Dalmatian at a Red Firehouse Door

A Dalmatian keeps a quiet watch beside a weathered red door, its spotted tail stretched across the paving. The firehouse equipment is neatly put away, with a canvas hose hanging beneath a brass bell and tall black boots against the brickwork. Red flowers spill from a wooden barrel on the opposite side. Small chips in the door paint and moss between the stones keep the setting from looking too tidy.

Black spots vary from tiny marks around the muzzle to broad patches along the dog's flank. Their irregular shapes are useful, though the outline of an ear or paw tells you more than an isolated spot. Door panels offer longer lines to follow, with a round brass handle interrupting the red. Over by the hose, tight fabric folds and coarse brick faces create two quite different textures in similar warm shades.