Manifesto of the Philosophical School of Painting and Color
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction The Philosophical School of Painting and Color regards painting as an act of inner equilibrium.The artist does not construct a form through rational calculation, but follows a state of intuitive balance, where the hand moves by its own inner law — guided not by intellect, but by the natural measure of harmony. Every brushstroke is a manifestation of presence, a trace of being.Color does not describe the visible world — it reveals its inner structure, turning the canvas into a space of contemplation rather than depiction. Core Principles of the School 1. Principle of Equilibrium Automatism Automatism here is not randomness but a natural motion of consciousness, freed from external control.The artist’s gesture arises from an inner rhythm of balance, where every mark finds its place not by logic but by the inner sense of measure. In the balance between gesture and pause, the living organism of the painting emerges. 2. Principle of State A painting is not a representation, but an imprint of a state.The artist does not imitate the object but records the energetic configuration of the moment — its rhythm, its internal temperature, its pulse of time. 3. Principle of Layered Brushwork The brushstroke is not a sign but an event — a trace of movement in space.Layering arises naturally as the hand returns to the same field again and again, each time entering into a new dialogue with what was laid before. Scientifically, this can be described as optical layering, where light is refracted and scattered between pigment films, creating depth and vibration within the color field. Layering is a metaphor of time accumulated in space. 4. Principle of the Breathing Color Color does not fill the form — it breathes.The artist seeks a balance between density and transparency, between appearance and disappearance.Each tone becomes a pulse of matter, and the painting itself — a breathing organism. 5. Principle of Inner Light The true source of light is internal.It is born not from the external illumination of the scene but from the structure of color itself — from the subtle oscillations between warm and cool, opaque and transparent tones. Thus, the painting glows from within, animated by the energy of state. 6. Principle of Silence and Contemplation Silence in a painting is not emptiness, but space for meaning to arise.The artist’s aim is not to fill the surface but to let the form resonate with quiet presence. Through silence, the painting begins to speak. 7. Principle of the Balance of Elements Every pictorial element corresponds to one of the primal forces — fire, earth, water, air.Painting becomes a meeting ground of elements, where fire manifests in gesture, water in transparency, earth in pigment body, and air in the spaces between strokes. Harmony is achieved when all four elements breathe together. 8. Principle of the Warm Foundation A warm underpainting — in rose, ochre, or orange tones — beneath green and cool layers is not a mere compositional device but a structural law of visual energy. The warm base creates an effect of inner illumination.Physically, this is due to the interaction of spectral ranges: warm wavelengths (580–650 nm) enhance the vibration of cooler tones, producing the illusion of light emerging from within. Philosophically, this foundation represents the hidden warmth of being — a silent memory of the sun, from which all life arises. The warm ground is the latent sun within the painting. 9. Principle of the Living Space The space of a painting is not static — it breathes, moves, and resonates with the state of the viewer.Composition emerges not from linear perspective but from the balance of forces, from the dialogue of masses, centers, and directions. In this painting there is no background and figure — only the living field of being. Conclusion The Philosophical School of Painting and Color is not a style or technique — it is a way of being in the act of painting.Its principles unite philosophy, physics of light, and psychology of perception, transforming painting into a path of inner knowledge. Painting is not the image of the world, but a means of understanding it.Each stroke is a step toward harmony. 📘 Author of the Concept: Nona Dronova, Professor, Artist, Researcher of Color and Pictorial Structure. Suggested Keywords for Zenodo: Philosophical Painting, Inner Light, Color Theory, Contemporary Art Philosophy, Aesthetic Equilibrium, Visual Perception, Automatism, Layering, Painting Research, Art Theory
Author: NONA, Dronova
Language: English
Subfield: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7084398807
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