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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 25 free desktop wallpapers, designed by 25 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 July?

Signalnoise Wallpaper

“I tried to create a similar aesthetic as old NBC network promos aired on television in the late 70s and early 80s. I distinctly remember the bright colors of the NBC peacock from when I was a kid while waiting to watch a television broadcast of Star Wars, or something. Those television network promos really stuck with me.” Designed by James White.

• 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

July Snails

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

• preview (0.15 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

How do you like my new hat?

“This wallpaper is the third wallpaper I did with the two birds. They are about everyday arguments and misunderstandings between men and women. “How do you like my new hat?” illustrates a typical situation every guy has been in: she buys a new hat and is absolutely enthusiastic about it and he hates it.

Blue birdie can only lose: he can be honest and say that the hat is ugly which will probably cause trouble or he can lie, but then he will have to see her with that ugly hat all summer long. My boyfriend usually chooses to tell the truth which regularly makes me freak out, so yes, I guess I would be red birdie…;) With this wallpaper series I just want to illustrate women that men really don’t have it easy with us and sometimes we just shouldn’t take us so serious…” Designed by Nicole Bauer (Deviantart).

• 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

The color of paradise

“Work created in Photoshop and Illustrator, the name of my design is the color of paradise and express this art in nature that always surrounds and inspires me today everything is artificial and gradually let off with natural things on this planet my design is a reminder of where we come from everybody.” Designed by Miguel Angel Lozada from Mexico.

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

Simple Idea

Designed by Rafal Tomal from Poland.

• 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

Pilk

“A girl and her bear enjoy a Pilk based product on a summer day. Motivation: spread the Pilky love” Designed by Scott Jackson.

• preview (0.26 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

7ummer is back

“Composition combining various techniques with 3D, photographic enhancements and typography. The idea of the wallpaper was to portray the arrival of the summer and the green from the vegetation, which contrasts against the “desaturated” seasons to come. Images used are from Sxc.hu.” Designed by Nicolás Baumgartner from Argentina.

• 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

Hipnosis Tipografica

“Worked on the concept of hypnosis, where the structure goes to the center, to the eyes, and we are persuaded by the penetrating look of the professional. The typography strengthens and accompanies the structure of the composition. Images used are from Sxc.hu. The picture of the hands was taken by kev.flanagan.” Designed by Lucas Zubeldía from Argentina.

• 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

Trendy Summer

“This is a wallpaper based on fonts and simple shapes, where I tried to catch the trendy feeling of a summer party.” Designed by Bleed from Mexico.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Girl in the bus

“One month ago, I started drawing daily while commuting and during lunch time. I love drawing people and this girl was in the same bus I was last week. As I liked the way the sketch turned out, I though it would be nice to join in your collection if you find it appropriate.” Designed by Patricia Montero de Cabana from Maracaibo, Venezuela.

• preview (0.2 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900

Elementary

“In the time of digital arts I wanted to focus on the elementary things in design. As it is often said, the idea is your strategy, a pen is your weapon. For this reason I have created this emblem with a significant but convertible text. Special thanks to Kayo – Stefan W. for his great texture I used in the background.” Designed by Andreas Kalinka from Wuppertal, Germany.

• preview (0.5 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Flying Man

“Flying Man is an illustration about things in life to changing. Many times, the change itself is great but other elements make the change very difficult – like in this man’s case.” Designed by Tim Newton from USA.

• preview (0.4 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Cow & Chicken

“This design is inspired by one of my paintings.” Designed by Vane Kosturanov from Macedonia.

• preview (0.4 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Funny Fruits

“Beside bringing a lot of a lot of heat brings also many enterteining, very tasty fruits and of vivacious colors, which have to see nothing with bored of the winter.” Designed by Alba Soler from Spain.

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

Blast

“The title of this wallpaper is BLAST. As far as motivation goes, ever since I have seen this contest, I wanted to conso-devious something. I experimented with colors, and layer modes, and came up with this.” Designed by Nicole D. from USA.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Summer on the beach

Designed by Lluís Ràfols from Argentina.

• 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

Summer blend

“When I found this stock, whole idea just popped into my head and disappeared in the fraction of a second. This piece is a result of what I was able to catch in that quick second.” Designed by Makhsut Kutlukov from United States.

• preview (0.2 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Photography

“I have a lot of documents in my destktop, so this wallpaper is for people like me!” Designed by Guillermo Damián Fernández from Argentina.

• preview (0.1 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Grunge Summer

“And summer isn’t a time. It’s a place as well. Summer is a moving creature and likes to go south for the winter.” Designed by Lety Gidea from Romania.

• 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

Days of the Week: Monday and Friday

“In this wallpapers I separated the month into sets of days and just had fun with the idea, concepts and music that each day gave me. So I just mixed those elements a little and this is what came up with. Hope you like it! Images used are from Sxc.hu.” Designed by Gaston Duranovich from Argentina.

• preview (0.5 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

• 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

Sea

“For me, July is the month of intens colours and refreshing sunlighted seawater. In this wallpaper I have mixed two of my greatest passions: graphic design and mosaic.” Designed by Nadeschda Broere from Holland.

• 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

Couches

“I was using a photo I took at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto, Canada, few weeks ago. Because the black couches and stark lighting reminded me of an alien waiting room (a la Men In Black), I chose a very modern font for the typography.” Designed by Sebastian Troen from Vancouver, Canada.

• 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

Robotic Mush

“Entitled robot mush, my inspiration was the idea that some how technology could eventually evolve and robots could start to grow themselves in organic mechanical creatures. ” Designed by Jon from Wales in the UK.

• preview (0.4 Mb, jpg)
• with calendar: 1280×960, 1680×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×960, 1680×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Friendly Grunge

“My motivation was simple: I wanted to design a beautiful abstract piece, using as many different materials and elements as possible. This is the outcome: friendly grunge.” Designed by Eli Burford from South Australia.

• 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

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 July we’ll receive as many entries as in June. Join in next month and smashing July, folks!