Hey Tarnished fam! 👋 I just spent the last few weeks deep diving into the Lands Between, and I gotta say, the painting puzzles in Elden Ring are still one of the coolest hidden features in 2026. It's low-key the best way to get some unique gear and lore without just grinding bosses. The vibes are immaculate – you find these beautiful, mysterious paintings and then have to go on a literal treasure hunt across the map to find the spot they depict. No quest markers, no hand-holding, just pure exploration. It's so rewarding when you finally figure it out! So, I've put together this complete guide to all seven. Let's get into it! ✨

🎨 Painting Puzzle #1: Homing Instinct – Limgrave

First up is the Homing Instinct painting. You'll find this one in a cute little artist's shack in Limgrave. It's such a peaceful spot, a total vibe compared to the rest of the region.

The painting shows a grave with a tree visible through a broken arch. Super poetic, right? To solve it, you gotta head south, near Agheel Lake and the Dragon-Burnt Ruins. There's a Seaside Ruins Site of Grace nearby which makes it easy.

When you get to the right spot, you'll see a ghostly figure just chillin' in a chair, looking at the graves. Walk up to it, and poof! It vanishes, leaving behind the Incantation Scarab helmet. This thing is a game-changer for faith builds – it reduces the FP cost of your incantations, but be careful, it also makes you take more damage. A classic high-risk, high-reward item!

🏰 Painting Puzzle #2: Prophecy – Stormveil Castle

Okay, this next one is in Stormveil Castle, and getting to it is a whole mission. The painting is in a room near the Liftside Chamber Grace. You'll have to sprint past or fight like 15+ enemies, and there's an Omen lurking around too. Pro tip: Just run for it! Don't even try to fight everyone unless you're feeling super confident.

The painting leads you all the way south to the Weeping Peninsula. You're looking for the Church of Pilgrimage. Once you get there, head around the back towards the cliff overlooking a waterfall.

Another phantom will be waiting in a chair. Approach it to get the Warhawk Ashes spirit summon. These are seriously underrated – summon a spectral hawk to dive-bomb your enemies. So useful for distracting bosses!

🔮 Painting Puzzle #3: Resurrection – East Liurnia

This one is found in another Artist's Shack, this time in East Liurnia near the Carian Study Hall. The area is gorgeous, with all those blue waters and ruins.

The solution is northwest of Liurnia, near Caria Manor. BUT – and this is a big but – you can only access this spot after you defeat Royal Knight Loretta. She's no joke, so make sure you're leveled up!

In the graveyard, you'll find the phantom. Your reward is the Juvenile Scholar Set (the cap and robe) and a Larval Tear. The set is perfect for intelligence builds, and who doesn't love a free respec item?

🦁 Painting Puzzle #4: Redmane – Caelid

Time to venture into the hellscape that is Caelid! This painting is in the town of Sellia, Town of Sorcery. The closest Grace is Sellia Under-Stair. Navigate the town, take the first right, and look for an archway. The painting is tucked under some debris on your left. Watch out for the phantom mages spamming spells at you – they are the worst!

The solution is northeast in Greyoll's Dragonbarrow, near a Minor Erdtree. This part requires some light platforming along a cliff edge. Don't look down!

At the bottom, a phantom overlooks some ruins. Your prize is the Rain of Arrows Ash of War. This is a must-have for any archer build – it turns your bow into a makeshift machine gun!

🐦 Painting Puzzle #5: Flightless Bird – Leyndell, Royal Capital

This painting is inside the Fortified Manor in Leyndell. The closest Grace is West Capital Rampart. Make your way to the manor, find the dining room, then the study. The painting is just sitting there, waiting.

To solve it, travel north to Dominula, Windmill Village. Yes, the place with all the creepy, dancing people. Go past the windmill and the bonfire dancers to the cliff's edge.

The phantom here drops Fire's Deadly Sin, a powerful incantation that sets you and everything around you on fire. It's absolutely chaotic and so much fun to use.

🏹 Painting Puzzle #6: Champion's Song – Shaded Castle

Head to the Shaded Castle Rampart Grace. From there, follow the east wall, drop down near a broken wall, and find a path under a wooden staircase. Go up to find this painting.

The solution is northwest of Leyndell, outside the capital walls. Heads up: There's a dragon here! You can try to sneak past it or fight it for an extra reward.

Approach the phantom on the cliff to get the Harp Bow. This bow fires magical arrows and has a unique heavy attack that shoots a spread. It's so elegant! If you beat the dragon, you also get Lansseax's Glaive, an awesome lightning incantation.

🧙 Painting Puzzle #7: Sorcerer – Castle Sol

The final puzzle is the trickiest to find, located in Castle Sol in the Mountaintop of the Giants. From the Castle Sol Main Gate, you'll need to run past enemies and archers, climb ladders, and navigate rooftops. It's a proper platforming challenge! The painting is in a hatch room after crossing a bridge.

Once you have it, the solution is on a bridge southwest of Castle Sol.

Find the phantom on the bridge platform to claim the Greathood. This helmet boosts your intelligence but lowers your max HP. Perfect for glass cannon mage builds!

🎁 Final Thoughts & Rewards Summary

And that's all seven! Solving these is one of my favorite things to do on a new playthrough. It feels like you're a detective piecing together the world's history. Here's a quick cheat sheet of all the loot:

Painting Name	Location Found	Reward	Best For
Homing Instinct	Limgrave Artist's Shack	Incantation Scarab (Helm)	Faith Builds
Prophecy	Stormveil Castle	Warhawk Ashes	All Builds (Spirit Summon)
Resurrection	East Liurnia Artist's Shack	Juvenile Scholar Set, Larval Tear	Intelligence Builds
Redmane	Sellia, Caelid	Rain of Arrows (Ash of War)	Archer Builds
Flightless Bird	Leyndell Fortified Manor	Fire's Deadly Sin (Incantation)	Pyromancy/Faith Builds
Champion's Song	Shaded Castle	Harp Bow	Dexterity/Intelligence Builds
Sorcerer	Castle Sol	Greathood (Helm)	Intelligence Builds

Honestly, the journey to find each spot is half the fun. It takes you to places you might otherwise miss and rewards you with some of the most unique gear in the game. It's a total vibe. So grab your steed, put on some exploring music, and happy hunting, Tarnished! 💖 Don't you dare go hollow!