Matt Maldre
@spudart.bsky.social
Designer & artist. Web Strategist @tribuneagency.bsky.social.
- Documenting the strange beauty of ordinary things
- Art, tech, and random discoveries worth sharing
Chicago / Glen Ellyn, Illinois
🎨 spudart.org
🏠 mattmaldre.com
🏢 tribunecontentagency.com
- Documenting the strange beauty of ordinary things
- Art, tech, and random discoveries worth sharing
Chicago / Glen Ellyn, Illinois
🎨 spudart.org
🏠 mattmaldre.com
🏢 tribunecontentagency.com
Frozen 3 comes out November 24, 2027.
I just added it to my calendar.
I just added it to my calendar.
November 21, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Frozen 3 comes out November 24, 2027.
I just added it to my calendar.
I just added it to my calendar.
Your Bluesky account is amazingly balanced.
1.2K followers
1.2K following
1.2K posts
1.2K followers
1.2K following
1.2K posts
November 21, 2025 at 5:25 AM
Your Bluesky account is amazingly balanced.
1.2K followers
1.2K following
1.2K posts
1.2K followers
1.2K following
1.2K posts
I did a search in my Google Photos for "jellyfish" hoping it would give me a result that is not a jellyfish, but something that looks like a jellyfish.
It did not disappoint.
Here is a very underexposed image of an Art Institute of Chicago lion wearing a Cubs hat in 2016.
It did not disappoint.
Here is a very underexposed image of an Art Institute of Chicago lion wearing a Cubs hat in 2016.
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 AM
I did a search in my Google Photos for "jellyfish" hoping it would give me a result that is not a jellyfish, but something that looks like a jellyfish.
It did not disappoint.
Here is a very underexposed image of an Art Institute of Chicago lion wearing a Cubs hat in 2016.
It did not disappoint.
Here is a very underexposed image of an Art Institute of Chicago lion wearing a Cubs hat in 2016.
Imagine encountering this creature floating in the nighttime air.
November 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Imagine encountering this creature floating in the nighttime air.
April photos, now on my Flickr.
flickr.com/spudart
flickr.com/spudart
November 19, 2025 at 5:35 PM
April photos, now on my Flickr.
flickr.com/spudart
flickr.com/spudart
Here's my settings to export the filename, title, and caption from my photos.
{fileName}{tab}{title}{tab}{caption}
{fileName}{tab}{title}{tab}{caption}
November 19, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Here's my settings to export the filename, title, and caption from my photos.
{fileName}{tab}{title}{tab}{caption}
{fileName}{tab}{title}{tab}{caption}
Have you ever counted the stars on your American flag to make sure there are 50?
Today I took a photo of my flag, specifically for my post about the flag having 50 stars. I figured I’d count them. Lo and behold, the image showed just 49 (one star was hiding in a fold). Here's the 49-star image.
Today I took a photo of my flag, specifically for my post about the flag having 50 stars. I figured I’d count them. Lo and behold, the image showed just 49 (one star was hiding in a fold). Here's the 49-star image.
November 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Have you ever counted the stars on your American flag to make sure there are 50?
Today I took a photo of my flag, specifically for my post about the flag having 50 stars. I figured I’d count them. Lo and behold, the image showed just 49 (one star was hiding in a fold). Here's the 49-star image.
Today I took a photo of my flag, specifically for my post about the flag having 50 stars. I figured I’d count them. Lo and behold, the image showed just 49 (one star was hiding in a fold). Here's the 49-star image.
When someone you know turns 50 years old, fly the American flag that day. 50 stars on the flag for their 50th birthday.
(Plus, I like reclaiming the American flag to be for *anyone* in America)
(Plus, I like reclaiming the American flag to be for *anyone* in America)
November 19, 2025 at 3:10 PM
When someone you know turns 50 years old, fly the American flag that day. 50 stars on the flag for their 50th birthday.
(Plus, I like reclaiming the American flag to be for *anyone* in America)
(Plus, I like reclaiming the American flag to be for *anyone* in America)
I just updated my Synectics Daily Prompt calendar—now there’s a creative prompt every day.
