The world bodypainting festival in Austria is earth's biggest art show in the bodypaiting theme. Since its inception in 1998, visitors have flocked to the event to admire the wild works of artists from over 40 nations worldwide. Tens of thousands of visitors attended the 2011 event in Pörtschach along Lake Wörthersee near the state capital Klagenfurt.

Usually, the artist paints a completely naked human body, though the body is often covered with a very short bikini or a G-string. Among other things, a great bodypainting work is measured by how skillfully the artist hides the private parts of the subject.

The 2001 World Bodypainting Festival began on June 27 and finished on July 3.

Here's a look at this year's competitors: