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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 50 free desktop wallpapers, created by 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 August 2010?

[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!]

Superstar

"Has “the man” got you down? Feel like nobody sees what a superstar you are? Well keep on shining all day long with this retro-tastic wallpaper!" Designed by Brennan Gilbert from USA.

Superstar in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Viktoria

"A little wallpaper for all the Germany supporters during the World Cup." Designed by Ricky Linn from USA.

Sports-viktoria in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Aves Lacuna

Designed by Kyle Wheaton from Buffalo, NY, USA.

Aves-lacuna in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Symbian World

"Scene from Symbian World." Designed by Anna Alfut from UK.

Symbian-world in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Piranha fishing

"Gone fishing in my little row boat." Designed by Natalia Shishina from Russia.

Piranha-fishing in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Simple Beauty

Designed by Dovydas Vystartas from Lithuania.

Simple-beauty in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Photography

"Hello from Singapore! This photograph was taken when I was walking along The Orchard Street, where you can find lots and lots of luxury goods. Hope you guys like this colorful wallpaper – Enjoy!" Designed by Juanita Ooi from London, UK (Originally Malaysia).

The-modern-lion-city in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Strawberry

"I love this work!" Designed by Agnieszka Pluskota from Poland.

Strawberry in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

August Sentense

"Just motivating sentence for August :)" Designed by Temeshi from Poland.

August-sentense in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

A Square Meal

"It’s August and we love picnics — it’s a great way to get your friends together and enjoy the weather! Being an integrated marketing agency, we know that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts… in marketing AND in sandwiches! These orange creatures are here to remind you to never forget the finishing touches and that no sandwich is too big-you can always use a ladder!" Designed by thunder::tech from USA.

A-square-meal in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Girls Just Want To Have Fun

"Inspired by Cindy Lauper’s famous song." Designed by Irene from Spain.

Girls-just-want-to-have-fun in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Summers Freedom

"A photograph to express sheer freedom a lot of people experience at the height of summer — “Summers Freedom” — in this case, the two enjoying a summers evening are Sasha Bell and Rosanna Bell" Designed by Olivia Bell from England, UK.

Summers-freedom in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Relax, It’s Summer

Designed by Sasha Bell from England, UK.

Relax-its-summer in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Photography

"This photograph was taken in the beginning of 2010, when I was enjoying my winter holiday in London. I believe all of you knew that the winter temperature dropped a lot this year — freezing and raining all day long! I was lucky enough to sense a short few hours of sunny day in the winter." Designed by Juanita Ooi from London, UK (Originally Malaysia).

London-tower-bridge in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

The Salt March

"August 15th is India’s Independence Day. Depicted here is the Salt March of 1930 which triggered the Freedom Movement in India. The Salt Satyagraha campaign was based upon Gandhi’s principles of nonviolent protest called satyagraha, which he loosely translated as “truth-force.” Jai Hind!" Designed by Pixel Pundits from India.

Salt-march in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

México 1963

"Harmonious life in México City in the 60’s." Designed by Aki from México.

Mexico-1963 1 in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Hot Balloons

"August is one of the hottest months of the year. August is melting." Designed by Kari Andresen from USA.

Hot-balloons in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

I Hate Mondays

"Mondays are a freelancer’s nightmare. I’ve always wanted to cry out in all despair “I Hate Mondays!” Anger! Despair! Rivers of fire! Damnation! Let them all out for all the world to hear and see!" Designed by Bogdan Lazar from Romania.

I-hate-mondays in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Come Sail Away

"Fillmore-style illustration featuring the lyrics to Styx’s song “Come Sail Away”" Designed by Allison Doty from USA.

Come-sail-away in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Love knows no bounds

"The message of this wallpaper is Love knows no bounds. Race, age, sex, (level in the food chain :)) it all doesn’t matter as long as you love each other. My boyfriend is 16 years older then me and some people just think we’re not supposed to be together because of the age difference. Next week we’ll have our 9 year anniversary… So for the cat and the mouse: as long as the heart is bigger then the hunger, they’ll be fine. " Designed by Nicole Bauer from Germany.

Love-knows-no-bounds in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

SinGiNg SuNFloWeR

Designed by Pietje Precies from The Netherlands.

Singingsunflower in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Cherry

"I love this work!" Designed by Agnieszka Pluskota from Poland.

Cherry in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Cows

"Hopefully this August you’ll have some time to take a drive/bike ride through the countryside. If not, here’s a typical highway view from my part of the world. Maybe it will inspire you to get outside and enjoy the August weather, or at least do some cow tipping." Designed by Dan Sweet from USA.

Cows in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Chocolate Dream

Designed by Sasha Bell from England, UK.

Chocolate-dream in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Summer Cat

Designed by Marina Nozyer from Russia.

Summer-cat in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Happy Independence Day

"15th August is the only important day in August for us to celebrate (Indians), so I decided to create a desktop wallpaper on the same theme. I hope you all will enjoy it. “HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY” 2 all the Indians." Designed by Meghna Sharma from India.

Happy-independence-day in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Focus Footprints

"Maybe some abstract sort of meadows? Maybe some abstract sort of meadows?" Designed by Philipp Lehmann from Switzerland.

