Bram Vanden Daele

Hi, I’m Bram – founder and proud craftsman behind Vip Paints Algarve.
My journey with painting didn’t start with a job or a project… it started with a calling. I was just 12 years old when I made the decision to follow my passion and enroll in what is known as the best painting school in Belgium – the Glorieux Instituut in Oostakker.
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What makes this so special is that in Belgium, we can choose a professional path from a very young age. At Glorieux, painting wasn’t just a subject – it was a discipline. The school is so highly regarded that students from all over the country come to live there during their studies. I was one of them. I spent my early teenage years as a boarding student, completely immersed in the world of color, brushwork, and craftsmanship.
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We started with the fundamentals: hand-lettering with support sticks, fine line work with precision brushes, and what we called “drill exercises” to train a steady hand. For years, we practiced the art of control, detail, and patience. We even made our own paint by grinding pigments with linseed oil on a marble slab – an ancient technique that teaches you to respect every drop of color.
By the time I was 16, I had already gone through more hands-on training than most professionals do in their whole careers. And today, with more than 20 years of experience, I still carry that same dedication, precision, and pride into every project I take on.
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Painting isn’t just my profession – it’s my life. And it all started with a brush, a steady hand, and a dream.
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Bram Vanden Daele
Vip Paints Algarve