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Desktop wallpapers can serve as an excellent source of inspiration. However, if you use some specific wallpaper for a long period of time, it becomes harder to draw inspiration out of it. That’s why we have decided to supply you with smashing wallpapers over 12 months.

And to make them a little bit more distinctive from the usual crowd, we’ve decided to embed calendars for the upcoming month. So if you need to look up some date, isn’t it better to show off a nice wallpaper with a nice calendar instead of launching some default time application?

This post features 15 free desktop wallpapers, designed by 15 designers across the globe. Both versions with a calendar and without a calendar can be downloaded for free.

Please notice:

• all images can be clicked and lead to the preview of the wallpaper;
• you can feature your work in our magazine by taking part in our desktop wallpaper calendar series. We are regularly looking for creative designers and artists to be featured on Smashing Magazine. Are you one of them?

So what wallpapers have we received for May?

[Offtopic: by the way, have you already visited Smashing Magazine's Facebook fan page? Join the community for a stream of useful resources, updates and giveaways!]

Whale

Available in 12 desktop resolutions — both widescreen and fullscreen. Designed by Vlad Gerasimov from Irkutsk, Russia.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar:
  800×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×1024 , 1280×800, 1280×960 , 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600
• without calendar:
  800×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×1024 , 1280×800, 1280×960 , 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600

Stay Creative

“The wallpaper is an illustration based on this Picasso quote: “All children are artists. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up”. In the illustration, the adult is looking through the wall at his creativity from childhood trying to get it back.” Designed by Tim Newton from USA.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1920×1200

Tribute

“This design is a personal interpretation of June in Macedonia: beautiful sunny days, red poppy fields and Nikola Madzirov’s poetry. A personal tribute to all the beauty in this world. Girl image inspired by Banksy.” Designed by Meri Donevska-Kosturanova from Macedonia.

• preview (0.5 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Beginning of madness

“When I thought what was inspiring me in May, the mind filled me with flowers, and when I wanted to do the calendar of June I saw it quite full of boil, quite green. Then I found a tutorial in “psd tuts” that helped me to fulfil the wallpaper. The motive of the phrase that it accompanies is the feeling euphoria that transmits me this month.” Designed by Alba Soler from Spain.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1920×1200

Eternal Sunshine

“Designed completely in Photoshop. My idea to this timetable was based on the prophecy and Maya, all that power and magic secret that there are only in the pyramids in Mexico.” Designed by Miguel Angel Lozada from Mexico.

• preview (0.2 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1200×900, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

You Slag

“Looking forward to another hectic summer in Brighton…” Designed by Mark Hurrell.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1200×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Rhino

“I suppose that I got influenced by the works of Scott Hansen. I just love the retro feel in his designs. Furthermore I used brushes which were meant to emulate the effects of James White. I wanted to have these different sections which form an entity, sort of like when you look through a window and the frame is hiding parts of what is behind. The origami rhinoceros was the last element I inserted and finally gave rise to the title.

The final design is not what I had sketched out but it never is for me. I need a basic idea and then just play around until I’m happy with it.” Designed by Franz Jeitz from Luxembourg.

• preview (0.2 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Nec scire fas est omnia

“It is impossible to know everything” horaz – well true, but not to worry as I learned in life and business, it is better to know a lot of educated people from different disciplines, then you’ll know a lot yourself. And in the end, there is always Google and Wikipedia.” Designed by Dirk Worring from Krefeld, Germany.

• preview (0.2 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Daydream

“I love daydream, when I fall in the daydream,everything is strange, it’s a surrealistic world. Everything has their own soul and live in the unique way, no pain, no goal, just enjoy the imagination.” Designed by Dan Chetao.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Umbrella

“Umbrella, sky, lights…..and the girl is so pretty!” Designed by Cléo Morgause from Brazil.

• preview (0.15 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Retro Summer

“Well, June it is the month where the summer starts, and when i think in Summer, i think about California and the Beach Boys, and when i think in that, i start to think about retro stuff, and then retro design!” Designed by Bleed from Mexico.

• preview (0.4 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1920×1200

The DJ

“The wallpaper isn’t created only for DJ-fans or people who’ve seen DJ’s at work. The wallpaper can really give a warm feeling to everyones desktop. And after all, aren’t we all DJ’s of our lives?” Designed by Vincent Vander Cruyssen from Belgium.

• with calendar: 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

June Feelings

“Tried to catch the feeling of getting “wings” in the starting of the summer.” Designed by Olariu Alex from Romania.

• preview (0.2 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1680×1050, 1600×1200, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1600×1200

June Bug

“This inspiration came when we heard that the Cicadas are coming again this summer. And although not of the cicada family, Junebugs can be nearly as annoyingly creepy. The design incorporate a visual pun on the back of the ‘creature’, as well as a near subliminal ghoul face up above within the darkness.” Designed by Michael Langham.

• preview (0.26 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1200×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1900×1200
• without calendar: 1200×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1900×1200

Date and Time

Designed by Grikshmi Manandhar from Nepal.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Join in next month!

Please notice that we respect the ideas and motivation behind artists’ work which is why we’ve given artists full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience through their works. And this is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us, but designed from scratch by the artists themselves.

Thanks to all designers for participation. Hopefully, in June we’ll receive as many entries as in May. Join in next month and smashing June, folks!