Background Images ArchiveAround 500 original images (all public domain) that I'd recommend unreservedly -- my own. The main menu is here.
A few backgrounds, plus a cgi script that takes any image URL and echoes a page with that background (i.e. load http://128.172.69.106:8080/cgi-bin/back?=insert_image_URL_here)
back1.gif
back13.gif
hline.gif
Small collection of some really nice fabric-style patterns, and some natural-surface textures. (Shows what can be done with small images.)
twixly.gif
haruko.gif
lattice.gif
rosebush.gif
Small but interesting set of original images (Tim Finer, the author, asks to be credited if you use any)
Another small collection of mainly plain surface textures. More here.
Some basic grey-scale images, with a CGI utility to colorize them if you want to.
An impressive collection of interesting patterned images, most not well suited to text. Look in the More_Textures/ subdirectory for more dressed-wood and similar textures than you can poke a parquet tile at. Local sample is here.
A small collection of mostly psychadelic multi-coloured images. Free for non-commercial use only.
A few samples of a much larger collection commercially available on CD-ROM. I've modified the samples presented here (some of them quite a lot) so that they tile seamlessly. Others here.
One of the best sets of original backgrounds on the web -- I wish I'd done some of these myself! I've put a sample here.
About 40 images, representing a good cross-section of background styles from across the web. Nine of the more interesting are collected here.
About twenty of the more popular images.
A dozen backgrounds, including some full-width margined images, and unusual psychadelics (mostly oversized). Three more samples here.
One of the largest collection of backgrounds on the web -- all the usual stuff and more. I've put a sample of about a dozen images here.
Thirty or so images, mostly "displacement map" variations on strongly patterned coloured images. Two samples images are here.
Two dozen of the most widely collected images and a couple of others.
About 50 original backgrounds, most of them very good. A sample is here.
The author, Jeffrey Goodsell, stipulates that these images may used freely, but may not be altered, or in any way used or sold for profit without his permission.
Around fifty backgrounds of various types, including "tall" and "wide" colour gradients, and backgrounds with seasonal themes (Easter, Christmas, St Patrick's Day). Most assume higher colour resolutions (64k+). Images may be used freely but may not be added to online collections (like this one) without the consent of the author, Phyllis Smith. Seven more samples (mostly wide colour gradients) are here.
A good cross-section of popular background images drawn from diverse sources. Twenty or so additional samples are here.
One of the larger collections of original and derivative backgrounds (400+ as at March '96). The rest of my "Top 40" selection is here.
Low contrast, predominantly grey textured images designed for use with text (excellent examples of their kind, but a little on the large side). Local samples are here.
What I saw looked very good, but the server was too slow to allow much of a sample. e.g.
Mostly strident coloured patterns, and some great "alabaster relief" tiles. e.g.
victoria.gif
bluebric.gif
brick.gif
sandston.gif
globe.gif
A half dozen or so nice, simple and very practical textures, although not designed to tile "seamlessly".
Lots of tasteful mixed-colour swatches in colour combinations of your choice, e.g.
About 50 multi-coloured low-contrast JPEGs, many identifiable as images from other collections that have been reworked to render them more suitable for text. If you use any of these images the authors at criticalmass.com would appreciate a credit and link. More samples are here, including two shaded vertical strips.
I've linked these here because the CSC backgrounds are essentially a "best of" selection from the collection at www.igpp.ucla.edu. The CSC collection also includes a mirror of the 200+ "Texture Land" collection, and numerous icon, button etc images. Both sites have a few gems and variations on the classics. More samples here.
A few dozen very original images (many a little too large to be practical). More samples here.
Another collection of well-produced coloured and grey images. A sample is here.
Essentially the same image collection as in the netscape.com archive (you might try this site for quicker downloads).
One of the best general collections I've seen to date, assembled by someone with an obvious eye for graphics (well, OK, with very similar taste to myself anyway). I've put a sample of the sample (those not already included above) on this separate page.
An exceptional collection of great images free for non-commercial use only. More here.
Interesting group of colourful synthesized, and scanned natural textures. A sample is here.
Some original low-contrast photographic images (kittens, US flag etc), and a selection of mainly low-contrast grey images from other sites, most well suited to text.
sq1.jpg
sq2.jpg
whtmarb.jpg
whbricks.jpg
Low-contrast bread-and-butter textures in various pastel shades, with some exceptions, e.g.
Interesting textures, including some nice general purpose weaves, and patterns, e.g.
weaveblu.gif
yellow_f.gif
corrugat.gif
funkyblu.gif
Small collection of mostly strongly coloured patterned images.
qube1.jpg
qube23.jpg
rubmat.jpg
About two dozen images, most strongly patterned and not adjusted to tile seamlessly. There are two more sample images here.
birdscol.gif
pigeons.gif
reptiles.gif
A small set of original images, some quite clever or unusual. The author requests acknowledgement and notification, and prohibits redistribution, so I won't present any samples here. You might, however, try these direct links to demo pages for
venetians7.gif, paper3.gif, miniterra.gif, bricks.gif, jigsaw.gif or greenescher2.gif
A collection of photographic textures in real-world colours, generally rendered at low contrast suitable for text. Not the sort of images you'll see used a lot, but quite tasteful in their own way. A sample is here
About 68 small images (50x50 pixels), very diverse in style. Includes a lot of interesting fractal-style and simple "fabric" patterns. Unfortunately only a few tile correctly. (I've taken the liberty of cropping these samples to produce a seamless fit). More here.
snowflak.gif
alienskn.gif
orglace.gif
I don't know how to characterize the images at this site -- mostly fuzzy, mostly grey micrographs of artificial textures? The author asks that you include a link to http://www.primenet.com/~piglett/ if you use these textures as background. There's a few more here.
A selection of the usual, plus about a dozen original images, e.g.
A small collection of carefully selected images (sample here).
Eric Force / bkg_exo1.html / eforce@acy.digex.net
