1. A method for storing graphics data in a texture array in a local memory coupled to a graphics processing unit, the method comprising: specifying the texture array as a target in the local memory coupled to the graphics processing unit; and loading a first block of texture maps into the texture array, wherein each texture map in the first block has a first resolution and corresponds to a different slice of the texture array, and wherein each texture map of the texture array is accessible as a single unit in a programmable shader unit of the graphics processing unit when performing rendering operations.