The history of computer graphics is a progressive tendency from mathematical functionalism to natural realism. A special advantage of computer graphics is the ability to make simultaneous global changes to the image. Image generation on the computer is a sequence of creation-selection cycles possible linked to chaos theory hidden influences. The computer artist gets constant feedback, so he is actually learning about what he is trying to do. Since every artist is a product of his society, even computer art will demonstrate evidence of the cultural derived antecedents.
Viewers bring their own context-dependent mental set to decode the message of a digital image.
Computer art carry the birthmark of the systems that created it. As systems become obsolescent, the image become nostalgic. Pixelation may become identified as a computer art from an earlier period within the digital medium. Faded prints of digital imagery can be scanned and have saturation regenerated. However the touched up image will be different since dyes fade at different rates.