PlasmaDesign | Widescreen Abstract Desktop Wallpapers

Poker

Equipment used: Nikon D70s, Photoshop CS3 Extended

'Poker' is a great macro shot taken by Chris Emery, lead graphic designer here at PlasmaDesign. It is free to download and use as desktop wallpaper in resolutions up to 2560x1600 pixels.

Transamerica

Equipment used: Nikon D70s, Aperture 1.5, Photoshop CS3 Extended

I snapped this photo of the Transamerica tower on my last day in San Francisco. It was taken on the corner of Montgomery Street and Clay Street at about 2pm. I was blessed for the duration of my week long trip with fantastic weather (especially for January!).

Lamellae

Equipment used: Olympus E-500, Aperture 1.5, Photoshop CS3 Extended

Photographed earlier this year, this is a macro shot of the underside of a toadstool. Colour adjustments were done in Aperture and blemishes removed using Photoshop CS3.

Frong

Equipment used: Olympus E-500, Aperture 1.5, Photoshop CS3 Extended

This wallpaper was shot by Chris Emery while wandering around a local water garden. The rich colouring and narrow focusing makes for a great desktop wallpaper.

Vertigo

Equipment used: Nikon D70s, Aperture 1.5, Photoshop CS3 Extended

Taken on my annual trip to San Francisco for Macworld Expo, this shot was the end result of a 16 mile walk from the Transamerica Tower to the Golden Gate bridge (and then back again). It was an unseasonably warrm and sunny January day and was shot at about 11am from the bay side of the bridge.

Velvet

Equipment used: Olympus E-500, Aperture 1.5, Photoshop CS3 Extended

This image was taken using an Olympus E-500 with a Macro Lens. I saw this rose on my travels and thought that it reflected British summer time perfectly

Harvest

Equipment used: Nikon D70s, Aperture 1.5, Photoshop CS3 Extended

This photograph was taken last summer while walking in fields in Mottisfont, Hampshire UK. A fair amount of post-processing was carried out using both Aperture and Photoshop as the original RAW file was a little blurred.

Trajectory

Software used: Carrera 5, Photoshop CS2

The solar system has fascinated me ever since childhood. I used to spend hours looking through books of diagrams and photos of the planets. I have been meaning to create a wallpaper using the solar system as its theme for a while. This is the result.

Evergreen

Equipment used: Olympus E300, Photoshop CS2, Aperture 1.0

Its been a stressful couple of months. We moved into a new office in November and we have both been working 16 hour days to keep up with the freelance design work (which is great but tiring). So just before Christmas we decided to take the afternoon off, grab our cameras and visit our local arboretum. Chris took this shot with his Olympus E300 with macro lens. We processed the image with Apple Aperture and I carried out some colour correction with Photoshop CS2.

Rubik

Software used: Hexagon 1.0, Carrera 4, Photoshop CS2

This is most definately the darkest image I have released in quite a while. Five different versions are included in zip file, all with subtle differences in colour scheme. As usual, feedback is most welcome.

United We Stand

Software used: Lightwave 7

Every time our civilized world is turned upside down by fanatics with no regard for innocent lives, we become more united. We forget our petty squabbles and differences and stand together. Included in the ZIP file are versions for USA, UK, Spain, France, Germany, Austria, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland and Eire.

Photosynthesis

Equipment Used : Nikon D70S

My sabbatical from the desk continues, forcing me to get some fresh air and exercise. Luckily the notouriously crap British weather has been kind to me, allowing me to get some more practice with the Nikon D70s. I shot 'Photosynthesis' at my local garden centre using a 60mm Nikkor Micro lens.

Torrent

Equipment Used : Nikon D70S

May was an 'interesting' month. One minute I was happily sat at my desk working on a new image, the next minute I had snapped a nerve in my elbow leaving me with no feeling in part of my right hand. While I have no intention of reducing the number of wallpapers added to the site I do need to cut down a little on the time I spend at my desk for the next 3 months. So I paid a visit to my local camera shop and picked up a Nikon D70 Digital SLR. On my way home I stopped off a local beauty spot called 'Salmon Leap', an old mill with a fast moving river. This was almost the first image I took with the new D70. Shot in RAW with a shutter speed of 0.5 secs, what you see is what came out of the camera. No post-processing was carried out.

Still Life

Software used: Lightwave 7, Bryce 5.1, Photoshop CS

This image is a departure from my usual style. 'Still Life' is not a genre I usually indulge in and there is a lot less colour in this image than I would typically use. My intention was to create a really nice 3D render of a graphic designers 'survival kit'. There are many different versions in the ZIP file; an assortment of colours and renditions with a cordless mouse.

Goldie

Software used: Photoshop CS

A little while back PlasmaDesign printed some plastic business cards for a guy called Chris Emery. I was blown away by his card design and met Chris for a drink at our local pub. During our conversation it emerged that Chris was an avid and talented photographer. I asked Chris whether he would like to submit a few images to PlasmaDesign for use as wallpaper. This was one of my favourite shots on the disc he gave me. It was taken at a 'Goldie' gig in Southampton, England and IMHO does a great job of capturing the atomsphere of the current dance scene here in the UK.

Dewdrop (Detail)

Added March 2005

Software used: Lightwave 7

Taken from the same project as Dewdrop (found below), this photo was shot by a friend of mine with a Nikon D70 digital SLR and a ridiculously expensive macro lens. I made some adjustments to the images orientation, colour profile and the reflections seen in the droplets using Photoshop CS.

Confusion

Added July 2004

Software used: Photoshop CS

A simple design that started life as a digital photograph. This wallpaper is a little more self-indulgent than usual, being an image I wanted to use on my own desktop. I loved the photo of the pencils which seemed appropriate for designers but I wanted to give it a bit of a twist. Hence the confusing color palette.

