Lin Kai (1924-2006) was a native of Fuzhou, Fujian Province. He graduated from the National Hangzhou Arts Training School in 1950, and from 1951 until his retirement, he worked in the People's Fine Arts Publishing House (人民美术出版社, Renmin meishu chubanshe). Originally, he was a cartoon designer, but in later years he specialized in Chinese painting.

The poster "Resolutely expose and criticize the 'Gang of Four's crimes of surpressing the movie 'The Builders' and negating the red banner of Daqing", which was published in 1977 after the downfall of the Gang of Four, was designed by Lin in collaboration with Gu Pu and Wang Jiao.