Every relationship forms a vast tapestry of emotions and experiences, each unique to the individuals involved. Imperfect yet profound, these connections reveal the depth of human feelings and the capacity for kindness and understanding. Los Angeles-based artist Amanda Oleander skillfully crafts endearing and relatable illustrations that beautifully encapsulate the essence of relationships. Through her art, she offers a glimpse into the tender moments, challenges, and joys that unfold in everyday life.
Presented here are 40 images curated in chronological order, portraying the journey from the initial sparks of romance to the enduring commitment of a long-term relationship. Follow the progression from the early stages of love to shared living spaces, ultimately crowned with the joys of parenthood. If you’re intrigued, continue scrolling for a heartwarming visual narrative.
Sleeping Alone
The impact of long distance can either strengthen or strain a relationship. One of the most challenging hurdles to navigate is the realization that you won’t be returning to each other at night, sharing the comfort of a good night’s sleep in each other’s embrace. Instead, an even greater yearning lingers.
Embracing a pillow and envisioning it as her significant other became the most comforting option in the tangible absence of her man. This poignant drawing vividly portrays the subject’s wishes, dreams, and hopes, evoking a mixture of beauty and sorrow.
Long Distance
Maintaining a long-distance relationship is incredibly challenging, requiring substantial effort from both individuals for any chance of success. Even with sincere commitment and hard work, there’s no guarantee that it will ultimately thrive—distance poses a formidable obstacle.
Observing the datestamp on the pillow, it’s apparent that this moment occurred during a period when everyone, including couples living apart, was experiencing separation. It was a challenging and melancholic time for all. Fortunately, everyone managed to navigate through it in their own way, emerging resilient.
Dating Aspects
Embarking on a new relationship often comes with initial awkwardness. The conversations centered around “getting to know you” can be both thrilling and anxiety-inducing. In such moments, breaking the ice through physical touch can sometimes be the easiest and more playful approach. Wink, wink.
Fast-food dinner dates are a universal experience, and these two individuals are no exception. Their inability to keep their hands off each other speaks volumes about the palpable chemistry and attraction they share. While some aspects might be better suited for a more private setting, there’s an undeniable charm in the beauty of young love.
Loving Gaze On a Holiday
Embarking on travels with your partner feels like a dream realized! Having found your person, the possibilities seem boundless. Riding on cloud nine, the sense of adventure is limitless, and together you feel capable of journeying to the ends of the earth and back. It’s a delightful stage in life.
This image serves as a poignant reminder of that blissful sensation. In this moment, you have each other, not bound by marriage, with no plans for children in the foreseeable future. Selfishly relishing life as it is, carefree and unburdened, this is the phase where your love is meant to be nurtured and fortified through shared experiences.
Livin’ La Vida Loca
As previously mentioned, we are progressing through the stages of this relationship chronologically. This comic now guides us to the subsequent phase: cohabitation and a committed long-term relationship. The simplicity of this image radiates a heartwarming and cozy atmosphere, evoking warm and fuzzy feelings.
There’s an undeniably comforting allure to donning your pajamas, munching on popcorn, and relaxing in bed while enjoying some Netflix. Is there a superior way to spend a Saturday night with your loved one? We didn’t think so either.
Reading Her to Sleep
In a long-term, serene, and harmonious relationship, cultivating a love for reading and books can become a cherished habit. Encouraging each other to grow individually and as a team, fostering such positive habits contributes to personal development and strengthens the bond between partners.
Beyond the act of reading a book together, the way the girl gazes up at her chosen partner is a glimpse of what everyone should seek in a relationship. It embodies the ideal of finding someone who loves you unconditionally, reciprocating that love in return.
Game of Thrones Cosplay?
An indication of a healthy, evolving relationship is embarking on a shared television show. In a way, it represents another form of commitment. Consider starting a show with someone and then parting ways soon after — attempting to finish it alone might inadvertently reopen old wounds.
These two appear to have embarked on a journey into the world of “Game of Thrones” or something similarly captivating. Their intense focus and enthusiasm for the show and its plot are evident. With popcorn, champagne, and a charcuterie board in tow, the fact that they’ve even donned full cosplays adds an extra layer of couple goals to the mix!
Different Climates
Finding the perfect temperature at home that suits both you and your partner can be quite a challenge. More often than not, one of you ends up sweating while the other feels chilly, creating a dynamic akin to being in entirely different climates.
Amanda skillfully captured this common struggle in a delightful manner, showcasing her recognizable and authentic art style. Demonstrating a deep understanding of people and their diverse life situations, she has the ability to create art that resonates with a broad audience.
Team Work
Coexisting with a long-term partner demands considerable effort, compromise, and mutual agreement. Collaborating towards shared goals is essential. The artist adeptly illustrates the concept of teamwork through a simple image of the pair engaged in household chores, highlighting the collaborative aspect of a lasting partnership.
