By Joe Julians

Published: Tuesday, 19 October 2021 at 12:00 am


You’ll need a trained eye if you want to buy paintings in Animal Crossing: New Horizons without accidentally buying a fake painting. That’s right, folks – Redd is selling a subtle set of forgeries, in amongst the proper paintings, and we’re here to help you spot the difference.

With the big Animal Crossing: New Horizons update bringing Brewster, Happy Home Paradise and the Series 5 Amiibo Cards into the game, it’s a great time to load up your island again. And if you need a reminder of how to spot the fake paintings in the game, you’ve come to the right place for some pointers.

And so, Nintendo fans, keep on reading and we’ll run through all of Redd’s paintings and how you can spot which ones are not the real deal.

How to spot a fake painting: are Redd’s paintings are real or fake?

If you want to spot a fake painting in Animal Crossing: New Horizons, there are a few things you need to know. First up, there are some paintings that are always going to be real and you can purchase them worry-free such as the Moody painting. But to spot if you are dealing with a real or a fake one can be tricky as you will be looking for differences, some really small, from what the painting should look like.

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Animal Crossing: New Horizons real paintings

All of the above have no fake versions, so there is no need to check what you are buying and you can be assured you have the actual version you want.

Which of Redd’s paintings are fake in Animal Crossing?

Here is where things get a little complicated. Every painting not mentioned above has a fake version out there and it can be hard to tell which is real and which isn’t. But don’t worry, we have you covered, so you can examine what you are getting and tell Redd where to go if he is trying to dupe you.

How to tell if the Academic painting is real or fake

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When you take a look at the painting, keep a close eye on the top right corner and if there is a coffee stain there then that means you are dealing with a fake. The real version, as it should be, is coffee-stain free!

How to tell if the Scenic painting is real or fake

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Pay close attention to the above photo. Towards the left of the painting there are two men by trees with dogs in tow. The fake version cuts one of those men out, so if you only see one man with a bunch of dogs then you are being sold a dodgy painting.

How to tell if the Amazing painting is real or fake

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Notice the gentleman in the middle with his stylish and elegant black hat? Well if you are in possession of a fake version of the painting, he will be hatless and slightly less dressed to impress as he is in the genuine article.

How to tell if the Basic painting is real or fake

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This one comes down to how hairy the person in the painting is. The fake version of the painting has him with a lot of head hair that is growing over his forehead while the real version, pictured above, has a shorter style with just a little tuft on the forehead.

How to tell if the Detailed painting is real or fake

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An easy one this. If the flowers are blue, it’s the real deal for you. If the flowers are purple then this is the bogus one and you should tell Redd where to go!

How to tell if the Famous painting is real or fake

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Look at the eyebrows and if they look normal, then this is the legit painting that you want. The real version is pictured above while the fake has brows that are far from the eyes and point upwards – an easy one to spot.

How to tell if the Graceful painting is real or fake

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This one’s a bit trickier, as there are actually two possible fakes out there. The real one is pictured above, but one of the fakes, and the most common, has the woman in the painting much larger and taking up most of the frame- so avoid that one. Also, look for one where she is facing the other way, as that is also dodgy.

How to tell if the Jolly painting is real or fake

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Another one that is not immediately obvious. You are looking for a specific weed here to tell whether this is real or not. Take a look above at the real version and you will see a weed sticking out in the bottom right corner – if it isn’t there, you have a forgery on your hands!

How to tell if the Moving painting is real or fake

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Take a look at the real one pictured above and notice the trees that are in the top right-hand corner. If they are there, then you can go ahead and purchase the painting safe in the knowledge that it is genuine. If they are missing, it’s a fake.

How to tell if the Quaint painting is real or fake

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This is another hard spot if you don’t know what you are looking for, as it is all to do with how much water is being poured. Above is the correct amount to know whether you are dealing with a legitimate version, but any more water indicates a fake version.

How to tell if the Scary painting is real or fake

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We have another eyebrow situation with the Scary painting. Take a look at the brows above and pay attention to the direction they are facing. If that matches what you see then you are all good, but if the brows are facing a different direction then you have a fake on your hands

How to tell if the Serene painting is real or fake

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Another one that is quite tricky, even if you do know what you are looking for. A discoloured animal is key here, so take a look at the above photo and make sure that the animal in the painting you are buying matches that colouring perfectly – the fake one is slightly greyer.

How to tell if the Solemn painting is real or fake

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This is a really tough one to spot so we have zoomed right in on the key bit you need to know. See the man in the background in the doorway? Well, that is how his arm is supposed to be in the real version and in the fake one it is pointing upwards.

How to tell if the Wild Painting Left Half is real or fake

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Another one that’s all about colour. Above is how this comical, yet slightly terrifying, monster should look. In the fake version he is green, so just make sure you avoid that – although it does get a little confusing when you buy the other half of this painting.

How to tell if the Wild Painting Right Half painting is real or fake

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The second half of the Wild painting switches things around. This time you are looking for the monster to be green so if he is the same colour as the left version, then you have a fake one in your midst.

How to tell if the Wistful painting is real or fake

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Really tricky this – and there are two fake versions doing the rounds. Take a look at the earring the lady in the painting is wearing. Above is how it should look, but the fake version has a star-shaped earring instead so be on the lookout for that. The second fake painting that we know about has her with eyes closed, so remember to check for a circle earring with open eyes and you are good to go.

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