Until about 1870, the images on dime novel covers were printed in black and white. By the 1880s, however, the technology for color reproduction had advanced to the stage where color imagery was fast becoming the norm. Chromoxylography was one of the early methods developed for multi-color printing and used a combination of red, yellow, and blue to create a range of colors. For each image, several electroplates of engravings would be made, each inked with a separate color that added tint to a specific area. The color was applied either as a solid or stripes, whose thickness was varied for different intensities of color.
In this cover of American Indian Weekly, the bold areas of primary color and striking composition heighten the drama of the scene by holding the viewer's attention. The use of red in the series' title and the face of the Indian chief are indicative of the one-dimensional, stereotypical treatment of American Indians in the dime novel: they typically appear as red-faced villains who threaten to destroy the white man and all he holds dear.