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Inspiring Wallpapers For February 2021 And A Little Creativity Challenge

Did you know that this February is the perfect month? Well, layout-wise at least: It starts on a Monday, ends on a Sunday, and has exactly four full weeks. To fill these four perfectly aligned weeks with some life, artists and designers from across the globe challenged their creative skills and designed beautiful and inspiring wallpaper calendars for your desktop and mobile devices.

The wallpapers in this post come with and without a calendar for February 2021, and, as a little bonus goodie, you’ll also discover some familiar faces here and there: February favorites from our archives that are just too good to be forgotten (please note that these designs don’t come with a calendar). A huge thank-you goes out to everyone who shared their artworks with us this time around! It’s fantastic to see how this monthly wallpapers series still tickles your ideas after all these years that we’ve been running it.

Get Creative And Win A Workshop Ticket

Now before you scroll on to find your favorite design for this month, we’d love to invite you to a little creativity challenge: Get your pens, paintbrushes, camera, or favorite illustration tools ready and design a wallpaper for March 2021. Or maybe you have some doodles or sketches lying around that are too good not to be shared? Now’s the opportunity to turn them into a wallpaper and brighten up someone’s day. As a reward, we’ll give away a ticket to one of Vitaly Friedman’s upcoming online workshops (Interface Design Patterns or Navigation) for the best design.

How To Join In

You have the full freedom to explore your creativity with your wallpaper, to let your imagination flow, and use your favorite tools. There are only a few things you need to know before you get started:

Once you have your assets and the form file ready, please bundle everything up in a ZIP file and send it to us via wallpapers@smashingmagazine.com. A Dropbox or Google Drive link works, too, of course.

The deadline is Thursday, February 25, 11:59 PM CET.

If you have any further questions, our Wallpapers Guidelines PDF has got your back. Please feel free to also take a look around the wallpapers archives for some inspiration.

So, What Can You Win?

The first prize is a workshop ticket for one of Vitaly’s upcoming workshops of your choice:

We’ll choose the best wallpaper among all entries and announce the winner in the March wallpapers post which will be published on February 28.

Have fun! We are already looking forward to seeing your artworks! ❤️

Dog Year Ahead

Out There, There’s Someone Like You

“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.” — Designed by Maria Keller from Mexico.

The Great Beyond

Happy Birthday Charles Dickens!

“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.

In Another Place At The Same Time

“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.

On The Light Side

“People should have the right to believe and think what they want. They should be free in choosing their opinion. The wallpaper (especially the birds) reminds me of the great freedom we have in many countries of the world.” — Designed by Daniela Faltz from Germany.

It’s A Cupcake Kind Of Day!

“Sprinkles are fun, festive and filled with love… especially when topped on a cupcake! Everyone is creative in their own unique way, so why not try baking some cupcakes and decorating them for your sweetie this month? Something homemade, like a cupcake or DIY craft is always a sweet gesture.” — Designed by Artsy Cupcake from the United States.

Savannah Stroll

“February is a month focused on romance and as a southerner, I can’t think of a more romantic way to spend a day than strolling the historic moss-draped streets of Savannah, GA. Spending time sitting on a bench on one of the many beautiful squares, holding hands and people watching as you sip a cappuccino.” — Designed by Heather Ozee Designs from the United States.

“A dark romantic feel, walking through the city on a dark and rainy night.” — Designed by Matthew Talebi from the United States.

Principles Of Good Design

Minimalistic Love

“This minimalistic love logo is designed from geometric shapes, where the heart represents the letter ‘O’ and love. The anchor represents the letter ‘V’ very delicately and stylish and it symbolizes your wanderlust. The anchor is a symbol of adventure and travels.” — Designed by Antun Hirsman from Croatia.

Ice Cream Love

Love Angel Vader

Heart On A String

“The Groundhog emerged from its burrow on February 2. If it is cloudy, then spring will come early, but if it is sunny, the groundhog will see its shadow, will retreat back into its burrow, and the winter weather will continue for six more weeks.” — Designed by Oscar Marcelo from Portugal.

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