Hi, I'm Manolo Saviantoni, aka The_Oluk: pixel artist and game designer based in Rome. For more than 10 years I've been creating pixel art video games, illustrations and animations for brands, TV channels and events.

I draw and animate everything by hand in Photoshop, pixel by pixel, starting from a native resolution of 160×90: just a few pixels, each one chosen with care.

I was born in 1980 and grew up surrounded by arcade cabinets, cartoons, video games, films and music from the '80s and '90s. That world still deeply shapes my style and the way I tell stories through pixel art, an essential visual language that can turn a handful of pixels into recognizable characters, emotions and small worlds.

In recent years my style has evolved towards an increasingly minimal and recognizable pixel art, following a simple philosophy: often less is more.

Video Games, Entertainment & Brands

Since 2020 I have been creating official video games for Boing TV Italy and Spain and Cartoonito, published in the Boing App and Cartoonito App.

In the Boing App there is also a dedicated section called “Boing Pixel Games by The_Oluk”, featuring games created for some of the network's most popular shows, including Teen Titans GO!, Gumball, Batwheels, Tiny Toons Looniversity, We Bare Bears and many more.

On most projects I take care not only of the art, but also of concept, gameplay ideas, game design, art direction and visual development, working closely with the development team Dinobros to turn characters and ideas into memorable playable experiences.

Besides games for TV shows and entertainment, I work with companies and brands to create branded video games, pixel art content, creative campaigns, advergames, visual activations and retro content for events and communities.

Animations, Illustrations & Special Projects

Over the years I have created animated videos, illustrations, posters, art installations and digital content in pixel art for a wide range of clients.

In 2016 I handled storytelling, illustrations and animations for the music video “Caramelle” by J-Ax feat. Neffa. In the following years I worked on campaigns, digital content and entertainment projects for companies such as Warner Bros Discovery, Prime Video, Google, Hera, ESA, Crai, Lux Vide, ENEL, Chiara Ferragni, Cesare Cremonini, Amazon and many others.

Alongside this, I pursue my own artistic path, taking part in contemporary art exhibitions, interactive installations and augmented reality projects, where I combine pixel art, video games, pop culture and retro imagery. Since 2021 I have also taken part in the exhibition Dante Plus, reinterpreting the world of the Divine Comedy through pixel art and the language of video games.

If you like the idea of turning a project, a product or an event into something that looks straight out of a retro video game… maybe we're on the same wavelength 👾