Made by heating glue, mixing in pigment, and then spreading the mix in layers on silk, works in distemper (or glue tempera) attain a colorful exuberance that is rare in Chinese painting. Lin's own distemper paintings show meticulous attention to composition and color. Their elegant aura has earned him a reputation as a "magician of color."
透過膠質加熱、調和顏料並在絹布上層層塗敷，膠彩畫呈現出中國畫裡難得一見的豐富色彩，而林之助的膠彩畫設色嚴謹、散發典雅氣息，因而有「色彩魔術師」之譽。