From the traditional Chinese gongbi style emphasizing detail and realism, Lin's painting evolved into a new style that employed interesting variations in brushstrokes and use of ink. His paintings began to include oblique brushstrokes that he had never used before: pianfeng, nifeng, and a bold style in which he pressed the brush to make a broader line. His works showed increasing freedom of technique.
林玉山的繪畫風格，此時也由過去工筆勾勒填彩的嚴謹穠麗，更多出一種著重筆墨趣味變化，畫作上甚至出現以前沒有的偏峰、逆峰，或將毛筆壓捺成面的塗抹的雄偉風格，創作愈形自由豐富。