著名的速写、水彩画家，原辽宁省东沟县（今东港市）孤山镇人。1934年曾在沈阳美专、北平美专学习。1936年参加民族解放先锋队，1938年在茅盾主编的《文艺阵地》上发表《会议》等素描作品，并在《力报》、《申报》上发表了他的第一批以控诉日本侵略者罪行为内容的木刻《无妻之夫》、《无母之儿》。同年，加入中国共产党。1939年参加新四军，历任新四军歌舞团团长，苏中《江海报》社总编辑，苏中新华社社长，先后在《抗敌报》、《战士报》上发表《反动派的滔天罪行》等木刻作品。皖南事变被囚于上饶集中营，后越狱回到革命根据地，在《苏中报》社工作。第三次国内革命战争期间，邵宇在沈阳《东北日报》社任记者和通讯采访部长。1946年冬，赴黑龙江省东安地区参加土地改革运动，激发他创作的强烈欲望，所创连环画受到徐悲鸿先生的称赞，认为其画风“用来描写中国社会非常适合。可称简约、紧凑、扼要，而极具力量”。全国解放后，邵宇任新闻摄影局副秘书长兼美术创作室主任。1950年，参与主持筹建人民美术出版社工作。1951年冬，他奔赴抗美援朝前线，创作了一系列战地素描。《上饶集中营》、《千山万水》等优秀作品是这个时期完成的。自1955年起邵宇先后任《人民画报》总编辑，《人民日报》美术组组长，人民美术出版社社长、总编辑，中国美术家协会常务理事、书记处书记。1984年兼任《中国美术全集》编辑出版委员会主任，主持《中国美术全集》编辑出版工作，1988年，任《中国美术分类全集》总编辑。1990年起任中国书法家协会主席、党组书记。曾当选第三届全国人大代表，第五、六、七届全国政协委员。人民美术出版社编审委员会主任、教授。
出版作品
出版有连环画《土地》，画册《上饶集中营》、《首都速写》等。
经历
德国的珂勒惠支，法国的杜米埃、米勒以及美国的海恩里西、齐勒（《柏林生活素描》的作者）都给予他多方面的启示。　　参军后，在那段历经严峻考验、曲折难忘的日子里，奠定了他深厚的生活基础，形成了创作激情的根源，无论是他的水彩画、速写或是国画，都是以他自己独特的艺术语言，揭露旧社会，歌颂新生活。
水彩画本身就带有速写的特点，他要捕捉瞬间即逝的动人景象，他要描绘动人的情节，充分发挥水彩画洗练、准确、感人的艺术效果，在许许多多大的场面中，不允许你去精雕细刻，相反，只有以动人的水彩追求强烈、概括的生动气氛，创造出美的意境去感染读者，这就是邵宇水彩画的特长。他的代表作《办喜事》、《迎新娘》不仅充分地反映了少数民族的风土人情，而且作者的激情充分显示在那流畅的速写线条和优美的色块交织之中，给人以美好印象。《迎新娘》一画采用大块明暗的对比，表现和煦的阳光，同时线条色块并用，勾染兼施把中国传统绘画的技法巧妙地运用到水彩画之中，形成了东方艺术美的风格。画中迎亲的行列，疏密开合，寥寥数笔，主次分明，情节动人，是作者几十年来长期深入生活和多年艺术技巧磨练的结果。《办喜事》是《迎新娘》的姊妹篇，描写的是傣族人在娶亲大喜的日子里宾客满堂，在那富有民族色彩的竹楼里，抽烟喝茶、欢声笑语的场面，这两幅作品都是炭笔淡彩，是邵宇的拿手杰作。
作品及其风格
1954年首届全国水彩、速写展览会上邵宇的《成渝路上》是展览中优秀作品之一，那是歌颂祖国建设的篇章。他的其他作品《选举》、《早读》、《瑞雪》、《日夜服务商店》等，每一画面都呈现出他那以洗练的色彩和简洁的用笔，生动地刻画出社会主义建设和人民生活欣欣向荣的景象。邵宇的速写加水彩是一特长，20世纪70年代以后他的作品用墨笔速写，略赋淡彩，其黑白相映，节奏明快，加上色彩鲜明绚丽，苍厚有力，更突出了他的独特风格。如《中山纪念堂》（1977年作）、《香港之夜》（1977年作）、《黄河之滨》（1979年作）、《雨中岚山》（1979年画于日本）、《有朋自远方来》等，都是非常成功的作品。80年代以后的作品，多炭笔速写淡彩，亦画钢笔淡彩。云南少数民族地区之行，画了大批的动人作品。

Painter of famous literary sketch, watercolour, former Liaoning is saved east channel county (today east harbor city) Gu hill presses down a person. Ever was in Shenyang beauty 1934 only, boreal smooth beauty learns only. Attended a nation to liberate vanguard 1936, was in 1938 of cogongrass aegis chief editor " literary position " on publish " the conference " wait for sketch work, be in " power cable " , " declare " the woodcarving that goes up to be content the first batch when published him with crime of accuse Japan aggressor " without wife husband " , " those who do not have a mother " . Of the same age, join a Chinese Communist. Attended the New Fourth Army led by the Chinese Communist Party during the War of Resistance Against Japan 1939, have successively held the posts of colonel of chorus of the New Fourth Army led by the Chinese Communist Party during the War of Resistance Against Japan, su Zhong " Jiang Hai signs up for " agency editor in chief, su Zhongxin China company president, be in early or late " fight enemy newspaper " , " the soldier signs up for " on publish " the heinous crime of reactionary clique " wait for woodcarving work. The emergency austral Anhui by convict at going up forgive concentration camp, escape from prison returns revolutionary base area after, in " Su Zhong signs up for " the company works. During war of revolution of the 3rd home, shao Yu is in Shenyang " northeast daily " the company holds the post of reporter and communication to interview a minister. 1946 winter, go to Heilongjiang to save east install an area to join land reform campaign, stimulate the strong desire that he creates, what achieve comic to get of Mr Xu Beihong praise, think its draw wind " use depict China society to suit very much. Can say contracted, compact, compendious, and provide power extremely " . After the whole nation is liberated, shao Yu Renxin hears photography bureau deputy secretary-general to hold art concurrently to write room director. 1950, participate in chair prepare to construct people art publishing house works. 1951 winter, he hurries off to front of face of the aid that fight the United States, created a series of battleground sketch. " go up forgive concentration camp " , " 1000 hill 10 thousand water " this period finishs wait for outstanding work. Since 1955 Shao Yu holds the post of early or late " people pictorial " editor in chief, " People's Daily " art group group leader, president of people art publishing house, editor in chief, standing director, secretary is in Chinese artist association secretary. Held part-time 1984 " Chinese art complete works " the editor publishs committee chairman, chair " Chinese art complete works " the editor publishs the job, 1988, " Chinese art classifies complete works " editor in chief. Had secretary of a chairman of Chinese calligrapher association, leading Party group 1990. Ever was elected as National People's Congress of the 3rd whole nation to represent, the 5th, 6, committee member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference of 7 whole nations. People art publishing house reads and edit committee chairman, professor.
