Watercolours Helped Me Get Loose. Acrylics Set Me Free.

How I Found Freedom in Painting

Watercolours helped me loosen up. Acrylics set me free.

I’m 42 now, and it’s taken me decades to discover the pure joy and healing that painting brings.

Let's rewind back to the beginning. For years, I designed textile prints and surface patterns for fashion brands.

I worked in-house for a while before deciding to go freelance. And wow… it was tough. The pressure, the deadlines, the need to always be “on trend”... it started to wear me down.

This is my story of how painting set me free. And it all began with watercolours.

My Start with Watercolours

About a year into freelancing, I signed up for a 6-month watercolour course. I wanted to create more hand-painted designs, something that felt more special than purely digital work.

What I discovered was transformative! Letting the water spread across the paper and watching the inks dance and blend into each other was so satisfying.

It took me a while, but my handwriting became much softer. More feminine. And my brushstrokes were starting to become beautifully loose.

This new aesthetic was precisely what my textile designs needed. So I started sharing my latest designs with the world.

Amazingly, my clients loved it. Print studios were asking for more of my work. And I was selling more prints to fashion brands worldwide! And for a while, it felt exciting.

But deep down, something started to shift.

Burnout Hit

After three years of running my business, I hit a wall. I was tired of creating designs that had to fit someone else’s vision. I felt stuck, burnt out, and creatively drained.

Not only did the restrictive nature of client briefs wear me down, but I couldn’t help but feel guilty for being a part of the fast fashion industry.

So, I walked away. I let go of my clients, said goodbye to my small business, lost all my freelance income and went back to a “normal” job.

It felt like starting over. I was grieving. But maybe that’s what I needed.

The Power of Painting

Before watercolours, I’d been creating everything in Photoshop. It was neat, clean, and efficient… but it didn’t have soul.

Once I started painting by hand, something changed. I felt more connected to what I was creating, and my work felt alive. Allowing myself to get lost in the process reminded me why I fell in love with art in the first place.

Acrylics Taught Me to Let Go

Watercolours taught me to loosen up. But acrylics? They opened the door to something bigger.

After quitting my freelance life, I needed a release. So, I turned to painting once more, but this time with acrylics.

When I first started, I was doing it all wrong. Acrylic paint, by nature, is opaque and more buttery than watercolour. So my delicate and loose hand needed to change.

Within a few months, my brushstrokes became more expressive and wild. My use of colours is bolder and vibrant. And I fell in love with being able to paint for myself, not to any one client or brand!

Which leads me to my next epiphany.

From Design to Art

Design and art are different worlds. Design is about following rules: knowing the market, meeting briefs, staying current with trends, and considering what will sell.

But art is different.

Art is about breaking free of all that. It’s about pure emotion. And having a point of view.

When I paint now, I’m not thinking about whether it fits a season or collection. I’m thinking about how it feels to push colour across a canvas. I’m letting emotions guide me, not market demands.

Why I’ll Keep Painting

Painting abstract florals is more than just creating something beautiful to hang on a wall; it's about capturing the essence of nature. It’s my therapy, a way to slow down, and a chance to explore who I am, reconnecting with joy.

After years of designing for others, I finally get to paint for myself.

And I’m not stopping anytime soon.

If you’ve read this far, thank you so much! I’d love to learn more about you.

Are you an artist on a similar journey? Or a quiet observer who is curious about my art process?

Regardless, your support means a lot to me.

To view my most recent paintings, go to this link: https://www.carolynquan.art/category/original-canvas

With gratitude,

Carolyn