A Month Built for Wallpapers

February 2021 has a layout most designers only dream of: it starts on a Monday, ends on a Sunday, and contains exactly four full weeks. That tidy structure makes it an ideal canvas for desktop and mobile artwork, and artists from around the world have answered the call with a fresh set of designs. The collection below offers each wallpaper in two flavors — with and without a February 2021 calendar — plus a few archived favorites that were too good to leave out.

Your Chance to Win a Workshop Ticket

Before you browse the gallery, consider joining this month’s creativity challenge. Design a wallpaper for March 2021 and you could win a ticket to one of Vitaly Friedman’s upcoming online workshops — either Designing The Perfect Navigation or Smart Interface Design Patterns, 2021 Edition. The winner will be announced in the March wallpapers post on February 28.

How to Enter

Creativity is the only limit, but there are a few practical requirements to keep in mind:

  1. Create two versions: one with and one without a calendar for March 2021. The calendar should be in English.
  2. Include the Smashing Magazine logo. Download it from https://smashed.by/logos (ZIP, 736KB), and feel free to add your own logo as well.
  3. Submit your design in as many different screen resolutions as you can manage.
  4. Fill in the form when submitting so we can publish your work.

Bundle everything into a ZIP file and send it to [email protected]. A Dropbox or Google Drive link works too. The deadline is Thursday, February 25, 11:59 PM CET. For additional guidance, consult the Wallpapers Guidelines PDF.

This Month’s Designs

Dog Year Ahead

Designed by PopArt Studio from Serbia.

Dog Year Ahead

A Future Full of Promise

Ricardo Gimenes, a designer based in Sweden, contributed an optimistic wallpaper that looks ahead to brighter horizons.

Good Times Ahead

The design is available in a wide range of resolutions. Both calendar and no-calendar versions are offered for desktop displays ranging from 640x480 up to 3840x2160. A printable PDF version with the calendar is also included.

Connection Beyond Distance

Maria Keller from Mexico created a wallpaper inspired by the idea that a kindred spirit exists somewhere out there, waiting to be found. The artwork accompanies the quote: “I am a true believer that out there in this world there is another person who is just like us, the problem is to find her/him.”

Out There, There’s Someone Like You

This wallpaper is distributed without a calendar, making it a versatile option. Available sizes cover everything from mobile screens such as 320x480, 640x1136, 750x1334, and 1242x2208 to laptop and desktop resolutions up to 2880x1800.

A Canine and an Astronaut

“My inspiration came mostly from ‘The Greay from’. It’s about a dog and an astronaut exploring a strange new world.” — Designed by Lars Pauwels from Belgium.

The Great Beyond
  • preview
  • Without calendar: 800x600, 1024x768, 1024x1024, 1152x864, 1280x720, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1280x1024, 1366x768, 1400x1050, 1440x900, 1600x1200, 1680x1050, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 1920x1200, 1920x1440, 2560x1440

Literary Tribute

“Charles Dickens is most famous for writing Oliver Twist and A Christmas Carol. The 7th of February is Charles Dickens birthday, so to honour his birthday I created this wallpaper with a quote from my favourite book, Oliver Twist!” — Designed by Safia Begum from the United Kingdom.

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens!
  • preview
  • Without calendar: 800x450, 1280x720, 1366x768, 1440x810, 1600x900, 1680x945, 1920x1080, 2560x1440

Plans in Parallel

“February is the month of love par excellence, but also a different month. Perhaps because it is shorter than the rest or because it is the one that makes way for spring, but we consider it a special month. It is a perfect month to make plans because we have already finished the post-Christmas crunch and we notice that spring and summer are coming closer. That is why I like to imagine that maybe in another place someone is also making plans to travel to unknown lands.” — Designed by Verónica Valenzuela from Spain.

In Another Place At The Same Time
  • preview
  • Without calendar: 800x480, 1024x768, 1152x864, 1280x800, 1280x960, 1440x900, 1680x1200, 1920x1080, 2560x1440

Botanical Minimalism

Designed by Nathalie Ouederni from France.

February Ferns
  • preview
  • Without calendar: 320x480, 1024x768, 1280x1024, 1440x900, 1680x1200, 1920x1200, 2560x1440

True Love

Ricardo Gimenes, a designer based in Sweden, brings a romantic touch to February with a wallpaper that celebrates love in a simple, elegant way.

True Love

Available in a wide range of resolutions, with or without a calendar overlay:

Lakefront Winter Dawn

Ernesto Perez from the United States captures the striking colors of a winter sunrise reflecting over a chilly lake—a moment of quiet beauty to start the month.

Lakefront Winter Dawn

The wallpaper comes in the following sizes, both with and without a calendar:

A Nod to Naturalist Charles Darwin

For those who prefer to mark notable birthdays, February 12th is Darwin Day, an occasion to celebrate the naturalist's legacy. Designer Dan Di from Italy has contributed a wallpaper that pays tribute to the day.

Darwin Day

The artwork is available in both with-calendar and without-calendar versions, covering popular display resolutions up to 2560x1440. You can see a preview, and then find the appropriate file for your screen.

  • Preview
  • With calendar (e.g., 1920x1080, 2560x1440)
  • Without calendar (e.g., 1920x1080, 2560x1440)

Winter Tunes and Sunlit Scenes

February 2nd is National Ukulele Day, and the four-stringed instrument sparked a creative exploration into warmer auditory territory for the team at PopArt Studio from Serbia.

