Chinese culture has a long history. Art and culture, as an important component of it, play a significant role and exert considerable influence in Chinese culture. Against the backdrop of an increasing emphasis on the integration and promotion of traditional Chinese culture, it is necessary to pay attention to the inheritance and innovation of the traditional figure painting color system in contemporary times. This is not only one of the key measures to promote the development of the art field, but also enables the traditional figure painting color system to be innovated, infusing it with fresh blood and ensuring its high-quality development in contemporary times. This reveals the cultural connotation of modern Chinese painting and also reflects the attitude of Chinese painting towards foreign art, which has significant practical significance for the high-quality development of the domestic fine arts field. Therefore, this study will explore and analyze the inheritance and contemporary innovation paths of the color system in traditional figure painting.