Psychodelic and Sober 49's

I searched for “The Crying of Lot 49” in the Google images option. I saw another cover for the novel. Suddenly, I thought how I could compare both versions of Pynchon’s text. I will name the image (A) as the one of the cover I posses. This means image (B) is Pynchon’s preceding cover. I will compare both novels in their style. In order to do this I will use three main aspects: Composition of both Illustrations, comments from other sources and my personal view supported by text. In order to divide the covers I designed it as a 9 quadrant image.

Image A
Composition:
- Color: This illustration gains strength with the use of colors to emphasize the title of novel. The use of a plain color (one that is used as a background) gives it a sense of uniformity. This sea-green tone serves as a visual conductor. Black is used to frame the title and depict some important information, such as the author’s name. However the red is the color that stands out the most. Despite of the intensity of red, another visual technique deals with another background, highlighting the number “49.”
- Space: The use of colors as previously mentioned highlight the title. The are four layers that derive from the image. These layers give the cover a sense of volume and space. The first one is the sea green background(taking most of the illustration’s space). The second one deals with black, the author and the frame seem to be over the first layer. The third space created is the white background in which the title, the horn and the “49” stand upon. The fourth layer and closest to one’s eye is the red used to color the “49.”
- Volume: The image gains depth with shadows used under the 49 and the horn’s shape at the right extremity.
- Law of thirds: This technical aspect is evident in the image. “The crying of lot 49” appears at the bottom right corner of the illustration. It would be located around quadrant 9 (z, 9).
- Texture: The cover of image (a) is full of texture. The greenish layer had some patches of white. And the frame is also giving another texture, I thought it could represent the one of a stamp. The cover seems to be “old” and gives it a essence of antiquity that is emphasized with the horn.
Foreign comment: “The comedy crackles, the puns pop, the satire explodes.”- New York Times
Opinion: This cover is very sober in comparison to image (b), it uses few colors, a plain background and no extravagant textures. The relationship of this illustration is also connected to the text. It reminds me of certain passages of passive action. Where Pynchon writes simple ideas that are not very eccentric. This illustration reminds me of excerpts such as:
“She thought of Mucho, her husband, trying to believe in his job.” (Chapter 2)
“The room would be good enough for the time she had to stay.”(Chapter 2)
“All those movies had happy endings.”(Chapter 2)

Image B
Composition:
-Color:
Foreign comment:
Opinion: One that captured my attention totally, colors shapes and vivid psychedelic vibe stood out from the conjunction of pixels.