Small posters
A sheet big enough to be an object — printed on cover weight so it pins flat and stays flat.
Reviewed by a human before anything prints.Sizes
Build to the bleed dimension; keep live copy inside the safe area.
| Size | Trim | With bleed | Safe area | Minimum stock |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11" × 17" | 11" × 17" | 11.25" × 17.25" | 10.5" × 16.5" | 80lb cover |
| 12" × 18" | 12" × 18" | 12.25" × 18.25" | 11.5" × 17.5" | 80lb cover |
How to set the file up
- Build at full size, not scaled — a scaled file softens type at this scale.
- Cover weight only; text weight curls on a wall.
- Foil at this size needs a large die — send the foil layer as vector, 100% black, on its own layer.
Small posters — questions we get
How big can you letterpress?
Letterpress runs comfortably at small-poster sizes; the constraint is coverage, not dimension. A large solid area on a press impression will always be less even than fine line work, so posters that letterpress well are the ones built from type and rule.
Can a poster be foiled edge to edge?
Foil needs a die, and the die has a maximum size. Large coverage is also the hardest thing to stamp evenly. Foil used as an accent at this scale is far safer than foil used as a field.
Will the poster ship flat or rolled?
Flat, in a rigid mailer, unless you ask otherwise. Rolling a cover weight puts a memory in the sheet that never fully comes out.
Do you print a numbered edition?
Yes — hand-numbering is a normal part of a short poster run, and we will number in the same ink or in pencil, whichever suits the piece.
Is uncoated or coated better for a poster?
Uncoated, almost always. It reads as a printed object rather than a sign, and it photographs without glare.