July 11, 2005 Like the magic carpet, ImagiNail is yet another example of the wonders of digital imaging technology being able to put any image on any thing. The Imaginail NailJet Pro inkjets artwork directly onto the fingernail in high resolution at very low cost. Lasting as long as normal nail varnish, the NailJet Pro can print photographs or any other high resolution design and it can print a different design on every fingernail. The ImagiNail system consists of the NailJet Pro , a full line of nail coatings designed especially for the NailJet Pro process, and an ever-growing library of nail art. In addition to the nail art library, it’s possible to input your own designs or photographs to match that special outfit or make your own fashion statement!
The concept behind using inkjet technology to decorate fingernails was developed in the last half of the 90's by three different groups based in Florida, Ohio, and Japan.
The Florida group had been investigating methods of self-expression through body art less permanent than tattoos and began experimenting with the concept of using inkjet technology to decorate fingernails.
The leader of the Ohio group became interested in nail decorating while he watched the time taken to airbrush a Mickey Mouse on his daughter's finger. The Japanese group was focused on developing kiosks to decorate nails in malls and amusement centres.
A nail decorating device seemed promising and they all filed several patents. After some preliminary market studies it became apparent there was indeed a market for such a product and ImagiNail was born in February 2001. The NailJet Pro was developed and perfected over the following few years and sales began in August 2003. ImagiNail now controls all of the patents from the Florida, Ohio, and Japanese developers in virtually every industrialised country in the world.
A new, improved model of the NailJet Pro fingernail fashion printer has recently become available, which prints on more than one finger at a time, and can apply close-to-photo quality onto all ten nails in under four minutes.
The new model prints more quietly, is quicker, the technician can change the background colour of the images and they can also create mirror images for left and right hands.
The latest model comes with a stand alone, swivel screen which gives the salon more mobility and flexibility. Jillian Swan-Eiffe, from the International Nail and Beauty Colleges of Australasia in Melbourne had this to say of the ImagiNail machine: “I feel that the NailJet Pro is a great way for a salon to have a point of difference as there are more and more salons opening every day. Rather than price cutting to compete….be better than anyone else, have great customer service, and have something different - like the Nailjetpro.”
The NailJet Pro comes with over 3500 existing images and a choice of millions of colours. What’s more, you save your or your client’s own art onto the printer via CD Rom.
The Imaginail site can be found here.
The Australian distributor can be found here.