Term of the Moment
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Definition: PSD
(PhotoShop Document) Photoshop's native, layered file format, which is a de facto standard in the graphics arts industry for bitmapped images. The layers enable an illustration to be created from individual graphic elements that can be moved around repeatedly, one on top of the other, until the desired result is obtained. The PSD file is often retained as a master and exported to JPEG, GIF and other graphics formats that are commonly required. In the process of conversion, the layers are removed, and the file is said to be "flattened." For more on bitmaps, see graphics. See layers and graphics formats.
A PSD Image
The image at the top is built in 23 layers plus a background layer, enabling the individual elements to be moved independently of the others. The layer window (bottom) shows each of the layers. The red arrow is pointing to the view option (the "eye") in the chip shadow layer. Clicking the eye on any layer toggles between making the layer invisible and bringing it back into view.