Finding The Balance (September 2022 Desktop Wallpapers Edition)

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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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Let’s welcome September with some fresh desktop wallpapers. Designed by artists and designers from across the globe, they come in versions with and without a calendar for the month. Enjoy!

Lush green slowly turning into yellows, reds, and browns in the Northern hemisphere; nature awakening from its slumber in the Southern part of the world: September is a time of change. A chance to leave old habits behind and embrace the beginning of something new. And, well, sometimes it only takes a small change in routines to spark fresh inspiration and, who knows, maybe even great ideas.

With that in mind, we embarked on our monthly wallpapers challenge more than eleven years ago, and since then, artists and designers from all across the globe have accepted the challenge and submitted their designs to it to cater for a bit of variety on your desktop and mobile screens. Of course, it wasn’t any different this time around.

This post features their wallpapers for September 2022. All of them come in versions with and without a calendar, so it’s up to you to decide if you want to have the month at a glance or keep things simple. As a little bonus goodie, we also collected some timeless favorites from past September editions at the end of this post. A big thank-you to all the artists who have submitted their wallpapers. This post wouldn’t exist without you.

  • You can click on every image to see a larger preview,
  • 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 through 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.
  • Submit a wallpaper!
    Did you know that you could get featured in our next wallpapers post, too? We are always looking for creative talent.

Cultivating Community

“Climate action, peace, justice, and inclusive societies — we’re proud to be aligning our volunteer goals with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Mad Fish Digital encourages team members to recognize the non-profit organizations they care about by giving their time throughout the year. We encourage you to look to your community for volunteer opportunities and use your skills and passion to make a positive difference!” — Designed by Mad Fish Digital from Portland, OR.

Cultivating Community

Autumn Foliage

“‘Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower.’ (Albert Camus) Our September calendar aims to make you feel the autumn coziness through your desktop. The warm tones of autumn leaves, the wet raincoat, and squeaky rain boots are the first signs that autumn is knocking at our doors.” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

Autumn Foliage

Sweet Dreams

Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

Sweet Dreams

A Cozy Evening

“The leaves are changing their colors now, but the nights are still warm. There’s something different tonight… do you feel it? It’s like the air tastes like a soft marshmallow and you’re sitting by a warm fire in the middle of the forest, while the nature that surrounds you is transforming. It’s ok, small changes are normal and all you can do is sit back, look at the stars and embrace the world that evolves around you.” — Designed by Creative Pinky from The Netherlands.

A Cozy Evening

The Rebel

Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

The Rebel

The First Harbinger of Autumn

“Autumn is an incredibly beautiful time — its aromas are so bright that they easily come to mind. One of the brightest autumn aromas is the smell of fallen oak leaves. It inspired our designers to create this calendar. More free calendars can be found in our post.” — Designed by MasterBundles from Ukraine.

The First Harbinger of Autumn

Oldies But Goodies

Below you’ll find a selection of September wallpapers from our archives that are just too good to be forgotten. Please note that these designs don’t come with a calendar. Enjoy!

Wine Harvest Season

“Welcome to the wine harvest season in Serbia. It’s September, and the hazy sunshine bathes the vines on the slopes of Fruška Gora. Everything is ready for the making of Bermet, the most famous wine from Serbia. This spiced wine was a favorite of the Austro-Hungarian elite and was served even on the Titanic. Bermet’s recipe is a closely guarded secret, and the wine is produced by just a handful of families in the town of Sremski Karlovci, near Novi Sad. On the other side of Novi Sad, plains of corn and sunflower fields blend in with the horizon, catching the last warm sun rays of this year.” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

Wine Harvest Season

Sunny September

“September greets us and invites us to enjoy warm and sunny days.” — Designed by LibraFire from Serbia.

Sunny September

Go Bananas

Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

Go Bananas

Terrazzo

“With the end of summer and fall coming soon, I created this terrazzo pattern wallpaper to brighten up your desktop. Enjoy this month!” — Designed by Melissa Bogemans from Belgium.

Terrazzo

Funny Cats

“Cats are beautiful animals. They’re quiet, clean, and warm. They’re funny and can become an endless source of love and entertainment. Here for the cats!” — Designed by UrbanUI from India.