Synectics is a set of strategies that help spark new ideas in art and writing
Tomorrow’s prompt: “What human qualities does your subject have?” (Animate) calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0...
Synectics is a set of strategies that help spark new ideas in art and writing
Tomorrow’s prompt: “What human qualities does your subject have?” (Animate) calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0...
![November 19, 2025 What human qualities subject has? [Animate]
November 20, 2025 Chop up, disassemble it [Fragmentate]
November 21, 2025 Ridicule, mimic, mock, burlesque or caricature [Parody]
November 22, 2025 Exchange, switch or replace [Substitute]
November 23, 2025 Compare with elements from different domains, disciplines [Analogize]
November 24, 2025 Make “Jekyll and Hyde” transmutations [Metamorphose]
November 25, 2025 Conceal by mimicry, like chameleons and moths [Disguise]
November 26, 2025 Overlay elements to produce new images, ideas, meanings [Superimpose]
November 27, 2025 Control the pictorial movements and forces [Animate]
November 28, 2025 Contradict normal procedures, social conventions, rituals [Contradict]
November 29, 2025 What other idea, image, or material can you substitute? [Substitute]
November 30, 2025 How subject can be converted, translated, transfigured? [Transfer]
December 1, 2025 What if night and day occurred simultaneously? [Fantasize]
December 2, 2025 Make logical or illogical associations [Analogize]
December 3, 2025 Hide, mask, “implant” subject into another frame of reference [Disguise]
December 4, 2025 Misshape it, yet produce unique metaphoric/aesthetic quality [Distort]
December 5, 2025 A visual symbol stands for something other than what it is [Symbolize]
December 6, 2025 Turn your subject into a symbol public or private [Symbolize]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:hedmlycvhik5cyredbsqsokb/bafkreibnpi5ip2ssk2nlx5zjnsoa67ma2alek3h4syuuwwt4mdrvkxtmwm@jpeg)
November 19, 2025 at 3:16 AM
I just updated my Synectics Daily Prompt calendar—now there’s a creative prompt every day.
Synectics is a set of strategies that help spark new ideas in art and writing
Tomorrow’s prompt: “What human qualities does your subject have?” (Animate) calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0...
Synectics is a set of strategies that help spark new ideas in art and writing
Tomorrow’s prompt: “What human qualities does your subject have?” (Animate) calendar.google.com/calendar/u/0...
I have a fun story about Shota Imanga, about why he's a fav in our house. I don't have it published online. I just emailed it to you. :)
Here's a sneak preview image:
Here's a sneak preview image:
November 18, 2025 at 10:45 PM
I have a fun story about Shota Imanga, about why he's a fav in our house. I don't have it published online. I just emailed it to you. :)
Here's a sneak preview image:
Here's a sneak preview image:
This comparison screenshot of CMYK-to-RGB black and True RGB black... reminds me of Josef Albers' paintings
I call the left version "#231F20 vs #000000" Matt Maldre, 2015
Right version is "Midnight + Noon II" Josef Albers, 1964
from National Gallery of Art
www.nga.gov/artworks/615...
I call the left version "#231F20 vs #000000" Matt Maldre, 2015
Right version is "Midnight + Noon II" Josef Albers, 1964
from National Gallery of Art
www.nga.gov/artworks/615...
November 18, 2025 at 6:56 PM
This comparison screenshot of CMYK-to-RGB black and True RGB black... reminds me of Josef Albers' paintings
I call the left version "#231F20 vs #000000" Matt Maldre, 2015
Right version is "Midnight + Noon II" Josef Albers, 1964
from National Gallery of Art
www.nga.gov/artworks/615...
I call the left version "#231F20 vs #000000" Matt Maldre, 2015
Right version is "Midnight + Noon II" Josef Albers, 1964
from National Gallery of Art
www.nga.gov/artworks/615...
I often open logos from other companies, and the black is not a true black.
