Naked models transformed into landscapes, birds and even DRAGONS by body painting artist

At a first glance, you could be forgiven for mistaking these images for intricate works of paper and oil paint.

But a closer look reveals that they are actually human bodies transformed by the brush of artist, Gesine Marwedel.

Ms Marwedel, 27, from Germany is a body paint artist who creates captivating pieces of art by positioning and painting the human form.

The artist has even transformed a pregnant woman's baby bump into a delicate portrait of a woodland bird.

Stunning though the works are, Ms Marwedel's talents come as no surprise to those who know her and her long-standing love of art.

Although initially a traditional painter, the artist says she has always been fascinated by the concept of transferring her designs to human bodies and soon worked out how to do it.

'My style is mostly realistic or surrealistic,' she explains. 'I use a lot of different colours and materials, such as pastel, chalk, acrylic paints or pencils [for the sketches] and skin-friendly colours for the body painting.

'I've always painted on canvas and put some photos on the internet, that's how it started, but recently I've started painting the human form.'

Most of the paintings are time-consuming to create, with Ms Marwedel saying her works can take up to half a day to complete.

'Usually it takes between four and seven hours to paint a body, but sometimes it can take up to 12 hours and more.

'After the photoshoot, the paint will be washed away in minutes.'