TL;DR
- Three unique paintings hidden throughout the Realm of Shadow offer valuable equipment rewards
- Each painting requires finding both the artwork location and the separate reward spot
- Artist ghosts appear near reward locations and vanish to leave behind items
- Rewards include Serpent Crest Shield, Spiraltree Seal, and Rock Heart
- Strategic navigation and careful observation are essential for success
GameSpot may receive revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and from purchases through links.
Exploring the Realm of Shadow in Elden Ring reveals numerous hidden treasures, with painting quests offering particularly valuable rewards for observant players. Much like the base game’s artist clues, these visual puzzles challenge your navigation skills and environmental awareness.
Shadow of the Erdtree contains exactly three distinct paintings to discover: Incursion, The Sacred Tower, and Domain of Dragons. This comprehensive guide systematically details each artwork’s location alongside the specific spots where you can claim your hard-earned prizes.
The painting reward mechanism follows a specific pattern: when you approach the correct area for a painting’s hidden treasure, the ghostly apparition of the artist materializes briefly. After this spectral figure fades away, it leaves behind a valuable item for collection.


The map above clearly marks both the Incursion painting position and its corresponding reward location within Gravesite Plain. Both elements reside in this starting region, making this an excellent first target for new explorers.

Begin your search at Main Gate Cross situated before Belurat Tower Settlement. Reverse your direction and carefully examine the path you originally traveled. A discreet cliffside trail heading southward becomes visible upon closer inspection.
Progressing southward from both Cliffside Terminus Site of Grace and Prospect Town eventually leads to the Artist’s Shack. Engage with the painting inside to add Incursion to your collection.

To secure your reward, travel north from Three-Path Cross Site of Grace until reaching Greatbridge North. From this waypoint, head west until noticing illuminated graves adjacent to an arch structure. Turn your attention toward the rocky elevation beside the archway to encounter the elderly artist’s phantom.
Serpent Crest Shield: This medium shield features Strength D scaling and requires 12 Strength for proper wielding. Its unique properties make it particularly effective against serpentine enemies throughout the DLC.

The Sacred Tower artwork often represents the initial painting discovery for many players exploring Shadow of the Erdtree. However, the valuable item it unlocks requires significant travel to claim, often taking 15-20 minutes of navigation from the painting location.

This painting’s positioning makes it naturally encountered during standard progression, but its reward demands deliberate detour planning. Many players mistakenly assume the prize is nearby, wasting valuable exploration time searching the immediate vicinity.

Spiraltree Seal: This sacred seal enhances incantation scaling significantly, making it particularly valuable for faith-based builds. Its unique properties synergize exceptionally well with fundamentalist incantations found later in the DLC.

The Domain of Dragons painting presents the most challenging discovery in the DLC, typically encountered during late-game exploration. Both the artwork and its reward reside in high-level zones requiring substantial character progression and combat proficiency.

This painting’s location demands thorough exploration of vertically complex terrain and often requires defeating powerful dragon-type enemies guarding the area.

Rock Heart: This unique talisman provides substantial poise enhancement and damage reduction while performing weapon skills. It’s particularly effective for strength builds utilizing slow, powerful attacks that require uninterrupted execution.
Successfully locating all paintings demands strategic approach rather than random exploration. Begin by systematically clearing each major region before moving to the next, as paintings often blend seamlessly with environmental details.
Common Mistakes to Avoid: Many players overlook the Artist’s Shack structures, assuming they’re merely decorative. Always investigate these buildings thoroughly, as they frequently house the paintings themselves.
When searching for reward locations, move slowly through suspected areas and watch carefully for the artist ghost appearance. The spectral figure materializes only when you’re precisely positioned in the correct spot, often requiring minute positional adjustments.
Optimization Tips: Activate all Sites of Grace in a region before painting hunting to facilitate faster travel. The Weapons Unlock guide offers additional combat preparation strategies that prove valuable when navigating dangerous reward locations.
For players struggling with navigation, consulting the Complete Guide provides broader exploration techniques. Meanwhile, understanding character builds through our Class Guide can help optimize your loadout for the challenges encountered during these quests.
Action Checklist
- Activate all Sites of Grace in Gravesite Plain region first
- Locate Incursion painting at Artist’s Shack south of Cliffside Terminus
- Find Serpent Crest Shield reward near Greatbridge North archway
- Discover The Sacred Tower painting during main progression
- Travel to distant Spiraltree Seal location
- Locate Domain of Dragons painting in late-game zones
No reproduction without permission:SeeYouSoon Game Club » All Paintings In Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree Complete guide to finding all three paintings in Elden Ring's DLC with detailed locations and valuable rewards
