artist with the art
Here is a close-up. If I did it right, you can double-click and see the stitches really close.
A closeup of the figure--double click to see the tiny stitches making up the face.
Here is the first stage.
Notice the design at the left.
Working quietly and heading toward the finish line.