She’s busy vacuuming the floor while he takes on cooking duties, going the extra mile by supporting himself on the kitchen counter to assist her. What a thoughtful gesture! It’s a testament to the strength of their partnership. Kudos to the girl for making a great choice. Everyone deserves a partner—man or woman—who willingly engages in such cooperative efforts.
Self-Care Moments
The practice of self-care should be ongoing, extending beyond moments of singledom or entering into a relationship. Being sufficient for yourself and finding joy in your own company, at least most of the time, is crucial. This self-sufficiency paves the way for welcoming someone into your life in a healthy and balanced manner.
This couple fully embraces the concept! He’s letting her enjoy her moment—reading a book, wearing a face mask, and snacking on grapes—while he likely heads off to engage in some online gaming with friends or perhaps a jog around the block. It’s a delightful display of respecting each other’s individual pursuits.
Nap Time
There’s truly nothing quite like nap time! The sheer comfort of being at ease enough to relax and sleep next to someone is an unparalleled joy. Despite our natural instincts designed to protect us against potential threats while sleeping, those instincts seem to effortlessly fade away when we’re with the right people. It’s a testament to the profound sense of safety and trust that accompanies genuine connections.
It’s an unspoken truth that men, once they reach a level of comfort, can transform into little babies who adore nestling on their partner’s chest and seeking solace in their partner’s arms. Witnessing this endearing sight evokes a warm and fuzzy feeling, creating a unique and tender moment in the relationship.
Enough With the News, Already!
In 2020, there was a collective obsession with keeping up with the news, and people eagerly consumed every new article released. It was a challenging time, and the hunger for knowledge was more intense than ever. This comic truly captures that shared obsession and mentality of the era.
Both of us were in that situation. Our phones held a mesmerizing grip on us, yet we also felt the exhaustion they brought. Clearly, she wishes for him to put away his phone and simply turn off the lights, but he finds it hard to tear himself away. Poor guy, caught in the struggle between technology and the desire for a peaceful moment.
Forehead Kisses!
Welcome, the majestic forehead kisses! They reign as the most royal form of kisses, embodying pure love, devotion, and care for a significant other. Each forehead kiss leaves us breathless and fills our hearts with a warmth that transcends words.
As the man joyfully appreciates his girl’s hair, the dog in the background seems to wear a look of intense sadness and disappointment. Its eyes reflect a sense of longing, almost filled with tears, evoking a twinge of sympathy. Let’s remember to share some love with the furry friend as well!
A Cute Little Family
It might sound cliché, but family extends beyond blood ties; you can choose who becomes a part of your inner circle. It doesn’t necessarily involve having children or settling down, and it certainly doesn’t have to culminate in marriage. It can be as simple and beautiful as living with a partner and pets, forming a loving little community together.
These two individuals appear genuinely content with the life they’ve chosen, and it’s important to remember that no one has the right to pass judgment on their choices. Despite their apparent happiness, it’s clear who holds the reins in this dynamic. Woof, woof.
Pumpkin Carvin’ Season
Even though pumpkin carving season is quite a distance away, Amanda wanted to revisit those warm, fuzzy moments from the last one and share them with her audience. She possesses a special knack for drawing people in and creating a positive, feel-good atmosphere.
Loving stares, productive time spent, and a jealous dog—what a picture-perfect life! Whether they were getting ready for Halloween, crafting autumnal decorations, or simply enjoying a bonding activity, the specifics don’t matter. They’re incredibly adorable together, and just looking at them evokes warm and fuzzy feelings!
Grocery Shopping Date
Couples frequently cherish these outings as some of their favorites, and it’s easy to see why: you go out, enjoy a meal together, spend money on delicious food, and return home to create a lovely dinner experience with candles, wine, and desserts. What’s not to love about that?
The depth of their love is unmistakable; it radiates from their faces. Finding someone who would playfully push you around in a shopping cart, accompanied by those heart-eye looks, is truly special. Here’s hoping they returned home and whipped up a delicious meal together!
Get Off!
At times, having pets intrude into your personal space can be a bit annoying. While their love for you is undeniable, their desire to be by your side at all times can be less convenient on certain occasions, if you catch our drift.
This woman seems determined not to let her dog join them in bed. Whatever the reason, the dog appears utterly shocked by her decision. The threatening face and pointed finger speak volumes about the delicacy of the situation. Dog, trust us, it might be best to make a swift exit.
Pimple Poppin’
A clear sign of a deep bond with someone is when they allow you to pop their pimples and deal with black spots. It’s the ultimate demonstration of trust, love, and a solid foundation for a lifelong friendship and partnership. Having each other’s back extends to even clearing up some back acne. It’s a testament to the intimacy and comfort you share with one another.
