Various embodiments of a method and system for modifying and rendering scenes via display lists are described. Various embodiments may include a graphical application for generating a display list including display list nodes each corresponding to a respective scene element. To generate a given display list node, the graphical application may determine a scene graph node of a scene graph, allocate a portion of memory dedicated to the display list node, and store in that portion of memory, at least one of the attributes of the respective scene element determined from the particular scene graph node. The graphical application may modify a particular display list node corresponding to the particular scene element by modifying a respective attribute stored in the portion of memory allocated to the particular display list node, and render an image of a scene that includes the particular scene element modified according to the notification.