From the Latin digitus (finger) and the English digit (number, from the habit of counting on fingers), the term digital became popular in the 1980s to [Page 304]qualify new electronic technologies. As a form of new media, digital arts refers to artworks that use digital technology as a significant part of the creative process. It embraces an impressive variety of media and practices and uses diverse electronic devices and software, including video, photography, music, sound, light, graphics, comics, animation, video games, the Internet, interactive art, multimedia platforms, and more.

According to art historians, it is difficult to determine exactly when the digital arts emerged, but it is typically seen to date back to the 1950s. The development of technology has greatly influenced digital art practices. Key ...