- Red: 31
- Green: 31
- Blue: 31
It should be:
- Red: 0
- Green: 0
- Blue: 0
You can tell the logo came from a legacy CMYK environment, and someone converted it to RGB without adjusting it to true black.
- Red: 31
- Green: 31
- Blue: 31
It should be:
- Red: 0
- Green: 0
- Blue: 0
You can tell the logo came from a legacy CMYK environment, and someone converted it to RGB without adjusting it to true black.
November 18, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I often open logos from other companies, and the black is not a true black.
- Red: 31
- Green: 31
- Blue: 31
It should be:
- Red: 0
- Green: 0
- Blue: 0
You can tell the logo came from a legacy CMYK environment, and someone converted it to RGB without adjusting it to true black.
- Red: 31
- Green: 31
- Blue: 31
It should be:
- Red: 0
- Green: 0
- Blue: 0
You can tell the logo came from a legacy CMYK environment, and someone converted it to RGB without adjusting it to true black.
When the Chicago Tribune moved to the Prudential Building, they assigned someone to COMPLETELY clean out the fridges every Friday. ANYTHING in the fridge gets tossed. If your lunch bag (with a name) was still in the fridge, it would get put onto the counter.
It helped keep the fridge tidy.
It helped keep the fridge tidy.
November 18, 2025 at 5:26 PM
When the Chicago Tribune moved to the Prudential Building, they assigned someone to COMPLETELY clean out the fridges every Friday. ANYTHING in the fridge gets tossed. If your lunch bag (with a name) was still in the fridge, it would get put onto the counter.
It helped keep the fridge tidy.
It helped keep the fridge tidy.
The day that I bought IG-12, potato salad, and silver-gray yarn.
The silver-gray yarn kinda looks like IG-12.
The potato salad kinda looks like someone he pulverised.
www.flickr.com/photos/spuda...
The silver-gray yarn kinda looks like IG-12.
The potato salad kinda looks like someone he pulverised.
www.flickr.com/photos/spuda...
November 18, 2025 at 4:55 PM
The day that I bought IG-12, potato salad, and silver-gray yarn.
The silver-gray yarn kinda looks like IG-12.
The potato salad kinda looks like someone he pulverised.
www.flickr.com/photos/spuda...
The silver-gray yarn kinda looks like IG-12.
The potato salad kinda looks like someone he pulverised.
www.flickr.com/photos/spuda...
March photos, now on my Flickr.
flickr.com/spudart
flickr.com/spudart
November 18, 2025 at 4:43 PM
March photos, now on my Flickr.
flickr.com/spudart
flickr.com/spudart
With all my ginkgo photos I keep taking, I feel like this time of year should be called "Ginkgo"
By the way, if you use the high-contrast filter on the Charmera and shoot through a toilet paper tube, it totally zonks out any detail in the photo.
Here's with toilet paper tube and without.
By the way, if you use the high-contrast filter on the Charmera and shoot through a toilet paper tube, it totally zonks out any detail in the photo.
Here's with toilet paper tube and without.
November 18, 2025 at 4:12 PM
With all my ginkgo photos I keep taking, I feel like this time of year should be called "Ginkgo"
By the way, if you use the high-contrast filter on the Charmera and shoot through a toilet paper tube, it totally zonks out any detail in the photo.
Here's with toilet paper tube and without.
By the way, if you use the high-contrast filter on the Charmera and shoot through a toilet paper tube, it totally zonks out any detail in the photo.
Here's with toilet paper tube and without.
While waiting with all the parents for their kids to come out of school, I'm the dad who sits on the ground, photographing the leaves through a toilet paper tube with a tiny Kodak Charmera toy camera.
November 18, 2025 at 4:06 PM
While waiting with all the parents for their kids to come out of school, I'm the dad who sits on the ground, photographing the leaves through a toilet paper tube with a tiny Kodak Charmera toy camera.
Someone placed a pumpkin in our local woods. It seems like a nice gesture to feed the animals.
However, there is a $500 dumping fee.
