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 40 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 May 2010?

The End of Explorer Calendar

"For friends of MSIE, here is “The End Of Explorer” may 2010 desktop wallaper calendar, in a Variety of resolutions from 320?480 (iPhone) to 2560?1600 ! Hope you’ll find some size here to fit with your desktop ;-)" Designed by Benoit Chartron from France.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1600
• without calendar: 320×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1600

A Designer’s Life

"That is what a designer sees on his real desktop, now you can see it on your computer." Designed by Mladen Milinovic from Germany.

• preview
• with calendar: 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Focus on work

"This wallpaper design is supposed not to distract your attention, but to make you focus on work. This might work if you keep your desktop clean enough ;)" Designed by Andrei Verner from Russia.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1440
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1440

Play With Me

"One of my latest photographs taken on a beautiful summery day in the “golden hours” – I was lucky enough to capture our puppy and my sister, Sasha Bell playing on the lawn. I thought this would be a lovely wallpaper with a hint of the lovely summer we all deserver in the UK! No rain! Happy May everybody!" Designed by Olivia Bell from England, UK.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600
• without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600

Moto

Designed by Björn Leek from Germany.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

May Happen, May Be

"“May Happen, May Be” is all about possibilities… we can all get out of our cages, maybe in may!" Designed by Thais Trizoli from Brazil.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Rapunzel

"A grunge take on Rapunzel!" Designed by Cindy Zhang from USA.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Birdhouses

Designed by Pietje Precies from The Netherlands.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

May Flowers

"The flowers are blooming and it’s time to celebrate spring with this whimsical wallpaper!" Designed by thunder::tech from USA.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050
• without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050

Matilda’s Backyard

"It was May day Eve. The clock strikes twelve. The cat was asleep, the ladder cast aside and the book with a giant red apple opens." Designed by April Joy E. Jasmin from Philippines.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

May in Warsaw

Designed by Berenika Kołaczyńska from Poland.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Chocolate Strawberries

"I always see a lot of photography featuring random fruit and lemons (a lot of lemons!) falling/splashing into water, and thought it would be cool to turn a photography “idea” into a vector looking design, but with chocolate and strawberries! Happy May :)" Designed by Rosanna Bell from England, UK.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Oasis

"I’m hoping for a bold and beautiful summer." Designed by Marc Allcock from England.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Todo Sobre mi Madre

"With Mother’s Day looming in, I decided to make a tribute to a great film “All About my Mother”. For the Spanish version, please visit my DeviantArt." Designed by Ale Ibarra from México.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1280×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1280×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Starbucks Coffee

"Everybody I know loves coffee… and for that matter, starbucks! Happy May!" Designed by Sasha Bell from England, UK.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Mamayo

"This is a mother’s wallpaper theme." Designed by Ricardo Delgado from México.

• preview
• with calendar: 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Curly Forest

"Catch a firefly in the twisty, curly forest." Designed by Chris Alexander (Yipori) from England.

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

May be something else

"Thinking about May…" Designed by Fabio Toscani from Italy.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200

Flower Field

"The U.S. National Archives has a photo stream on Flickr of images free for unrestricted use. This wallpaper was made from photographs taken for the Documerica project by the EPA in 1972. The flowers were from a field in Kerr County, Texas and Inks Lake, Texas. I wanted it to look like a painting. Link to original photographs" Designed by Laura Sylvest from Washington, D.C., USA.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Thailand Kopipi

"May is when spring usually starts. May is also when we are all starting to think about a summer vacation.I would personally recommend going to Thailand Kopipi, it’s amazing and it’s also where this picture was taken." Designed by Liad Guez from Israel.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200

Birds of Spring

"May’s a month of happy sounds,
The hum of buzzing bees,
The chirp of little baby birds
And the song of a gentle breeze."
Designed by Manish Jinwal from India.

