Digital Craftsman (Developer/3D Artist)
Hi there! I'm Raffaele Valenti, a 26-year-old Italian software developer and digital creator.
You might be wondering what I mean by "digital craftsman." Traditionally, a craftsman is someone who hones their skills to create something with care and precision—often by hand. While I may not work with physical materials like wood or metal, my craft takes place in the digital world. Whether it's coding software, designing immersive 3D environments, or developing interactive web applications, I approach each project with the same dedication and attention to detail as any traditional artisan.
With that said, let me take you on a brief journey through my background and passions.
Technology has always held a fascination for me, and my foray into the realm of digital crafting began in my teenage years.
To this day, I find immense joy in video games, and at one point, I decided to delve into the world of game development. My exploration led me to the widely known game engine, Unity, where I began learning the ropes of both Unity and the C# programming language primarily through insightful YouTube tutorials.
After grasping the fundamentals of Unity and C#, I expanded my horizons within game development, delving into artistic aspects such as 2D and 3D art. I mastered tools like GIMP for texture creation and Blender for crafting intricate 3D models. Progressing further, I acquainted myself with advanced programs like Substance Painter and Substance Designer.
Concurrently, alongside game development, I ventured into web development, starting with the basics of HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, later transitioning to frameworks like React, Ionic, and snippets of Angular.
A few years later, my passion led me to Bohemia Interactive's game Arma 3, where I ventured into modding and gained recognition within the Italian gaming community.
In October 2017, having graduated from high school, I embarked on a two-year post-diploma course to become a biomedical informatics technician. The program enriched my knowledge in practical areas like C, Java, web development, Android app development, databases, and my favorite, AR, VR, and mixed reality development. The curriculum also covered theoretical subjects such as mathematics, networking, laws and regulations (primarily for medical equipment), and software engineering. Graduating at the top of my class in mid-2019, I felt a sense of accomplishment.
Subsequently, until April 2021, I pursued a university degree in software engineering. Unfortunately, due to a combination of events and challenges, I made the difficult decision to discontinue my studies. However, this marked the beginning of my professional journey as I secured my first job as a software developer at FINCANTIERI.
By the end of 2024, seeking new challenges and the flexibility of remote work, I transitioned to a new role as a remote developer at Tecnolife Innovation Factory, where I continue to contribute to innovative digital projects in a dynamic and forward-thinking environment.
Throughout this period, I continually honed my skills and pursued self-improvement. By the end of 2022, I acquired my first 3D printer, enabling me to materialize my Blender creations in the tangible world.
I strongly believe that in the world of software development, continuous learning and self-improvement are not just valuable—they're essential.
Technology evolves rapidly, and staying curious, adaptable, and eager to grow is the only way to keep pace and thrive in this field.
This mindset is what fuels my journey every day, pushing me to explore new tools, sharpen my skills, and build better, smarter solutions.
🌐 Orchisoftair Website
A modern, responsive website built for an Italian airsoft team. Designed with performance and usability in mind.
Technologies Used:
- React: A powerful JavaScript library for building dynamic and interactive user interfaces. React was used to create reusable components and manage the state of the website efficiently.
- TypeScript: A statically typed superset of JavaScript that adds type safety to the codebase, reducing runtime errors and improving the maintainability and scalability of the project.
- Vite: A modern build tool that significantly improves the development and build process, providing faster hot-reloading and optimized production builds.
- Appwrite: A backend-as-a-service (BaaS) that powers the website’s data management. Appwrite is used to store and serve the team’s content, including event details, news, and user interactions.
- Caching Mechanism: A custom caching strategy was implemented to reduce the number of requests to the backend, improving load times and enhancing the user experience, especially during high-traffic periods.
- SCSS: A CSS preprocessor used to write clean, modular, and maintainable styles. SCSS allows for easy theming and the use of variables, mixins, and nested rules, ensuring consistent and flexible styling across the site.
- Prettier: A code formatter that ensures the codebase remains consistent and easy to read, applying formatting rules automatically whenever changes are made.
- ESLint: A static code analysis tool used to identify and fix problems in the JavaScript/TypeScript code. It enforces coding standards and helps maintain high code quality by catching errors early. This tech stack not only ensures a fast, smooth, and dynamic user experience but also keeps the website maintainable, scalable, and efficient. Whether you're browsing on a mobile device or a desktop, the site adapts seamlessly to provide a rich and engaging experience.
View on GitHub
💼 Personal Portfolio
My interactive portfolio built with modern web technologies and focused on clean design.
Technologies Used:
- React: A powerful JavaScript library for building dynamic and interactive user interfaces. React was used to create reusable components and manage the state of the website efficiently.
- TypeScript: A statically typed superset of JavaScript that adds type safety to the codebase, reducing runtime errors and improving the maintainability and scalability of the project.
- Vite: A modern build tool that significantly improves the development and build process, providing faster hot-reloading and optimized production builds.
- LESS: A CSS preprocessor that helps write maintainable and reusable styles. LESS is used to manage the styling of the website with variables, mixins, and nested rules, ensuring a flexible and scalable design.
- Prettier: A code formatter that ensures the codebase remains consistent and easy to read, applying formatting rules automatically whenever changes are made.
- ESLint: A static code analysis tool used to identify and fix problems in the JavaScript/TypeScript code. It enforces coding standards and helps maintain high code quality by catching errors early.
- Localization: The website supports multiple languages and regions, ensuring that the content is accessible to a wider audience. Localization features were implemented to allow easy switching between languages, with all content dynamically loading based on user preferences.
View on GitHub
🎮 Game Engine
A custom-built, high-performance game engine developed in C++ for creating visually stunning and technically advanced games. Designed to offer photorealistic graphics, efficient asset management, and cross-platform compatibility, this engine provides a flexible and modular architecture for building complex, large-scale game worlds. With a focus on optimized performance and scalable design, it aims to push the boundaries of real-time rendering and interactive game mechanics.
(Note: This project is private)