Imagine if the person put a carved jack-o'-lantern in the forest. You'd be able to trace back to who illegally put the pumpkin there.
However, there is a $500 dumping fee.
Imagine if the person put a carved jack-o'-lantern in the forest. You'd be able to trace back to who illegally put the pumpkin there.
November 18, 2025 at 3:56 PM
Someone placed a pumpkin in our local woods. It seems like a nice gesture to feed the animals.
However, there is a $500 dumping fee.
Imagine if the person put a carved jack-o'-lantern in the forest. You'd be able to trace back to who illegally put the pumpkin there.
However, there is a $500 dumping fee.
Imagine if the person put a carved jack-o'-lantern in the forest. You'd be able to trace back to who illegally put the pumpkin there.
Getting my Flickr up-to-date. For the next nine days (or so), I'm adding highlights from each month.
Here's February. flickr.com/spudart
Here's February. flickr.com/spudart
November 18, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Getting my Flickr up-to-date. For the next nine days (or so), I'm adding highlights from each month.
Here's February. flickr.com/spudart
Here's February. flickr.com/spudart
Pressing ginkgo leaves in my book "The Way of the Ninja: Secret Techniques".
Eventually, these leaves will be part of my "365 Hues of the Ginkgo" art project. #blueskyartshow
Eventually, these leaves will be part of my "365 Hues of the Ginkgo" art project. #blueskyartshow
November 17, 2025 at 10:26 PM
Pressing ginkgo leaves in my book "The Way of the Ninja: Secret Techniques".
Eventually, these leaves will be part of my "365 Hues of the Ginkgo" art project. #blueskyartshow
Eventually, these leaves will be part of my "365 Hues of the Ginkgo" art project. #blueskyartshow
The ground was nice and crunchy.
November 17, 2025 at 3:24 PM
The ground was nice and crunchy.
Weird vertical halos appeared when moving across the sun while capturing a panoramic with my iPhone. #photooftheday
November 17, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Weird vertical halos appeared when moving across the sun while capturing a panoramic with my iPhone. #photooftheday
To help me sort the ginkgo leaves by hue, I would photograph each one with a Photographic Light Meter Color Calibration Chart. That way, each photograph has the exact color.
I just need to pick one chart among the many available.
amzn.to/4hXuwHg
I just need to pick one chart among the many available.
amzn.to/4hXuwHg
November 15, 2025 at 3:35 AM
To help me sort the ginkgo leaves by hue, I would photograph each one with a Photographic Light Meter Color Calibration Chart. That way, each photograph has the exact color.
I just need to pick one chart among the many available.
amzn.to/4hXuwHg
I just need to pick one chart among the many available.
amzn.to/4hXuwHg
However, now I think I'd like to collect 365 ginkgo leaves.
Sort the leaves in order by hue.
Create a dedicated Bluesky account.
Once every day next year, I post one photo.
The year would slowly progress from greens to yellows to browns.
Sort the leaves in order by hue.
Create a dedicated Bluesky account.
Once every day next year, I post one photo.
The year would slowly progress from greens to yellows to browns.
November 15, 2025 at 3:30 AM
However, now I think I'd like to collect 365 ginkgo leaves.
Sort the leaves in order by hue.
Create a dedicated Bluesky account.
Once every day next year, I post one photo.
The year would slowly progress from greens to yellows to browns.
Sort the leaves in order by hue.
Create a dedicated Bluesky account.
Once every day next year, I post one photo.
The year would slowly progress from greens to yellows to browns.
While waiting to pick up my daughter from school, I collected about 20 ginkgo leaves, thinking I would use them to continue my 2010 series "Yellow ginkgo leaf on _______".
www.flickr.com/photos/spuda...
www.flickr.com/photos/spuda...
November 15, 2025 at 3:26 AM
While waiting to pick up my daughter from school, I collected about 20 ginkgo leaves, thinking I would use them to continue my 2010 series "Yellow ginkgo leaf on _______".
www.flickr.com/photos/spuda...
www.flickr.com/photos/spuda...