• preview
• with calendar: 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Mother’s day

"“My mother said to me, “If you become a soldier you’ll be a general; if you become a monk you’ll end up as the pope.” Instead, I became a designer and now this wallpaper is heartly dedicated to my Mother.“I Love U MOM…" Designed by Manish Jinwal from India.

• preview
• with calendar: 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Lily Of The Valley

Designed by Upasana Jain from India.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600
• without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600

Fruitful

"Root of education is bitter, but the fruit is sweet. So, celebrate book month this may.." Designed by Upasana Jain from India.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600
• without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600

For all intents and purposes

"May, birth of one of the 20th century greatest inventions: Masking Tape! Let’scelebrate! celebrate!" Designed by Phidev Inc. from USA.

• preview
• with calendar: 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1920×1200, 1920×1440
• without calendar: 800×600, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1920×1200, 1920×1440

Maygirl

Designed by Victoria Vlassova from Sweden.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Playing the Guitar

"Let the strings write their own tune." Designed by Stephanie Lam from Australia.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Retro Woman Thoughts

Designed by Lety Gidea from Romania.

• preview
• with calendar: 800×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×960, 1400×1050, 1600×1200, 1920×1440
• without calendar: 800×600, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×960, 1400×1050, 1600×1200, 1920×1440

Pile of Days

"I wanted to create a super-awesome calendar. So I started to build something, it looked quite neat, but then suddenly it collapsed into a pile of days. Oh well, that’ll work as well, I said to myself. Made with Cinema 4D, Photoshop and Rockwell Extra Bold." Designed by Jonas Lekevicius from Lithuania.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×640, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1680×1200, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440, 2560×1600

Live your vision

"You live only once, so be persistent in what you do. Live your vision, that’s my motto and slogan…nothing else i wouldn’t add more. Greetings from Split." Designed by Klement Grgić from Croatia.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×640, 1024×768, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1440×900, 2560×1600
• without calendar: 1024×640, 1024×768, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1440×900, 2560×1600

May Sentense

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

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Blue May

"“Blue May”… This Wallpaper began as an experiment, but finally came out I liked as blue and light effects. Enjoy yourself!." Designed by Natanael Fernández from Santo Domingo, Rep. Dominicana.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200

Foliage Queen

Designed by Ritika from India.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Salt Lagoon

"On a recent backpacking adventure through South America I visited the driest place on earth where no rainfall has ever been recorded - San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. I shot this at a salt lagoon facing the Andes (which I then jumped in to float around – no energy required to stay afloat when the water is this salty!)." Designed by Amy Rollo from USA.

• preview
• with calendar: 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Wavular

"The great American road trip." Designed by Design Kompany from USA.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050
• without calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050

Book Month

"If you can read this, celebrate book month..” Designed by Upasana Jain from India.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600
• without calendar: 1024×640, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600

Thargelion

"Greece “Thargelion” name and i tried to expose elements culturalof my country, in name florist awarded May." Designed by Boian Cristian from Romania.

• preview
• with calendar: 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600
• without calendar: 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1600

Colours of Life

"Just enjoy your life! :)Just enjoy your life! :)" Designed by Wouter Sioen from Belgium.

• preview
• with calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×640, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440
• without calendar: 640×480, 800×480, 800×600, 1024×640, 1024×768, 1152×864, 1280×720, 1280×800, 1280×960, 1280×1024, 1400×1050, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1680×1050, 1920×1080, 1920×1200, 1920×1440

Love You Mom

"I am Dedicating this calender to my Dear “Maa”. Maa I love you!" Designed by Sandhya Banshal from India.

• preview
• with calendar: 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

May in Grey

"Grey is the name of our lovely cat.In the south, may is a grey month, actually, unlike the spring days of the north nowadays.In the south, may is a grey month, actually, unlike the spring days of the north nowadays." Designed by Gustavo Hiriart from Uruguay.

• preview
• with calendar: 1024×768, 1280×800, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200

Watermelons

Designed by Oxana Kostromina from Poland/Russia.

• preview
• with calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200
• without calendar: 320×480, 1280×800, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 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. 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 May, folks!