V-Ray is a photorealistic 3D rendering software developed by Chaos, a company founded in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1997. The software functions as a commercial plugin for third-party 3D applications and is widely used in architecture, visual effects, and product design. The V-Ray logo has undergone two documented redesigns since the product’s launch, most recently as part of a company-wide rebrand in 2021.
Design and History
V-Ray’s first logo redesign was announced in December 2010, alongside the release of V-Ray 2.0. A Chaos Group press release stated that after eight years on the market, the revised logo was introduced to express “the ambition of Chaos Group to create a streamlined and energetic symbol that expresses the dynamic product and company growth.” The redesign accompanied a new version of the software with an updated interface that the company said “needs also a fresh new look.” [1]
In February 2021, Chaos Group rebranded itself as simply “Chaos” and rolled out new logos for the company and its key products. The rebrand was designed by Uniform, an architectural visualization and brand design studio based in Liverpool, England. [2] Each new product logo was built around a solid-colored square containing a simple vector form, unifying what had previously been a disparate set of brand identities across the product line. [2]
The new V-Ray logo was described as “pretty much the same as the old one for the renderer, slightly simplified and enclosed in a square.” [2] Chaos’s Melissa Knight explained that the company deliberately capitalized on established brand recognition for V-Ray, which had historically used blue in its logo, and Phoenix, which had used yellow. Existing customers would notice that the new icons bore a strong resemblance to the old logos. [3]
The rebrand was prompted by Chaos’s evolving business model. As the company developed new products and services beyond V-Ray, it wanted to establish a coherent brand that united everything under the Chaos umbrella. Previously, there was no clear design relationship between the company brand and the various styles of its product branding. [3] Product names were updated to include the word “Chaos” to help build equity in the master brand, and each product logo was designed as a “building block” echoing the Chaos logo. [3]
Meaning and Symbolism
Chaos’s new brand strategy centered on the concept that the Chaos ecosystem offers customers “the building blocks of creativity,” empowering them to create their world. The square Chaos logo was described as the core building block of this system. [3]
One documented detail is hidden in the Chaos company logo: the letter “c” is tilted at 23.5 degrees, the same angle as the tilt of the Earth. Melissa Knight described this as “a nod to the seemingly chaotic evolution of the world.” [3]
The rebrand moved away from the company’s previous black-and-white branding toward a more colorful palette. Knight noted that different colors across the product suite helped users identify which product they were looking for. [3]
Typography and Design
Uniform’s approach for the new identity was based on the idea that most brands do not need a radical transformation but rather the ability to adapt continuously. The brand itself was designed to exemplify the capability of the Chaos product range, using visual language created from the software itself. [4]
Richard Pay, Design Director at Uniform, described the new Chaos letterforms as “solid yet curved, strong and friendly.” [3] The Chaos logo uses a vibrant red, while V-Ray’s icon retains its historical blue association within the new square format. [3]
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