BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) – Daniel A. Moore is the artist capturing moments in sports history. Since the 1970s, Moore has captured the hearts of artists and die-hard sports fans.
Some of Moore’s artwork may look like it came from photographs. But many are oil paintings that use a technique called photorealism.
“My mother studied art education. So she always kept me in watercolors and finger paints and stuff like that,” Moore said. “My dad encouraged the sports side and encouraged me with football helmets, cleats and things like that.”
Moore formally trained and developed his artistic talent at the University of Alabama, and as a Bama graduate, it’s no secret that he draws for The Tide, but when it comes to his art, he said, “I give him my 100- Percent artistic endeavor for each painting I do independently from the team.”
Daniel Moore’s art exhibit opened at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame last spring. There, 41 original watercolors show special moments in Iron Bowl history.
The series covered Moore, calling him “the classic Iron Bowl when you had a 50/50 ticket split and Legion Field would rock back and forth.”
“It was something to see,” Moore said. He compiled these pieces into a large illustrated book entitled Iron Bowl Gold.
“What’s great about this book is that I’ve worked with Keith Jackson, the famous sportscaster, and The Birmingham News, where you get the sportswriter’s perspective,” Moore said.
Moore uses many reference images to create his perfect composition, then creates a series of small drawings until he has the right composition.
“When I do these sketches, I really feel like I’m about 90 percent there,” Moore said.
Sometimes he even hides some Easter eggs in his work, like significant numbers and faces. With the painting entitled “The Crimson Tradition” he had a very special idea.
“I thought that when Coach Saban lifted the crystal trophy, I wanted him to honor the four coaches who came before him as National Championship coaches,” Moore said. “So, I thought, I’ll do mini-portraits of the carriages embedded in the facets of the crystal – but so subtle that no one would really see them. It was the very last thing I painted and I’m glad I did it.”
His artworks are staples in “man caves” across the country. Moore confirmed that he even had some of his own paintings on the walls of his home.
“I don’t have much of a man cave, but I have as many as my wife will let me down,” Moore laughed.
Moore said his website is flooded with orders for his mugs and calendars each year, all of which make great Christmas gifts for the sports fan on your list.
You can click here for some of Moore’s vacation deals.