Funny Cats

Cacti Everywhere

“Seasons come and go, but our brave cactuses still stand. Summer is almost over, and autumn is coming, but the beloved plants don’t care.” — Designed by Lívia Lénárt from Hungary.

Cacti Everywhere

Long Live Summer

“While September’s Autumnal Equinox technically signifies the end of the summer season, this wallpaper is for all those summer lovers, like me, who don’t want the sunshine, warm weather and lazy days to end.” — Designed by Vicki Grunewald from Washington.

Long Live Summer

Listen Closer… The Mushrooms Are Growing

“It’s this time of the year when children go to school and grown-ups go to collect mushrooms.” — Designed by Igor Izhik from Canada.

Listen Closer… The Mushrooms Are Growing…

Autumn Rains

“This autumn, we expect to see a lot of rainy days and blues, so we wanted to change the paradigm and wish a warm welcome to the new season. After all, if you come to think of it: rain is not so bad if you have an umbrella and a raincoat. Come autumn, we welcome you!” — Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

Autumn Rains

Maryland Pride

“As summer comes to a close, so does the end of blue crab season in Maryland. Blue crabs have been a regional delicacy since the 1700s and have become Maryland’s most valuable fishing industry, adding millions of dollars to the Maryland economy each year. With more than 455 million blue crabs swimming in the Chesapeake Bay, these tasty critters can be prepared in a variety of ways and have become a summer staple in many homes and restaurants across the state. The blue crab has contributed so much to the state’s regional culture and economy, in 1989 it was named the State Crustacean, cementing its importance in Maryland history.” — Designed by The Hannon Group from Washington DC.

Maryland Pride

Stay Or Leave?

Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

Stay Or Leave?

Flower Soul

“The earth has music for those who listen. Take a break and relax and while you drive out the stress, catch a glimpse of the beautiful nature around you. Can you hear the rhythm of the breeze blowing, the flowers singing, and the butterflies fluttering to cheer you up? We dedicate flowers which symbolize happiness and love to one and all.” — Designed by Krishnankutty from India.

Flower Soul

Colors Of September

“I love September. Its colors and smells.” — Designed by Juliagav from Ukraine.

colors of September

Red Beetle

Designed by Oxana Kostromina from Russia/Germany.

Smashing Wallpaper - september 11

Still In Vacation Mood

“It’s officially the end of the summer and I’m still in vacation mood, dreaming about all the amazing places I’ve seen. This illustration is inspired by a small town in France, on the Atlantic coast, right by the beach.” — Designed by Miruna Sfia from Romania.

Still In Vacation Mood

Summer Is Leaving

“It is inevitable. Summer is leaving silently. Let us think of ways to make the most of what is left of the beloved season.” — Designed by Bootstrap Dashboards from India.

Summer Is Leaving

Office

“Clean, minimalistic office for a productive day.” — Designed by Antun Hiršman from Croatia.

Office

Viva Mexico

“This month is Mexico’s independence day and I decided to illustrate in my wallpaper one of the things Mexico’s best known for: the Lucha Libre.” — Designed by Maria Keller from Mexico.

Viva Mexico

Finding The Balance

“One evening last week I felt a little stressed, so I decided to have a short walk outside. When I went out of the door, I saw two young hares jumping around, and a bat which flew just over my head. I sat down on a garden chair and watched while Jupiter slowly rose above the trees. The crisp air of the autumn night reminded me of how the seasons keep changing. Here in Finland the differences between seasons are extremely large, as both the temperatures and the duration of sunlight vary a lot. However, twice a year on the equinoxes everything is in balance. I hope we all can find the same balance in our own lives.” — Designed by Tuomas Karjalainen from Finland.

Finding The Balance

Weekend Relax

“I’m looking forward for the weekend to enjoy drinks with friends!” — Designed by Robert from the United States.

Weekend Relax

Batmom

Designed by Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden.

Batmom

#Spring

“Such a lovely time of the year in Melbourne!” — Designed by Tazi from Australia.

#Spring

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