Intro about me, and how DFF got started

Hi, I’m Mason, the artist behind Dino Fossil Fashion!

I came up with the idea for Dino Fossil Fashion when I was just 9 years old during the COVID lockdowns in Melbourne. While most kids were stuck at home trying to pass the time, I spent my days sketching dinosaurs. I've loved fossils, dinosaurs, and all kinds of prehistoric creatures since I was two years old. Instead of watching cartoons, I immersed myself in dinosaur books, memorizing scientific names, and proudly declaring, "I'm going to be a paleontologist when I grow up!" I am a huge fan of Jurassic Park.

However, there was something that bothered me: there were no t-shirts featuring Australian dinosaurs. Everything seemed focused on the T. rex or Velociraptor, but what about the Minmi, the Leaellynasaura, Muttaburrasaurus, or even our recently extinct Thylacine, the Tasmanian Tiger? That’s when I had the idea: why not draw my own dinosaurs and turn them into t-shirts?

With the help of my amazing parents, we created Dino Fossil Fashion—a shop filled with sensory-friendly cotton tees featuring my artwork. I used to draw each dinosaur by hand and paint them, later adding some digital touch-ups. Now that I’m 13, I’m using digital art more, but every design still tells a story from Australia’s deep past.

Since starting this journey, I’ve been fortunate to visit incredible places that inspire my art. I've explored the Melbourne Museum’s Dinosaur Walk, attended CAVEAPS, visited the Dinosaur Dreaming Crew in Gippsland, Victoria, seen the enormous skeletons at the Age of Dinosaurs, and visited the Eromanga Natural History Museum, where Cooper, Australia’s largest dinosaur at the time, was found! I even had the opportunity to connect two of his bones while behind the scenes with Shawn.

The experience I cherish the most is working with Kevin and Dennis at Kronosaurus Korner in Richmond, Queensland. I’ve dug up fossils and learned how to prepare them, and over the past four years, they have welcomed me and shared so much knowledge with me.

Each trip and experience enriches my understanding of Australia's fossil history and sparks ideas for new drawings.

What began as a way to stay creative during lockdown has evolved into something much bigger. It’s my mission to share Australia’s prehistoric past with the world and to show that our dinosaurs are just as fascinating as those from North America or Asia.

One day, I will be a paleontologist. But for now, I’m enjoying creating dino fashion, meeting fellow fossil enthusiasts, and seeing people across the country wearing my art. I hope that when you wear one of my t-shirts, you feel like you’re wearing a piece of ancient history.

Thank you for being a part of my journey!

🦖 Mason
Founder & Artist, Dino Fossil Fashion
Shop my designs | Follow my adventures