A collaborative publication produced by Draw Down Books with MFA Graphic Design students at MICA (the Maryland Institute College of Art) in the fall of 2025.

Students selected a publication—a book, magazine, zine, or newspaper—that connected directly to their thesis research. These selections served as resources: objects to return to, draw from, and respond to through design. The work was developed in a workshop led by Draw Down founders Christopher Sleboda and Kathleen Sleboda, who provided the framework for this collective exploration and met with students to discuss their contributions.

The publication collects two forms of output: visual contributions that interpret or transform the chosen resources, and interviews that reflect on the specific publications each student selected—often touching on the thesis research and explorations they have undertaken as part of their graduate work at MICA.

What We Take, What We Shape, What We Give documents this exchange. It is a record of how resources can influence design practice, and how designers shape what they inherit into something they can give forward. 

The publication also serves as a capsule of design practice at a specific institution in a specific moment in time—capturing what students are studying and thinking about at MICA, a premier school for art and design education. In this way, it presents not only individual explorations but also collective snapshot of design research and experimentation as it is unfolding today.

With contributions from Aayush Agarwal, Shriya Awade, Priyanka Bhalerao, Patrali Bhaskar, Anjali Biju, Aishwarya Chari, Carrie Duong, Edwin Guevara, Olivia James, Jaden Kim, Eugenie Kwon, Blaise Leone, Andy Li, Alexandria Pak, Apoorva Patwardhan, and Angel Shen.

Cover design and interview layouts designed and typeset by Alexandria Pak

Produced in a limited edition of 35 copies

Softcover, red coil binding, 136 pages, full-color laser print, 8.5 × 11 inches