1. A method of annotating an electronic image having a plurality of pixels comprising: annotating by a processor, a pixel at a plurality of levels in ascending magnitude of descriptive characteristics, with each level containing one or more descriptive characteristics of the pixel, such that the descriptive characteristics at a subsequent level in the ascending magnitude is with reference to descriptive characteristics of one or more pixels surrounding the pixel, wherein the descriptive characteristics at the subsequent level include one or more descriptive characteristics of one or more levels preceding it, wherein at a lowest level the descriptive characteristic of the pixel is a caption of the electronic image and at a highest level the descriptive characteristic of the pixel is a color of the pixel; storing a plurality of annotations in a file separate from the electronic image by a first data repository, wherein the annotations at the plurality of levels for the annotated pixels is collectively stored in the file separate from the electronic image; and displaying the electronic image and one of the stored annotations, wherein the displayed electronic image and the one of the stored annotations is determined based on a cursor location relative to a plurality of pixel coordinates within a user interface.