廖未林生於1922年,1949年畢業於杭州的國立藝專,同年也因大陸淪陷而來台灣,在台灣他憑一雙手畫稿子生活。由於他繪圖與設計的功力深厚,可以說縱橫於各種設計的領域,他曾先後兩次為我國在世界博覽會的展覽館作室內設計,也做過電影的佈置設計,並於1971年獲得裝飾美術的「金爵獎」。因此,廖未林可以說是台灣光復早期甚為活躍的設計家,不過,知道他的人可能不多,那是因為我們對於早期的美術設計發展,沒有加以記錄的關係。從廖未林所創作的作品及其展覽與獲獎事蹟看來,把他推崇為民國四、五十年代我國甚具代表性的設計家,應該並不為過。本文透過文獻的蒐集與廖未林友人的採訪,對廖未林本人的生平及其繪畫作品、設計作品做一些整理的工作。尤其對於美術設計方面的表現,更分成漫畫、年畫、裝飾畫、封面設計、郵票和其它等六項內容分別加以敘述,希望對於廖未林之廣泛的設計創作活動,能有比較完整的呈現,並以此作為爾後建構台灣美術設計發展過程之整體研究的參考史料。
Wey-Lin Liaw was born in 1922. Graduated from National Hangchow Art Institution in 1949, and he came to Taiwan same year when the Mainland China occupied. Early in his career in Taiwan he was highly successful as a designer but not as famous as we expected. That because there is no any record of art and design development in the early period Taiwan. He was an active designer during 1950s to 1960s. Liaw produced many design works and movie scene designs. Also, to be an interior designer of Taiwan Exhibition room at the Word Exhibition twice. In 1971, he won ”Golden Nobility Prize” of Decoration Art. According all his experiences and talent that make him to be the most important representative of the designer in the early Taiwan Retrocession period. Wey-Lin Liaw appears to have made such great designs during the early year in Taiwan. According to some documents and literatures, we collected Liaw's life information and his art and design works, we arranged his works in caricature, New Year woodcut print, decoration painting, book cover design, stamp design and others in this essay. Also, we gratefully acknowledge the assistance of Liaw's friends, for their help and resourcefulness in finding materials needed for this essay. From this essay we hope to present Liaw's art and design activity completely. And hopping this study become a reference for the research of Taiwan Art and Design Development.