A paper or rag board used over artwork to separate it from the glass. Matboard generally is made up of three layers: the face paper, the core and the backing. Matboards come in a wide variety of thicknesses (plys), colors, textures and compositions, and many acid-free matboards are for conservation framing. Matboards can be carved, cut or painted to add decorative elements to the frame design. Various colors and textures can be stacked, spliced and combined in numerous ways. Matboard usually has a whitish material in the center so that a white line (bevel) shows when it is cut. However, some matboards also have black or colored cores, resulting in a colored bevel when they are cut. Cores may be the same color as the face paper or a contrasting color. Colored-core matboard expands the design possibilities for framers.