Publication work
Publish have comic " land " , an album of paintings " go up forgive concentration camp " , " capital literary sketch " etc.
Experience
Le Hui of Germany aing jade-like stone is raised, the Haienlixi of French Dumiai, Miller and United States, Qi Le (" Berlin life sketch " author) the inspiration that gives him many sided. After joining the army, in the day with labyrinthian and stern test, unforgettable classics of that paragraph of all previous, laid his solid life foundation, formed the source that creates passion, no matter be his aquarelle, literary sketch or it is traditional Chinese painting, it is with he himself distinctive artistic language, disclose old society, eulogize the new student is vivid.
Aquarelle itself contains the characteristic of literary sketch, he should take the moving picture that dies namely for an instant, he should describe moving scenario, sufficient play aquarelle washs experienced, accurate, touching artistic effect, in lots and lots of old scene, do not allow you to go work at sth with special care, contrary, go after intense, wraparound vivid atmosphere with moving watercolour only, innovation goes beautiful artistic conception to affect a reader, this is the specialty of Shao eaves aquarelle. His masterpiece " manage a wedding " , " greet a bride " the local customs that mirrorred minority adequately not only, and the author's passion shows in that fluent literary sketch line is mixed adequately beautiful description piece interweave in, give a person with good impression. " greet a bride " the contrast that brushstroke uses chunk light and shade, behave vernal sunshine, line is lubricious at the same time piece use, gou Ran holds the ability method that uses a Chinese tradition to draw concurrently to use watercolour painting ably in, formed the style with Oriental beautiful art. Close train is received in the picture, density leaves close, pen of very few number, primary and secondary is trenchant, the clue is moving, it is the author comes a few years the result of long-term and thorough life and harden oneself of old and artistic skill. " manage a wedding " be " greet a bride " companion volume, of depict is Dai person hall of full house of the guest in the day in great rejoicing of get married get married, ethical colorific is full of in that in bamboo building, smoking drinks tea, joyous sound to laugh at the occasion of language, these two work are charcoal pencil light color, it is expert classic of Shao Yu.
Work reachs its style
1954 of the Shao Yu on exhibition of watercolour of first whole nation, literary sketch " on Cheng Yu road " it is an exhibition in one of outstanding work, that is to eulogize the canto that the motherland builds. His other work " election " , " read early " , " auspicious snow " , " shop of day out of service " etc, each picture appears the colour that gives him to drill in order to wash then and use a pen compactly, racily depict gives the picture of socialistic construction and people life flourishing. Shao Yu's literary sketch adds watercolour is one specialty, his work uses 20 centuries after 70 time literary sketch of Chinese ink pen, endow with light color slightly, its are black and white set each other off, rhythm is lively, add chromatically variety bright and flowery, canghou is strong, more outstanding his distinctive color. Be like " Zhongshan memorial hall " (made 1977) , " the night of Hong Kong " (made 1977) , " of the Yellow River bank " (made 1979) , " hill of the haze in rain " (drew 1979 at Japan) , " friend comes from distance " etc, it is very successful work. 80 time are the following work, light color of literary sketch of much charcoal pencil, also draw pen weak applause. The travel of Yunnan minority area, drew large quantities of beautiful work.