Spark

Added June 2004

Software used: Mystical Light, Photoshop CS

This image started life as a photo on a royalty-free stock photography disc a friend loaned to me. It was far less complex and monochrome. Using 'Mystical Light' and a Wacom tablet, I set about adding about 400 extra 'spark trails' as well as the hundreds of tiny lens flares. Then, using Photoshop, color was added and the image sharpened.

Optic

Added May 2004

Software used: Bryce 5, Photoshop CS

My original intention was to release this solely as a dual monitor wallpaper but I have been hassled into submission. This image continues the theme set by 'Genesis', 'Frozen' and 'Magma' (all on this page). Basically all the image comprises of is a light source inside hollow spheres which have a textured, translucent surface. I guess it may be time to call it a day with this particular concept but I just love the detail created by the light coming through the bumpy glass-like material. Very cool.

Stamen

Added April 2004

Software used: Photoshop CS

Something for the ladies (and those of us in touch with our feminine sides :)) I cannot claim too much credit for this piece. Its actually a photo that was sent to me by a friend. I made some changes to the hue and saturation and cropped it to look dramatic as a widescreen desktop wallpaper.

Dewdrop

Added March 2004

Software used: Photoshop CS

It has been over 6 months since I added anything to the 'Photography' gallery of PlasmaDesign. And seeing as Spring is just around the corner (in this hemisphere anyway) I figured 'Dewdrop' would be fitting addition to the site. Members have access to 'Dewdrop' at 1920x1200, 1600x1200 and 1440x900 pixels. To find out more about membership visit this page.

Fusion (Cold)

Created January 2004

Software used: Bryce 5, Photoshop CS

The original 'Fusion' is available to all visitors at 1024x768 and to members only at higher resolutions (right up to 1920x1200). This variation of my original 'Fusion' wallpaper (found below) is only available to members of PlasmaDesign, again up to 1920x1200.

Fusion (Hot)

Created January 2004

Software used: Bryce 5, Photoshop CS

This is a little different for me in as much as there is no glass or water. In fact there are no solid jobs whatsoever. 'Fusion' is actually a spin-off of another project I am currently working on which is a diagram of the solar system. I have been searching for suitably impressive effects to accurately depict the sun and this image is the result of the experimentation. It is also available at 1600x1200.

Spine

Created December 2003

Software used: Bryce 5, Photoshop CS

The idea for this image came from a diagram in a science magazine of the human spine. Obviously a lot of 'artistic license' has been applied. There is also standard monitor ration version available at 1600x1200.

Snowflake

Created December 2003

Software used: Bryce 5

I have had a few people ask for something a little festive this Christmas. Hopefully this will please those who have taken the time to send me their requests. There are three variations in the ZIP file, all rendered at both 1920x1200 and 1440x900. Merry Christmas!

Paperweight

Created September 2003

Software used: AutoCAD, Bryce 5

It is no secret that I am a proud mac user. I like Windows XP but wouldn't be without my Apple MacBook. So I thought I would give the mac community a treat. My newest image is called Paperweight and is available to all visitors. There are actually five separate images. One each for MacBook's, iMacs, iBooks, PowerMac G4s and (for those of you lucky enough to own one already) PowerMac G5s.

Binary

Created February 2003

Software used: AutoCAD, Bryce 5

The original version of this image was where I took inspiration for PlasmaDesigns' unique 'crystal monogram wallpaper service'. If you would like to see your name or initials in crystal rather than the digits above, please visit our store to find out more.

Genesis

Created February 2003

Software used: Bryce 5

I got the inspiration for this image from an incident involving my dog and a pond full of frog spawn. The result was nowhere near as attractive as the wallpaper! Inspiration can come from the most unlikely sources.

Division

Created February 2003

Software used: Bryce 5, Photoshop 7

Alright! Alright! I know its not really a landscape image. Putting that aside, there has been a large time gap between this image and my last attempt at a space scene. I am very pleased with the results.

Storm Eye

Created May 2003

Software used: Bryce 5

This is most definitely one of my more abstract images! I took inspiration from an advert that wa running on UK television earlier in the year.

Chess

Created June 2003

Software used: Bryce 5

Chess has always held a fascination for me. I don't get to play it too much because my fiancee hates it and my kids are too young to understand the rules. Nevertheless, I still own a few chess boards. One from Africa, one that my granddad carved whilst captive in a POW camp (although i must confess to not knowing where it is) and a glass one that my mother bought for me a few Christmas' ago. This wallpaper is obviously modeled on the latter.

Jacks

Created December 2002

Software used: Bryce 5

I took inspiration for this image while shopping for my kids Christmas presents in the local Toys R Us. There was a small table on display with a set of plastic jacks on it. I remembered having some when I was a child and thought it would make a good theme for a desktop wallpaper as I felt it may take 30 something's on a trip down memory lane.

Solar Hex

Created May 2003

Software used: Bryce 5

This image is based on a photograph of a 'solar sail' I came across while reading a technology magazine during my lunch break.

Magma

Created June 2003

Software used: Bryce 5

This wallpaper is one of a pair of images based upon a hot/cold theme. (Both versions are included in the zip file). They were created using Bryce 5 with no post-processing in Photoshop (a rarity for me!). I took inspiration from my one of my more recent images called ' Furnace ' and a diagram of the solar system I stumbled across on 'How Stuff Works dot com).

Spectrum

Created April 2003

Software used: Bryce 5

This is a very simple and minimalist in design. It may be less technically difficult that some of my other work but I just like the 'way it looks'. Its clean and cheerful. I experimented with several different backgrounds but all of the detracted from marbles themselves. So in the end i opted for a plain white surface and sky.