League of Legends World Championship

Graphic Design

Sail Design for the League of Legends World Championship

Blending esports and sailing in a custom spinnaker for the world’s largest esports tournament.

Blending esports and sailing in a custom spinnaker for the world’s largest esports tournament.

Deliverable

Large-scale Sail Graphic

Type

Freelance Work

Client

League of Legends, Tencent

Industry

Esports

Year

2019

Deliverable

Large-scale Sail Graphic

Type

Freelance Work

Client

League of Legends, Tencent

Industry

Esports

Year

2019

Project information

Background visual, the trophy shown in the header image, and logo assets were provided by Tencent.

The trophy in the header image is from the official key visual of Worlds 2019 provided by Tencent.

Context

Setting sail for the tournament

The 2019 League of Legends World Championship (Worlds 2019) is the world’s largest esports tournament with over 100 million viewers.

Tencent, the parent company of League of Legends (LoL), invited China’s national sailing team and an Olympic sailor to participate in a branded shoot in the South China Sea to promote the event.

The act of setting sail was used as a metaphor for embarking on a new competitive journey.

Task

Designing a large-scale spinnaker graphic for the campaign video.

Preview

Start with the outcome:

The custom spinnaker was featured at the climax of the campaign video, serving as the symbolic centerpiece of the project.

Campaign story

Campaign video

Placeholder

A spinnaker is a large sail designed to maximise wind capture, thereby increasing boat speed in downwind conditions.

In this project, the spinnaker served as a visual metaphor for setting sail. It supported the narrative of the three Chinese teams heading to the European finals and energised the fan community through cultural pride.

In the video, the sail was hoisted by Olympic sailor Wang Weidong, who is also a League of Legends player, to mark the beginning of the journey.

The
Spinnaker

Design execution

Key elements

The direction was developed through close collaboration with Tencent. Key design considerations included:

Prominent display of the LoL Pro League logo representing the Chinese teams

Minimalist graphic elements to ensure clarity and impact at scale

Integration of Chinese cultural motifs* and references to the South China Sea

Striking red for strong visual presence drawn from the logo

*Pattern source: “Illustrated Guide to Traditional Chinese Patterns”, p. 216.

Aligned with the campaign theme “The Challenge Remains”, the spinnaker design features surging waves in the foreground, symbolising the Chinese teams forging ahead through turbulent waters.

The background is filled with wave patterns styled after traditional auspicious cloud motifs, conveying cultural pride and blessings for their journey.

The calligraphy campaign logo was provided by Tencent and used consistently across campaign assets.

The Challenge Remains

The calligraphy campaign logo was provided by Tencent and used consistently across campaign assets.

Iteration

Built for the sea

Legibility and real-world scale were frequently reviewed throughout the design process.

The trophy from the tournament’s key visual was removed, as it visually blended into the surrounding wave patterns when viewed from a distance at sea.

To improve legibility while still referencing the championship, the trophy-shaped Worlds 2019 logo was placed at the top of the sail, creating a more recognisable focal point in the final design.

Legibility and real-world scale were frequently reviewed throughout the design process.

The trophy from the tournament’s key visual was removed, as it visually blended into the surrounding wave patterns when viewed from a distance at sea.

To improve legibility while still referencing the championship, the trophy-shaped Worlds 2019 logo was placed at the top of the sail, creating a more recognisable focal point in the final design.

Legibility and real-world scale were frequently reviewed throughout the design process.

View iteration details

Pattern

Tradition in motion

As the sail moves with the wind, the layered composition comes alive.

The sail features vivid red and white elements arranged with a sense of layered depth to maximise visual impact in open water.

The background incorporates traditional Chinese water wave patterns, reflecting the brief’s themes of Chinese aesthetics and the South China Sea.

As the sail moves with the wind, the layered composition comes alive.

The sail features vivid red and white elements arranged with a sense of layered depth to maximise visual impact in open water.

The background incorporates traditional Chinese water wave patterns, reflecting the brief’s themes of Chinese aesthetics and the South China Sea.

As the sail moves with the wind, the layered composition comes alive.

Placeholder

The wave motif draws inspiration from Chinese visual traditions and references the decorative language of 18th-century Qing dynasty ceramics.

Material
Sunlight as a design element

The translucent attribute of the sail fabric was taken into account in the design.

With this in mind, I adjusted the colours of the background pattern so that, under both direct and backlighting, it reveals an elegant visual presence.

This faintly emerging pattern adds a sense of grandeur that resonates with the spirit of Team China’s departure.

The translucent attribute of the sail fabric was taken into account in the design.

With this in mind, I adjusted the colours of the background pattern so that, under both direct and backlighting, it reveals an elegant visual presence.

This faintly emerging pattern adds a sense of grandeur that resonates with the spirit of Team China’s departure.

The translucent attribute of the sail fabric was taken into account in the design.