Yu Shimei (1932) is from Shengxian, Zhejiang Province. He joined the People's Liberation Army in 1950, and in 1951 he transferred to the PLAAF. While in the Army, he engaged in numerous artistic activities, including propaganda. Yu became a member of the artistic section of the Political Department of the PLAAF in the Nanjing Military Region.

Yu's woodcuts have been included in a number of national collections. He has often cooperated with Wu Zhenxiang when designing posters.