Winter Music

Their design captures a moment of hope: longer days and sunlight breaking through clouds suggest the coming spring, even as winter storms remain a reality for a few more weeks. This piece, like the others, is offered in versions with and without a calendar, in the standard array of screen resolutions.

  • Preview
  • With calendar (e.g., 1920x1080)
  • Without calendar (e.g., 1920x1080)

Bright And Playful

Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden offers a cheerful composition for February, bringing a lighter touch to your screen.

On The Light Side

Available in the usual range of screen resolutions, with and without a calendar overlay, plus a printable PDF.

The Meaning Of Freedom

Daniela Faltz's design from Germany uses birds as a metaphor for the freedom to think and believe as one chooses. As the artist notes, "People should have the right to believe and think what they want. They should be free in choosing their opinion."

Free Your Mind

No calendar, just the artwork, in sizes up to 2880x1800.

A Sweet Treat For Your Desktop

Artsy Cupcake from the United States has designed a festive wallpaper topped with sprinkles and, of course, a cupcake. The inspiration is simple: "Sprinkles are fun, festive and filled with love… especially when topped on a cupcake!" It also nudges you toward a creative activity for the month — baking. "Everyone is creative in their own unique way, so why not try baking some cupcakes and decorating them for your sweetie this month?"

It’s A Cupcake Kind Of Day!

Available without the calendar, in a wide selection of aspect ratios and resolutions, from phone-friendly 320x480 up to 2560x1440.

Southern Romance

Heather Ozee Designs captures a slow-paced Valentine’s Day with an illustration of Savannah, GA. The scene leans into the city’s historic character — moss-draped streets, park benches and quiet squares — as a setting for a romantic stroll.

Savannah Stroll

The wallpaper is available in a preview version and in multiple resolutions without a calendar:

Rainy Night Mood

Matthew Talebi’s design takes a different direction for the month — a dark, romantic view of a city walk on a wet evening. The illustration relies on low light and atmosphere rather than traditional Valentine iconography.

Dark Temptation

The calendar-free wallpaper is offered in these sizes:

A preview is also available for download.

Timeless Simplicity

Vinu Chaitanya turns to mid-century industrial design for inspiration. The piece pays homage to Dieter Rams, whose work from the 1950s and 1960s still looks contemporary — a reminder that restraint and clarity age well.

Principles of Good Design- Dieter Rams

A preview image is up for grabs, along with calendar-free downloads in all standard resolutions:

Balance

Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden designed this wallpaper, which offers a calming visual for your desktop.

Balance

Snowy Sunset

A winter scene by Nathalie Croze from France, available in a small set of desktop resolutions without a calendar.

Snowy Sunset

Minimalistic Love

Croatian designer Antun Hirsman built this logo-style composition from geometric shapes: the heart doubles as the letter “O,” while the anchor represents “V” and nod to wanderlust and adventure. Available without a calendar.

Minimalistic Love

Time Thief

“Who has stolen our time? Maybe the time thief, so be sure to enjoy the other 28 days of February.” — This piece from Spain’s Colorsfera is a playful reminder that the month is short. Offered without a calendar across many resolutions.

Time Thief

Sweet Tooth Meets Sci-Fi

February's wallpaper collection takes a whimsical turn with designs that celebrate February 2's Groundhog Day and the looming Valentine's Day — with plenty of personality in between.

For those who measure love in scoops, Zlatina Petrova from Bulgaria offers a playful tribute to the dessert that never disappoints.

Ice Cream Love

Petrova's design is available with a calendar preview, and the no-calendar versions come in a range of resolutions from 320x480 up to 2560x1440.

Not everyone greets Valentine's Day with open arms, and Ricardo Gimenes from Sweden channels that sentiment with a design that mixes a certain iconic sci-fi villain with the holiday's signature emotion.

Love Angel Vader

Gimenes' creation ships without a calendar in multiple aspect ratios, spanning from 320x480 to the high-resolution 2880x1800 option.

For Romantics and Weather Watchers

Jacob Giesler from the United States takes a more literal approach to matters of the heart, depicting what happens when that vital organ is attached to puppet strings.

Smashing Wallpaper - february 12

Giesler's no-calendar artwork is available in five widescreen-friendly sizes starting at 1280x800 through 2560x1440.

Oscar Marcelo from Portugal shifts the focus to the calendar's earlier date, illustrating the furry forecaster whose appearance on February 2 dictates whether spring arrives early or winter lingers for six more weeks.

Smashing Wallpaper - february 13

Marcelo's groundhog design omits the calendar in resolutions from 1280x720 up to 2560x1440.

Lucky Day

For those who want a touch of optimism on their screen, Swedish designer Ricardo Gimenes offers “Lucky Day,” a wallpaper that pairs a bright, cheerful aesthetic with the practical need for a February calendar.

Lucky Day

The design is available in a wide range of resolutions to fit most displays, from small laptop screens to large desktop monitors. You can download it with or without the calendar overlay, and a printable PDF version is also provided for those who prefer a physical planner.

For more design inspiration and practical workflow tips, these articles are worth a look:

This month's selection includes another wallpaper, and there's a monthly challenge: submit your own creative desktop design for a chance to be featured in the coming weeks.

Smashing Editorial