Summer On Your Desktop: Fresh Wallpapers For July 2018

9 min read
Graphics, Icons, Wallpapers
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Cosima has been an editor at SmashingMag since 2013. Whenever she’s not writing articles for the weekly Smashing Newsletter, she’s probably working on a … More about Cosima ↬

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Following our monthly tradition, designers and artists from across the globe have created desktop wallpapers that are bound to get you in the summer mood.

For most of us, July is the epitome of summer. The time for spending every free minute outside to enjoy the sun and those seemingly endless summer days, be it in a nearby park, by a lake, or on a road trip, exploring unfamiliar places. So why not bring a bit of that summer joy to your desktop, too?

In this post, you’ll find free wallpapers for July 2018 created by artists and designers from across the globe as it has been our monthly tradition since more than nine years already. Please note that some of the wallpapers come in two versions as usual (with and without a calendar for the month), while the best-of selection at the end of the post only covers the non-calendar versions. Have a great July — no matter what you have planned!

Please note that:

All images can be clicked on 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?

Design Your Own Wallpaper

Igor Izhik has designed quite a lot of wallpapers for our monthly challenge. If you would like to get started yourself, check out his article in which he shares how he approaches all stages of the process as well as useful tips and tricks for creating illustrations in Adobe Illustrator. Get creative! →

Heated Mountains

“Warm summer weather inspired the color palette.” - Designed by Marijana Pivac from Croatia.

preview
with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Triumphant July

“This summer started out hot, with eyes wide open and monitoring the World Cup in Russia. We wanted to decorate your desktop this July with this colorful Red Square illustration, just before the eagerly anticipated finale, hoping to see the trophy awarded to our players.” - Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

preview
with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Robinson Cat

preview
with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

All You Need Is Ice Cream

“July is National Ice Cream Month! National Ice Cream Day is celebrated on the 3rd Sunday in July. On this day people celebrate with a bowl, cup or cone filled with their favorite flavor of ice cream. Share some ice cream and some love this month with my wallpaper!” -Designed by Melissa Bogemans from Belgium.

preview
with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

A Mighty Woman With A Torch

“Last year we visited NYC for the first time during the 4th of July. I took many photos of Lady Liberty and was so deeply inspired by her message.” - Designed by Jennifer Forrest from Indiana.

preview
with calendar: 320x480, 800x600, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
without calendar: 320x480, 800x600, 1920x1080, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Night Sky Magic

preview
with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Fly Forever

“Challenges are a part of parcel of life. Surpassing each challenge would be difficult, but it is you who decide whether to keep going or shun the drive. No matter whatever circumstance you are in, ignite your mind and just fly forward into action to achieve what you are capable of and what is beyond your reach.” - Designed by Sweans from London.

preview
with calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Smile, It’s Summer

“July brings me to summer, and last year in summer, I went to Salzburg, Austria where I took this photo. So every beginning of summer, I think about Salzburg and how sunny and warm it was there.” - Designed by Ilse van den Boogaart from The Netherlands.

preview
with calendar: 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440
without calendar: 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Even Miracles Take A Little Time

“‘One day, the people that didn’t believe in you will tell everyone how they met you.’ Believe in Yourself. Give it all that you can, take your own sweet time and be your own miracle!” - Designed by Binita Lama from India.

preview
with calendar: 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1440x1050, 1680x1050, 1920x1080
without calendar: 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1440x1050, 1680x1050, 1920x1080

July Favorites

Lots of beautiful wallpapers have been created in the nine years since we embarked on our wallpapers adventure. And since it’d be a pity to let them gather dust, we once again dived deep into our archives on the lookout for some July treasures. Please note that these wallpapers, thus, don’t come with a calendar.

A Flamboyance Of Flamingos

“July in South Africa is dreary and wintery so we give all the southern hemisphere dwellers a bit of colour for those grey days. And for the northern hemisphere dwellers a bit of pop for their summer! The Flamboyance of Flamingos is part of our ‘Wonderland Collective Noun’ collection. Each month a new fabulous collective noun is illustrated, printed and made into a desktop wallpaper.” — Designed by Wonderland Collective from South Africa.

preview
without calendar: 320x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1280x960, 1680x1050, 1920x1200, 2560x1440

Summer Essentials

“A few essential items for the summertime weather at the beach, park, and everywhere in-between.” — Designed by Zach Vandehey from the USA.

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without calendar: 1024×768, 1440×900, 1600×1200, 1920×1200, 2560×1440

Summer Cannonball

“Summer is coming in the northern hemisphere and what better way to enjoy it than with watermelons and cannonballs.” — Designed by Maria Keller from Mexico.

preview
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 640x1136, 750x1334, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1242x2208, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440, 2880x1800

Mason Jar

“Make the days count this summer!” — Designed by Meghan Pascarella from the USA.

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without calendar: 1280x800, 1366x768, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 2560x1440, 2880x1800

Birdie Nam Nam

“I have created a pattern that has a summer feeling. For me July and summer is bright color, joy and lots of different flowers and birds. So naturally, I incorporated all these elements in a crazy pattern.” — Designed by Lina Karlsson from Sweden.

preview
without calendar: 320×480, 1024×768, 1280×1024, 1440×900, 1680×1050, 1920×1200, 2560×1440

Spectate

preview
without calendar: 320x480, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1080, 2560x1440

Summer Never Ends!

“July is a very special month to me — it’s the month of my birthday and of the best cherries.” — Designed by Igor Izhik from Canada.

preview
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

World Ufo Day

“The holiday dedicated to those who study the phenomena that have no logical explanation, and the objects, which is attributed to an extraterrestrial origin.” — Designed by Cheloveche.ru from Russia

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without calendar: 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1680x1050, 1920x1200

Captain Amphicar

“My son and I are obsessed with the Amphicar right now, so why not have a little fun with it?” — Designed by 3 Bicycles Creative from the USA.

preview
without calendar: 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Tropical Lilies

“I enjoy creating tropical designs, they fuel my wanderlust and passion for the exotic. Instantaneously transporting me to a tropical destination.” — Designed by Tamsin Raslan from the USA.

preview
without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1440x1050, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Day Turns To Night

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without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Eternal Summer

“And once you let your imagination go, you find yourself surrounded by eternal summer, unexplored worlds and all-pervading warmth, where there are no rules of physics and colors tint the sky under your feet.” — Designed by Ana Masnikosa from Belgrade, Serbia.

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without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Taste Like Summer!

“In times of clean eating and the world of superfoods there is one vegetable missing. An old forgotten one. A flower actually. Rare and special. Once it had a royal reputation (I cheated a bit with the blue). The artichocke — this is my superhero in the garden! I am a food lover — you too? Enjoy it — dip it!” — Designed by Alexandra Tamgnoué from Germany.

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without calendar: 320x480, 640x480, 800x600, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1440x1050, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Road Trip In July

“July is the middle of summer, when most of us go on road trips, so I designed a calendar inspired by my love of traveling and summer holidays.” — Designed by Patricia Coroi from Romania.

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without calendar: 640x1136, 1024x768, 1280x800, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 2560x1440

World Chocolate Day

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

Join In Next Month!

Please note that we respect and carefully consider the ideas and motivation behind each and every artist’s work. This is why we give all artists the full freedom to explore their creativity and express emotions and experience throughout their works. This is also why the themes of the wallpapers weren’t anyhow influenced by us, but rather designed from scratch by the artists themselves.

Thank you to all designers for their participation. Join in next month!