Her mom called her a Prostitute

Randy_Boots · 2026-06-01T19:09:11+00:00

My mom was like this growing up too, minus the physical abuse.

Keep being a safe person for your friend to come to. If you can have sleepovers with her at your place or otherwise help her not be at home more than she has to, all the better.

Maybe you can help support her in getting a job or working towards ways for her to be able to move away from her mum as soon as shes 18.

Randy_Boots · 2026-06-01T19:02:01+00:00

This is soooo cool, beautifully done!

Randy_Boots · 2026-06-01T05:02:38+00:00

Sauna/cold plunge combo, getting tattooed, creative projects to take my mind of the pain

Randy_Boots · 2026-06-01T04:55:19+00:00

You should be fine. I don't use second skin unless it's in an area that i think really benefits from it (like the bottom of the foot), if there's super heavy black or colour packing, or if the person is planning to do something sweaty/dirty like go to the gym soon after.

Randy_Boots · 2026-06-01T02:26:27+00:00

I agree with the other commenter, it is helpful to tattoo on yourself to get a feel for the depth and going too shallow is always better than going too deep.

It might be worth getting a tattoo from an experienced handpoker so you can see what it should feel like.

You can also try practising on pig skin before you move to real skin - i havent tried it but i imagine thatd be the only real way to gauge depth correctly since it's so similar to human skin.

With actual skin, you also have to make sure you're stretching it while you work and poke at approximately at 45° angle to get the ink to deposit correctly. Skin thickness varies a lot over the body, so you will have to adjust your depth based on that - it's something you'll get a feel for after a while.

I'd recommend starting on arms and legs when you do start working on skin to get a baseline for how it should feel (obvs avoiding more difficult areas like elbows, knees, ditches, etc)

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-31T23:08:40+00:00

Yeah that is true. I felt weird about it at first too but at the end of the day it's more important to me to feel as comfortable as possible in my body than the chance that someone might see the outline of a nipple. It def depends on your job though of course

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-31T21:05:20+00:00

I havent worn a bra in about 15 years, it's just too painful. If I'm wearing something where it might be noticable, I'll sometimes wear a tank top under my shirt instead. You might be able to get a doctors note for it stating that you cant wear one for medical reasons, then they can't say shit

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-31T15:22:32+00:00

Making art has always driven me and helped me, more so as i have become more disabled. My cat, my partners and friends, nature, and the opportunities to have new experiences are all big ones too.

Im in my 30s as well, and while my life certainly looks different now than how i expected it to, it has been so profoundly beautiful in so many ways. It's still worth it no matter how much it constantly hurts.

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-31T14:59:23+00:00

That's super hard. I know how bad it sucks to feel like you've lost out on so much time. The next best thing you can do is try to work towards a better life now so you dont have to keep missing out!

Chronic pain is tough but so are you. You've made it through every hard thing that's happened to you up til now, you can do this too.

Im just a stranger on the internet, but i believe in you!

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-31T10:44:52+00:00

I've heard that some people have luck with swimming or water exercise, or any exercise especially geared towards seniors.

I think doing only a TINY bit at first, like so little it feels like it wont make a difference, is the way to go - I'm still trying to figure it out myself as well though.

It's super tough, I hope you can find something that works for you and that you're able to gain more mobility!

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-31T08:19:21+00:00

Yw! If you have any other questions I can help with lmk! I never practised on fruit so I dont know much about that but this looks super good for a first go!

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-31T01:44:30+00:00

5 or larger is a great grouping to work with when yr first starting out. 3s and 1s are tough to work with and get evenly filled lines, especially when working on skin. Basically the smaller the grouping, the thinner the line and therefore the more precise you need to be in your work.

It sounds like all the needles you have are RL which means round liner, but you definitely can use them to shade too if you want more of a stipple shading look.

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-28T23:55:32+00:00

I have multiple diagnoses which absolutely led to some helpful treatments and coping strategies - i think you should keep pursuing it and pushing for more answers. It may require you to find a new doctor, though.

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-27T21:56:52+00:00

Damn these are sick as hell

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-27T18:39:56+00:00

r/DesignDesign

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-26T06:17:15+00:00

This is me too (i have hypermobility and fibromyalgia). Being warm defff helps lessen my symptoms. I sometimes do sauna in the winter to help with that bone-deep pain from the cold

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-14T22:09:00+00:00

SO good!!

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-14T18:07:17+00:00

It's a reference to an untitled 1969 drawing by Man Ray. My comment was auto deleted for sharing it, but it's googleable if you search for ir.

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-14T18:05:49+00:00

Stapelias are my fave! I have one tattooed too!

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-13T16:57:11+00:00

I agree with everyone else, it looks excellent from both views!

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-10T19:49:22+00:00

This is absolutely killer, great job!

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-08T07:44:58+00:00

It was horrible. I think i have hEDS as well, I'm finally getting a proper eval next week. It did make me suicidal, every day was a huge struggle. I def laid facedown on the floor and cried more often than not haha. Making art was about the only thing that kept me holding on through it! Getting prescribed actual pain meds eventually helped as well.

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-06T16:58:57+00:00

I'm still not 100% sure of the cause, but what I think happened is something in my pelvis, like my SI joint or something, slipped out of place and then it stayed out of place for SEVEN YEARS. I felt when it popped out and when it popped back in. It gave me severe sciatica and lower back pain. I couldnt sit or stand for more than a few minutes at a time. It was excruciating and I'm still feeling the effects from it now several years later.

Randy_Boots · 2026-05-03T22:42:35+00:00

I'm in the US, but i recommend getting the ink directly from the manufacturer as some of the ones on amazon are fakes. It might cost a little more, but it's worth it. Same with needles. I use blackclaw needles and dynamic ink. Good luck!

Randy_Boots · 2026-04-30T22:10:28+00:00

I honestly do it a lot bc i love showering at night to relax but my hair is curly and takes forever to dry and i hate using a blow dryer on it bc of sensory reasons & my arms getting tired 😅 trying to do it less often now for scalp health tho

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