Ariana Page Russell isn’t the first artist to use her own flesh as a canvas , but she’s probably the first to do it without having to swallow a bottle of painkillers first.

Russell has an autoimmune disorder called dermatographic urticaria that, though painless, makes welts appear on her skin when it’s lightly scratched. So she takes dull implements (knitting needles, for one) and writes or draws intricate patterns on her legs, arms, stomach, and elsewhere, then documents the results. Each “skin tattoo” lasts about half an hour–just long enough to be photographed.

Creepy? I guess. But it’s also gotta be every starving artist’s dream. Just think: She’ll never have to spend money on canvases or paint.

A new exhibit of Russell’s body art is on view at Magnan Metz Gallery in New York until November 19. More info here.