Cosplay Spotlight: Nadine and Berg of Celtic Ruins Designs

It’s been a while since our last Cosplay Spotlight, but we’ll definitely be doing more of these in the future. Our spotlights feature interviews from cosplayers from all around the world. Our featured cosplayers for today are Nadine and Berg. They are a couple from Augusta, GA, and together they form Celtic Ruins Designs.

Nerd Reactor: Introduce Celtic Ruins Designs to us. How did you guys get started?

Nadine: I started Celtic Ruins Designs in 2003. When I was little I would watch my mom working hard sewing my Halloween costumes by hand. My first homemade costume was Dorothy from Wizard of Oz when I was 8. I always wanted to learn how to create my own costumes.

When I saw Fellowship of the Ring in 2001, the flood gates started to open. My mom had purchased an inexpensive sewing machine from Walmart for curtain making. I decided it would be used for costuming as well. My mom taught me some things here and there, but for the most part, I taught myself through the internet and just hands-on learning.

I have always had a creative side as long as I can remember. Celtic Ruins is not just for costuming, but jewelry making, graphic art, web design and crafts. I always have to have something creative going. I love projects and learning new things. When Berg and I met in 2004, he provided me with new creative avenues to explore.

NR: What are your favorite things to do as nerds?

Nadine & Berg: We both enjoy reading the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, the old 90s Jim Lee/Chris Claremont X-Men comics, attending sci-fi conventions, watching sci-fi/fantasy TV shows and movies, and of course dressing in costume from our favorite things listed above.

NR: Do both of you have the mostly the same common interest?

Nadine & Berg: Little did we know when we initially met, we already liked a lot of the same things. The first time we met, Berg was dressed as Legolas from Lord of the Rings and I was dressed as Arwen. From that point on it was more or less connecting all the different nerdy things we both loved and building on that.

NR: Is there one thing that makes you guys go, “I’m not really into that, but I’ll do it anyway.”

Nadine & Berg: When it comes to fandom, we both really need to be into it for anything to come of it. We definitely don’t play into a genre just because everyone else is into it. With the amount of time and money that is going to be spent on costumes and prop-building, we both better really like the movie or book that it’s from.

NR: What’s your favorite convention?

Nadine & Berg: This is a really tough question. Since we met at Dragon*Con, it definitely fits up in the top. We also have attended Anime Week Atlanta and Chatta-Con, and found them to be fun as well. If we are looking to spend some quality time with friends, we definitely like the smaller conventions. One of these days we will make it out to San Diego Comic Con and experience a West Coast convention.

NR: What’s your favorite cosplay?

Nadine & Berg: Another really tough question! It’s like asking to pick your favorite ice cream; I LIKE THEM ALL! Seriously though, we can’t pick a favorite, they are all near and dear to us for different reasons. Each costume has a separate memory attached to it, and not to sound cheesy or anything here, but it’s the memories that matter most.

NR: What was the most challenging outfit to make?

Nadine & Berg: When we saw this question we both looked at each other without skipping a beat and said “TRON”. We both decided after seeing TRON: Legacy twice at the movies, it was a challenge we both wanted to take on. Little did we know what an albatross of a project we started. Where to start?

Nadine: Berg’s games program costume doesn’t allow him to sit down. He has to more or less lean against sturdy people or objects.

Berg: Nadine’s biggest problem was piecing the body suit together for her “Siren” costume. It was like putting together a big puzzle that had to be taken apart and put back together 5 different times, and it still had issues. Chris had to learn how to wire LEDs and basic wiring in general. We kept flip flopping between EL wire and high reflective tape. EL wire is extremely time-consuming and expensive, so we ended up going with the high reflective tape in certain areas of the costumes. Was it worth it? Absolutely!

NR: Any cosplayers that inspire you?

Nadine & Berg: Of course! To name each one of them would be very difficult. Over the years we have met so many extremely talented costumers. Every time we meet a new one, they teach us something different. We both have been costuming since 2004, and it is a constant learning process. The costumers we know are awesome for help when you hit a road block in the costuming process. Certain friends are good at certain areas of expertise we can go to for assistance.

Check out their other cosplay photos at Celtic Ruins Deviantart page.

If you’d like to be featured in our Cosplay Spotlight, send me an email.