You can't get along without a knowledge of the principles and

Hear the voice of Winslow Homer, master painter of the seas and skies, who declared: “You can't get along without a knowledge of the principles and rules governing the influence of one color upon another. A mechanic might as well try to get along without tools.” In this teaching, he reveals a truth both simple and eternal: that skill without understanding is empty, and that mastery is born not of impulse alone, but of knowledge, discipline, and harmony with the laws that govern creation.

For color is not chaos. It is order veiled in mystery. Each hue speaks to another, blending or clashing, strengthening or diminishing. To the untrained eye, the painter’s work may seem like mere instinct or chance, but Homer reminds us that true art requires the principles and rules that bind the colors together. Just as music flows by laws of harmony, so too does painting live by the laws of contrast, balance, and influence. To ignore these truths is to stumble blindly; to learn them is to wield light itself upon the canvas.

The ancients knew this well. Consider the mosaics of Byzantium, where gold shone beside blue and crimson, lifting the spirit of the beholder toward heaven. This was not accident, but knowledge—the artists understood how one color could exalt another. Or think of the Renaissance masters, like Leonardo and Raphael, who studied not only form but the very nature of light and shade, so that their paintings glowed with life. Their greatness came not from raw inspiration alone, but from reverence for the rules that govern beauty.

Homer’s comparison is sharp: a mechanic without tools is powerless, no matter how clever his mind. Likewise, an artist without knowledge of color is helpless, no matter how passionate his spirit. Passion without craft is wasted; craft without knowledge is hollow. But when knowledge, discipline, and imagination join together, they become a trinity of power. Then the artist is no longer fumbling with chaos—he is shaping the world with intention.

This truth stretches beyond the painter’s studio. For life itself is a canvas, and each choice we make is a color upon it. To live wisely is to know how our actions influence one another, how kindness deepens the beauty of courage, how greed dulls the brightness of hope. Just as colors influence colors, so do souls influence souls. Those who learn this principle live in harmony; those who ignore it bring discord to themselves and others.

Consider the tale of George Seurat, who pioneered pointillism. By placing tiny dots of pure color side by side, he trusted the laws of color to blend them in the viewer’s eye. Many doubted him, but his knowledge of color’s influence proved true, and his art revealed a new way of seeing the world. His story shows us that knowledge of rules does not confine the artist—it frees them to innovate, to expand, to create with vision and confidence.

The lesson, my children, is clear: whether in art, in craft, or in life, do not despise the rules that govern your work. Learn them, honor them, and let them be your tools. For knowledge is not a chain but a key, unlocking doors to mastery. Begin with discipline, and from discipline let imagination rise. Then, like Homer, you shall not only paint with colors, but with truth itself.

Therefore, let his words echo in your heart: knowledge of principles is the foundation of creation. Without it, you stumble in shadow; with it, you shape light. Be as the wise mechanic who takes up his tools, as the painter who knows his colors. And in your own craft—whether with brush, with word, or with deed—seek always to learn the rules, that you may one day transcend them and leave behind a work of beauty for generations to behold.