40 Absurd And Amusing Illustrations Unveiling The Literal Meanings Of Words And Word Combinations

A 28-year-old illustrator turned English-nerd is taking the most normal phrases and turning them into literal little disasters. “Goose bumps” becomes a whole vibe, “knight owl” looks like a medieval creature with late-night energy, and “sleeping pill” is basically a visual gag you can’t unsee.

It started as doodles pulled out during a cold, then grew into a full-on wordplay playground. Now she’s juggling sketchbook fun with adult responsibilities, trying to keep perfectionism from stomping over every idea. Even her day-to-day life gets hijacked, because an everyday moment can trigger a pun, a character, or a future mural plan.

And once she starts drawing these word-meanings on purpose, you realize the English language has been quietly begging for chaos.

1. Goose bumps

Surrealians

"The idea of doodling came to me while recovering from a cold. It was a happy accident that I discovered this style of cartooning, and therefore it is pure play for me. In this space, I can be playful and joyful, and I don't worry too much about making flawless illustrations. I share doodles and puns simply because they make me smile. At least everyone who speaks (some) English."

2. Knight owl

Surrealians

3. Sleeping pill

Surrealians

"Playfulness is something I've rediscovered thanks to this Instagram account. It's always been important in my work and in my life, but it got shoved aside when I was too busy adulting. I think all humans are playful in childhood, but growing up, it's hard to hold onto your playfulness when life becomes chock-full of adult responsibilities.What I do now is try to draw in my sketchbook regularly without the pressure of posting anything, just for fun. I think perfectionism can easily kill creativity, so it's crucial to find a form of being creative that is so small that the monster that is perfectionism isn't alerted to what you do. I call it The Smallest Thing. As in, what's the smallest thing I can do creatively to get me going."

4. Eye shadow

Surrealians

5. Pepper spray

Surrealians

That goose-bump doodling phase didn’t stay cute for long, because the cold that sparked it also taught her how easily joy can appear when she stops aiming for flawless.</p>

"My various creative pursuits as an interior architect, writer, and illustrator are sometimes difficult to balance with my personal life because there simply aren't enough hours in the day. However, they often inspire each other because life is full of serendipity, and even an everyday situation can trigger an idea for a doodle or an illustrated story.

Conversely, I'm now introducing my doodles into my work as an interior architect, and (it's not all decided yet) I'm hoping to do a mural with my black and white doodles on the interior wall of a project soon."

6. Super glue

Surrealians

7. Butt-erfly

Surrealians

"I have a passion for the English language and wordplay, but funnily enough, the people whose work I admire use words quite sparingly (if at all). I love the cartoonists Saul Steinberg and Sempé, as well as the writer and illustrator Edward Gorey. And of course, the Japanese graphic designer Shigeo Fukuda, the tattooist Michele Volpi, and the songwriting of Amy Winehouse and Leonard Cohen. There are so many more. I'll have to come back and add to the list!"

8. Cereal killer

Surrealians

9. Coconut milk

Surrealians

10. Sweat pants

Surrealians

11. Kit-tea

Surrealians

12. USBee

Surrealians

13. Star fish

Surrealians

14. Bottle cap

Surrealians

15. Clown fish

Surrealians

Speaking of office food feuds, a worker’s legendary stuffed peppers sparked a lunchtime showdown.

16. Fish fingers

Surrealians

17. Buffalo bill

Surrealians

18. Fire crackers

Surrealians

19. Peanut butter cup

Surrealians

20. Key board

Surrealians

21. Straight face

Surrealians

22. Squeaky clean

Surrealians

23. Carry all

Surrealians

24. Alley cats

Surrealians

25. Sharp dresser

Surrealians

26. Egg-cercise

Surrealians

27. Milk man

Surrealians

29. Belly laugh

Surrealians

30. Looking sharp

Surrealians

31. Fruit cake

Surrealians

32. Sharp cheese

Surrealians

33. Snow white

Surrealians

34. Water shed

Surrealians

35. It sucks

Surrealians

36. Knight shift

Surrealians

37. Hare

Surrealians

38. U-kelele

Surrealians

40. Green fingers

Surrealians

41. Sticky

Surrealians

42. Straight jacket

Surrealians

Then the “The Smallest Thing” rule kicked in, right when adult responsibilities threatened to bury her sketches under the pressure of posting and perfecting.</p>

Next thing you know, her interior architect life and her illustrated stories are borrowing ideas from each other, like an “eye shadow” moment turning into a whole scene in her sketchbook.</p>

And once “super glue” and “pepper spray” show up as literal visuals, the only complicated part is how she’s going to fit all that wordplay into her already packed days.</p>

It comes as no surprise that Research has garnered significant attention. Her illustrations offer a delightful and imaginative perspective on words, while her unwavering commitment to nurturing curiosity and playfulness serves as an inspiration to us all.

Prepare to be captivated by Nadia Tolstoy's extraordinary talent and embrace the whimsical world she has created.

The language isn’t just being explained, it’s being physically illustrated into something you can’t stop laughing at.

For more lunch-break conflict, see how Reddit judged someone refusing to share treats with a critical colleague.