Popular Phrases

A collection of illustrated popular phrases.


Not proverbs or adages, more throwaway expressions we use, often without really thinking about them.


As a designer, I have to think about them, to try and illustrate the phrase on a t-shirt or sticker.

Common Sense

An apt phrase for this page, Common Sense is a simple statement. When explaining the obvious to someone, or hearing something highfalutin that you can't quite believe - common sense comes to the rescue.


It's as simple as ABC. I checked the spelling for highfalutin, just to save you the trouble.

Common Sense design shows slightly exasperated shruggie with hands raised stating the obvious below - it's Common Sense.

Common Sense Gifts >>

Cry Me A River

A way of expressing pleasure with someone's distress or discomfort, Cry Me a River encourages the recipient to keep on crying.


The design is quite straightforward with the words, a few tears, and a river below.

Cry Me A River design features the words of the phrase with some tears falling, and a river below.

Cry Me A River Gifts >>

It's OK!

A simple fun design for a phrase often repeated. Two words that put everything right with the world.


Negative thoughts can be banished and life can achieve some perspective.


All that from five letters and some punctuation! Because really, it's OK!

It's OK! design features fun lettering with a vague smile and hair, plus curves to either side. It's OK is for encouragement and affirmation because it really is OK!

It's OK! Gifts >>

Make My Day

"Go ahead, make my day".


Said with a sneer, an immortal line from Dirty Harry.


I don't seek trouble, but if you want to foist trouble on me - I'm more than ready for it.


Obviously, I'm just an artist. I don't seek trouble full stop. But it's nice to imagine a world where I could be Dirty Harry for a day.


Go ahead. Punk.

Make My Day is a sarcastic challenge to the viewer. It suggests the wearer welcomes the chance of a confrontation, because they will surely win. Contains the words and a snarky sneer below.

Make My Day Gifts >>

Pound Sand

Ah, the inventiveness and imagery of insults.


"Pound Sand" is a clear suggestion to the recipient to take a course of action. They may find it more useful than their current activity.


When you hear the phrase, the image is of fists pounding sand. An exercise in futile aggression. Go ahead. Try it.

Pound Sand design features the expression

Pound Sand Gifts >>

Such Is Life

When things happen and you just need to accept them and move on. Shrug your shoulders, take a deep breath and mutter "such is life".


Because life sucks sometimes. That's just how things are.

Such Is Life design features a guy shrugging with the words underneath. Oh well, that's that, time to move on and get over it. Such is life.

Such Is Life Gifts >>

Womp Womp

To express disappointment at something, mimicking the sound of a deflating balloon or a sad trombone. That's what it says on the internet.


I drew it because I thought it was a cool sound.

Womp Womp design features hand drawn lettering spelling out the phrase in various colors, with hair above and a smile below. So yeah. Womp Womp.

Womp Womp Gifts >>

The End of Days

Not really. That's a phrase that I don't yet have. It's only the end of the page.


Keen-eyed observers will realise there are not many phrases on this page yet. So many phrases, so little time.


But seriously, so little time. I'll get right on it.


Created by Mark Ewbie. Last Updated: November 16, 2025.