Living art! Stunning photos of models wearing paint at World Bodypainting Festival

More than 300 artists from across the world converged at Woerthersee Lake, in south Austria, for the World Bodypainting Festival. The three-day festival, July 1-3, saw around 1,500 participants competing in brush and sponge, airbrush and special effects categories. This resulted in stunning living artworks that would blow your mind. The festival is a combination of exhibitions, competitions and parties that showcase models in spectacular costumes and painted bodies. Many of the designs were influenced by nature and an alien-like theme, with resplendent headgears and fantastical paintwork being the norm. This festival gives a platform to an artform that is not only very little known, but even frowned upon by many, thereby helping promote it as mainstream and acceptable art around the world. Click through for some brilliant photos from the festival. (Source: Reuters)

The festival gives visitors an opportunity to take an up-close-and-personal look at the design and bodypainting process. (Source: Reuters)

The festival also included huge bands, street performance, stage acts, installation art and international DJs. (Source: Reuters)

A model displays ultraviolet light paint during the World Bodypainting Festival in Poertschach. (Source: Reuters)

A model has many theatrical faces painted on her body at the festival. (Source: Reuters)

A model takes photographs during the World Bodypainting Festival. (Source: Reuters)

An artist touches up artwork on a model during the festival. (Source: Reuters)

The war of art, in a way, as these models take on each other with their 'weapons' at the festival. (Source: Reuters)

Silver chains added to the drama of this Medusa-like headgear for this model. (Source: Reuters)

A model poses for photographers at the festival. (Source: Reuters)

There was much drama in the live performances by these models as well. (Source: Reuters)

Stunning headgear added to the drama at the festival. (Source: Reuters)

Many went for an alien-like theme. (Source: Reuters)

The many faces of theatre. (Source: Reuters)

While others opted for popular cartoon and graphic novel characters. (Source: Reuters)

Floral designs were popular as well. (Source: Reuters)

Environment and global warming were popular themes. (Source: Reuters)

This can be a great addition to last year's glitter beard phenomenon that was a huge rage. (Source: Reuters)

Geometrical shapes and pretty colours were a favourite as well. (Source: Reuters)

Models went for a fully transformed look - headgear to fantasy shoes - for effect. (Source: Reuters)

Designs included religious symbolism to science like the DNA double-helix on the back of this model here. (Source: Reuters)

A model poses during the World Bodypainting Festival in Poertschach, Austria. (Source: Reuters)

A tribute to Vincent Van Gogh. (Source: Reuters)

Splatters of paint make for great artwortk too. (Source: Reuters)

Looks like the artist went for a statement on environment here. (Source: Reuters)

The feather headdress has a very tribal feel to it. (Source: Reuters)

Peace, sanctity and Krishna seem to be the running theme here. (Source: Reuters)

Creatures of the underwater kingdom. (Source: Reuters)

Models taking a walk during one of the competitions at the festivals, as shutterbugs train their lenses. (Source: Reuters)