Ms Mormile, who describes body art as a "risque way" to express one's self, recently moved to Daylesford, and has set up a body art and face painting business in the town.

She founded the Australian Body Art Awards after realising there were people all over Australia practising body art.

"I was putting a competition together and I had people from all over Australia entering," she said.

"I realised we've not had this calibre of skills in the country under one roof before."

The first Australian Body Art Awards are to be held at Williamstown on February 5, but in 2011 they would move to Daylesford, Ms Mormile said.

Her own career as a body and face artist began three-years ago at a medieval festival.

"A friend of mine needed a face painter for a medieval festival as someone had let her down," she said

"I drew up my own designs and went to this festival really knowing nothing but realising I loved it."

Ms Mormile said her favourite style of body art involved "painting the average, everyday person."

"For a moment in time, a person expresses an alter ego of their own. They could have a corset painted or be a tiger," she said.

There will be workshops in Daylesford for a week leading up to The 2010 Australian Body Art Awards.

For information phone: 0407 627 427.