The man seems to have resigned himself to his fate, fully aware of what awaits him at the end of the day. At this point, he’s accepting it with a certain level of surrender. The woman, on the other hand, is entirely focused on her task, and it would be a shame to take away the joy she finds in it.
“I Won’t Fall Asleep, I Promise!”
Couples often find themselves in this familiar argument. One declares, “I won’t fall asleep this time, promise!” The other responds with skepticism, stating, “But you always say that!” A defensive comeback follows, “I know, this time it will be different!” However, more often than not, it turns out that it’s never really different.
Naturally, she ended up falling asleep. It came as no surprise, especially to her significant other, who appears utterly done with it all, finding the situation rather amusing. She’s either exhausted or just so comfortably nestled in her significant other’s arms that nothing could keep her from snuggling close and drifting off.
Intimacy Like This
Intimacy is a very important part of any relationship. It can be reached through different means, and each couple knows what works best for them. In this next picture, we can see how the artist portrays intimacy in her own way.
Allowing someone to touch your hair can be one of the most intimate gestures, excluding, of course, the scenario with a professional hair stylist. When it’s your significant other, and they go beyond just touching to brushing or tidying it up—those butterflies in the stomach truly come to life!
The Pupper Found Its Spot
It’s heartwarming to see this pupper receiving some love, especially considering that a few others in Amanda’s comics were somewhat neglected. Recall the one that the owner kicked out of bed for reasons unknown to the observer? Yeah, that one.
While the owners were sleeping, the dog crawled in and found its spot on an available pillow. What we find the most adorable of all is the way its little paw is out, and the legs are visible through the snuggly sheets. So wholesome.
Say “Cheese!”
There is nothing more satisfying than taking an unflattering photo of someone who is unaware of it. Some couples even do this as a form of banter and poking fun, lovingly, at one another. Amanda Oleander has that for us today.
These are relationship goals, as youngsters would say! He is just taking a nap on the sofa, with a string of drool falling out of his mouth, snoring uncontrollably, and she is standing there, taking his photo and sending it to all her friends.
Chopping Vegetables & Chill
This is a much better, sweeter variant to Netflix & Chill—we call it Chopping & Chill. This is the committed form of a relationship and spending time with one another. You are just relaxing, cooking dinner, and enjoying each other’s presence.
Those kinds of hugs are undeniably the cutest and most comforting things ever. The feelings of pure bliss and happiness that accompany them are rare and should be held close to the heart and in memory. These hugs have the power to keep each person in the relationship feeling whole.
No Class
At some point in any relationship, there comes a level of comfort where you both become so at ease that you might forget about manners or having class. It becomes a playful competition of who can be more “disgusting,” unleashing longer burps or smellier farts, as a humorous way of expressing intimacy and familiarity.
The state of the lady’s dirty shirt and her wide-open mouth, stuffed with marshmallows and popcorn, reveals everything about the duration of this relationship. They’re comfortably two and a half years in, and their happiness seems as strong as ever!
That Morning Breath
Many people cherish cuddling, making out, and engaging in other activities as soon as they wake up on the weekend. However, the reality of the situation becomes all too apparent the moment one of them opens their mouth, and that morning stench hits you in the face.
The way this man is deeply inhaling his girl’s breath tells a larger story than one might imagine. It’s a clear expression of deep love. He doesn’t back away or show any sign of disgust, and she is delighted because she likely knows how unpleasant it can get. Their comfort and acceptance in such intimate moments speak volumes about their connection.
Doing Things Together Part I
Living with a partner often means that moments of solitude become rare occurrences. This is especially true if your living space is small, where almost every activity is shared, or at the very least, the other person is in the room or nearby.
This is a beautiful and wholesome depiction of a woman taking a bath, with her man tenderly washing her hair while she reads a book. Even though it’s drawn and not real, their love shines through, creating an image that embodies absolute relationship goals.
Bakin’ Cookies in Underwear
If you’ve never baked anything in just your underwear with a significant other, then you haven’t truly experienced life! If you have a partner and some comfy underwear, consider waiting for a Saturday evening and indulging in some baking together!
If you’ve never baked anything in just your underwear with a significant other, then you haven’t truly experienced life! If you have a partner and some comfy underwear, consider waiting for a Saturday evening and indulging in some baking together!
Her Hair Everywhere
You’ve never been in a relationship with a girl if her hair hasn’t found its way into everything—on and in your clothes, shoes, socks, and even your mouth. It’s not the girls’ fault that their hair is longer and sheds periodically throughout the year. Shaking my head at the dudes who don’t get it!
Luckily, Amanda Oleander understands the struggle guys face when in a committed relationship and living with their female partner. She, as always, has an interesting, beautifully drawn picture to display just that. We love how relatable all her comics are.
Melting From All the Love. And Heat.
We are not really certain what the author wanted to say with this image. Like, what is the message here: is she melting from all the love, or from all the heat? We figured it was up to the spectator to figure it out for themselves.
