A VENICE masquerade in Melbourne was the theme of a national competition held in Williamstown last Friday evening.

The annual Australian Body Art Awards featured more than 20 body and face painting professionals. Many members of the audience also donned 17th-century outfits and masks for the occasion.

The awards were affiliated with the World Body Painting Association and were organised by body artist Maria Mormile.

She said her inspiration for this year’s theme was the famous yearly Venice Carnivale in Italy, which began at about the same time as the Williamstown event did.

Ms Mormile said the best of the country’s full-body and facial make-up virtuosos painted models for the Australian event, which was divided into three main sections.

These were face-only make-up category, full-body make-up contest and costume painting division, which traditionally involves clothing or fabric on a body’s lower half and painting on the upper-half.

Ms Mormile said competing artists had around three hours to paint their models until international judges decided on each individual winner.

The Victorian town of Daylesford will host the Australian Body Art Awards in 2011.

For more information see http://www.australianbodyartawards.com.au/