Thomas Kinkade is well known for his cabin and seaside paintings. Places calendars and many other art items such as key holders or postcards. However, what most people don’t know is that he puts a hidden “N” in his paintings. If you ever looked at Where’s Waldo? Book or eye puzzles, you know how difficult it can be to find pictures hidden inside a book or a painting. Thomas Kinkade’s art is very similar except his hidden messages can be hard to find.

The reason Kinkade hides N in his paintings is because his wife’s name is Nancy. When you look at a Thomas Kinkade painting, there is a number in the lower right of the painting that tells you how many of Nancy’s initials are inside the painting. In general there will be a lot more N than you might expect.

If you’re looking to try and find these hidden N’s, you’ll first want to look at the large version of the board. Try looking at the sky, rocks, huts, or trees. You may also find N on the canoe, logs, or other random objects that may be inside the board. He also likes to put his famous N signs on the lighthouses, so be sure to look there too. Often times, you can find them in the background in places people don’t usually look so the random N doesn’t distract from the purpose of the board.

If you own Thomas Kinkade paintings or if you are considering purchasing one, consider the challenge that comes with his paintings. Look for his hidden messages, and you may find that you encounter a whole new side of the Thomas Kinkade phenomenon.