Everyone has experienced both of these feelings at least once in their lives: melting from the heat because you don’t want to move because you love your partner’s hugs and cuddles so much. Melting from all the love at the same time.
When The Realization Hits
Sometimes, you are not aware of the kind of person you have by your side. This realization can hit you at a very random point during the day, and that’s usually at night when you are winding down. That’s what happened here.
Her face says it all! This girl is excited out of her mind. It’s interesting just how many things people can understand from cartoons and digital art of this kind. When you think of it, art becoming digital, and therefore global, might be the best thing ever.
Head & Shoulders Commercial
One of the difficult things to get used to when living with someone is the amount of foreign hair you will start noticing all around your place, especially in the bath/shower and basin. Most of this excess hair is coming from women, let’s be honest.
This looks like a shampoo commercial selling the length and volume of that woman’s hair! The man is clearly suffocating, but he will persevere for the higher cause: staying in a loving, caring, healthy relationship. There are some things that you just have to accept.
Building a Fort
Building a fort is not only a fun activity for kids, but adults can partake and enjoy it, too! If someone thinks that’s silly, here is a message for them: Don’t be so judgemental, and have fun at least once in a while!
They seem like they are having fun, and enjoying their love and their life together. Look at how their feet are rubbing together. That is a sign of pure intimacy and devotion! Popcorn is a detail that must not be forgotten in these situations! A good fort needs good snacks!
Doing Things Together Part II
In the first part, a man accompanied a woman while she was doing her regular thing. This time, the roles have reversed, and now the girl is inserting herself in a situation that does not require her at all. And that is what partnership looks like sometimes.
The dude just wants to shave, but instead of doing it the old, boring way, this girl decided to join in and just hug him from behind, being a part of his manly ritual. Well, hope he knows that he is the one that will clean those beard hairs out of the sink…
Doing Things Together Part III
This is the last part of the series: Doing Things Together. This time, differently from the first two parts, both of them are doing the same thing. Having quality time together is very important if you want your relationship to last.
We don’t know if this counts as quality time, but it sure looks like it! They are sharing their time with each other, brushing their teeth right before bed, recounting their day, and having a good laugh. Guys, enjoy all that before the kids come…
Surprise!
Relationships are wonderful, beautiful, and even spiritual things. However, a lot of couples agree that almost every partnership should be crowned with a child. Not everyone opts for this, but most couples do. After all, it’s a natural instinct to want to have kids. How else would the species survive?!
When a woman finds out she is pregnant, the first thing she usually does is share it with a partner. This news can come as shocking at first, even a bit frightening. However, a child can never bring anything but happiness.
Baby’s First Picture
Pregnancy is not easy. You have to visit your doctor pretty often and do all kinds of tests to make sure your baby is healthy and well. It all pays off at the end of the day, especially when you do ultrasounds and see your little one for the first time.
With ultrasounds, couples can usually tell what the sex of the baby is and start prepping. This is yet another precious, memorable milestone one relationship can go through. This is the baby’s first photograph, something almost all future parents cherish deeply.
Third Trimester Things
Entering the third trimester is something every mom is both excited by and anxious about. Yes, they are going to meet their baby very soon, but also, the realness of childbirth is approaching, and it’s nerve-racking. Thank goodness we have modern medicine to ease the anxiety a drop.
What every woman has to think about, though, besides that, is packing her bag for when she enters the hospital as one person and comes out with a new family member. “Wet wipes, regular wipes, pajamas, moisturizing cream, pads, underwear, did I forget something?!”
Welcome Home, Little One!
When childbirth is over, and you are at home with your little one, there is probably no greater happiness and contentment than that. Now, you and your partner are teammates in yet another way. You have to take care of another human being and do it well.
A child can create an even stronger bond you already had with your partner. It can further solidify it and make the three of you Three Musketeers! You are now a family, and it’s the most amazing thing you can wish for.
Terrible Twos
Indeed, the “terrible twos” is a common phrase used to describe the challenging phase in a child’s development around the age of two. Parents may perceive this stage as nightmarish due to the rapid shifts in a child’s mood, sudden behavioral changes, and the overall difficulty in managing them during this period.
Certainly, not every moment is terrible. Amanda Oleander captured one of the many joyous moments this family shares as a trio. One can almost hear the pillow talk: “We raised this little one; we are a team, we are happy, and no one can take that away from us.”
Highchair Antics
Getting kids to sit and stay in a highchair can often be quite a challenge. However, if the child is angelic and has a calm personality, not fussy at all, it becomes a dream come true for the parents. In such cases, parents do their best to entertain and engage the baby during mealtime.
When kids are this young, they often forget any desire to be elsewhere when you start acting goofy and entertaining them. In those moments, they don’t mind anything as long as you can elicit that adorable, little baby laugh.