Focus-footprints in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Glowing Dark August

Designed by Vincius Ervilha from Brazil.

Glowing-dark-august in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Climate Change

Adopted from Marek Denko’s work by Luciana Passaro from Italy.

Climate-change in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Sleep. Surf.

"Peak of the summer gives you endless opportunities do sleep late, miss all the cooked meals featuring healthy vegetables, go offline and just hit the water. Peak of the summer is the reason of calendar absence. Ignore the clock and be good at it. Longboard models courtesy of Nunosk8." Designed by Antonio Hadrovic from Croatia.

Sleep Surf in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Nature’s Dream

"Nature’s Dream wallpapers created with Scribbler Tool and Photoshop." Designed by Silvia Bukovac Gasevic.

Natures-dream in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Leaves in The Rain

"A fresh green leave to keep you going without getting unorganized! Good morning." Designed by Melle Wynia from The Netherlands.

Leaves-in-the-rain in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

One Mad Cookie

"August has always seemed like a month of strange & creative thoughts for me, so whenI recently read that August 4th was National Chocolate Chip day I couldn’t help my mindfrom pandering thoughts of cookies with personalities. I thought if I was a cookie Iwould probably be pretty upset if someone took a big bite out of me, so I decided toexpress this in my design." Designed by Jennie Waterous from USA.

One-mad-cookie in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Splash

Designed by Emily Shirley from USA.

Splash in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Watch out for sharks

"Inspired while playing with Photoshop vectors, for all of you who like minimalism and blue. Oh, and don’t get eaten by a shark while you are enjoying your vacation." Designed by Lucijan Blagoni from Croatia.

Watch-out-for-sharks in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Into the Hole

Designed by Manish Jinwal from India.

Into-the-hole in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Color Emotions

Designed by Gints Stikans from Latvia.

Color-emotions in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Do we need to say more?

"August, as the summer is at its high most in the northern hemisphere, most people go out for vacation (at least in the US). So, do we need to say more?" Designed by Phidev Inc. from USA.

Do We Need To Say More in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Geometric Summer

"This is how I see my summer. Simple, geometrical, layered, yet full of color: beach = sand + sea + sun. Cheers from Spain and have a great summer ;-)" Designed by Antonio Bustamante Mirayo from Spain.

Geometric-summer in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Freedom

"August 15th marks a wonderful day in the history. India, the largest democratic country in the world got freedom from British invasion. It was 1947 when our great freedom fighters got us the ever lasting success and made our lives flourish forever. Since that day, August 15th of every year is celebrated as Independence Day in India." Designed by Neelam Asrani from India.

Freedom in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

This too shall pass (Persian Calligraphy)

"”In niz bogzarad” means This too shall pass , life is like that…" Designed by Soodabeh Amirakbari from Iran.

This-too-shall-pass in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Smashing Team

"A simple tribute to Smashing Magazine’s team." Designed by Kalyne Nobrega from Brasil.

Smashing-team in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

The King Of Pop

"Michael Jackson inspired a lot of people, especially all of us here at Bright Oak? Creative Studio. His birthday falls on the 29th and so we dedicate this Smashing Magazine wallpaper to him and all of his fans around the world. Happy Birthday Michael!" Designed by Bright Oak from USA & Switzerland.

Michael-jackson in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Beach Time

Designed by Sasha Bell from England, UK.

Beach-time in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Independence Day

"15th august is the independence day of India so I am showing few heroes who sacrificed their lives for their motherland. There are endless number of men and women other than I have shown in the wallpaper. The wallpaper I have designed is a Tribute to all our freedom fighters." Designed by Aditya L from India.

Independence-day in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Over the Bridge

"Sometimes we are so close to fulfill our dreams that it only takesa few more steps to finally reach them." Designed by Jany from Italy.

Over-the-bridge in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Sunscreen Novice

"Avoid black in summer.”Avoid black in summer.”" Designed by Kate Jones from UK.

Sunscreen-novice in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Freedom

"Freedom is the will to be responsible to ourselves." Designed by Pooja Taneja from India.

Freedom2 in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

The Traveller

Designed by Surreal Illusions from England, UK.

Traveller in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Watching Universe Twirl

Designed by Andrei Verner from Russia.

Watching-universe-twirl in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

Sand Between My Toes

"It’s still pretty hot in the UK, but after reading comments in July’s wallpaper feature, I picked up that in Australia, it’s “winter” – so I thought why not try to do a beach shot which can be interrupted and doesn’t scream “summer”! I hope you like this simple beach shot – hopefully a nice change! Ps. the legs in this shot belong to Rosanna Bell ;) Happy August!" Designed by Olivia Bell from England, UK.

Sand-between-my-toes in  Desktop Wallpaper Calendar: August 2010

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. Join in next month!

What’s your favorite?

What’s your favourite theme or wallpaper for this month? Please let us know in the comments! And have a smashing August, folks!


© Smashing Editorial for Smashing Magazine, 2010. | Permalink | Post a comment | Add to del.icio.us | Digg this | Stumble on StumbleUpon! | Tweet it! | Submit to Reddit | Forum Smashing Magazine
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