PHOTOSHOP

Adobe Photoshop, a raster graphic manipulation application, was conceived and subsequently unveiled to the world in 1988 by the Knoll brothers, Thomas and John. Adobe Inc. is the entity responsible for its ongoing development and distribution, catering to both Windows and macOS users. Over time, it has not only established itself as the go-to tool for raster graphic alterations but has also become an integral part of the digital art realm.

In the realm of everyday language, Adobe Photoshop’s name often morphs into a colloquial verb, such as “to photoshop an image,” “engaging in photoshopping,” or even participating in a “photoshop contest.” However, it’s worth noting that Adobe, the creator, discourages such informal usage.

Adobe Photoshop boasts an extensive array of capabilities, permitting the manipulation and composition of raster images across multiple layers. It also provides support for masks, alpha compositing, and an assortment of color models, including RGB, CMYK, CIELAB, spot color, and duotone.

For handling these intricate features, Adobe Photoshop employs its proprietary PSD and PSB file formats. Beyond its primary focus on raster graphics, the application also possesses somewhat constrained functionalities for text and vector graphic adjustments, particularly through the utilization of clipping paths for the latter. Furthermore, it extends its reach into the domains of 3D graphics and video editing.

What further distinguishes Adobe Photoshop is its extensibility, achieved through plug-ins – independently developed applications that seamlessly integrate with Photoshop. These plug-ins offer users a spectrum of novel or enhanced features, thereby enhancing the application’s already formidable arsenal.