Pen & Pixel Graphics, Inc. Records
This collection documents the creative process of Pen & Pixel Graphics, Inc. as it produced album artwork for Houston-area and other American hip hop artists. The collection contains 67 digital files, 13 posters, 9 poster flats, and other material documenting the company, including a catalog and photographs of its staff. It also includes a Geto Boys storyboard, made under the auspices of Rap-a-Lot Records, and two t-shirts.
Dates
- 1993-2002
Conditions Governing Access
Open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Special Collections owns the physical items in our collections, but copyright normally belongs to the creator of the materials or their heirs. The researcher has full responsibility for determining copyright status, obtaining permission to publish from copyright holders, and abiding by current copyright laws when publishing or displaying copies of Special Collections material in print or electronic form. For more information, consult the appropriate librarian. Reproduction decisions will be made by Special Collections staff on a case-by-case basis.
Extent
4.50 linear feet
90.3 Megabytes
Historical Information
Pen & Pixel Graphics, Inc. was founded in September 1992 by brothers Shawn and Aaron Brauch in Houston, TX. The Brauch brothers got their start in the music business by working for Rap-A-Lot Records in Houston before recognizing that demand for their graphic design work was high enough for them to start their own company.
Pen & Pixel was innovative in its wide use of Photoshop to create CD covers filled with layers of special effects, highly stylized lettering, and plenty of “bling” (flashy jewelry, expensive clothes, luxury cars, and piles of cash). The company became associated mainly with rap and hip hop musicians in the 1990s, working with renowned artists such as Master P and Lil Wayne and record labels such as No Limit Records and Cash Money Records.
In addition to CD covers, Pen & Pixel also produced artwork for posters, logos, and videos.
Technical Requirements
Some digital files can be viewed in the UH Digital Library in the Pen & Pixel digital collection. Digital archival materials can also be accessed in the Special Collections Reading Room. Contact curator Julie Grob (jgrob@uh.edu) for more information.
Digital Collections
Pen & Pixel digital collection
https://digitalcollections.lib.uh.edu/collections/mg74qn10n
- Title
- Guide to the Pen & Pixel Graphics, Inc. Records
- Author
- Alison Clemens
- Date
- 2013-08-27
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the University of Houston Libraries Special Collections Repository
University of Houston Libraries Special Collections
MD Anderson Library
4333 University Drive
Houston TX 77204-2000 USA
713-743-9750