 A "French line" or "line" is a line drawn on the mat, usually in ink or paint and usually drawn to form a complete rectangle or square around the opening in the mat.It is used as additional decoration to help draw the eye in towards the center of the display, and can be done in pencil or any color of ink or paint, including metallic inks.A "French panel" or "panel" is similar to a French line, with the exception that it is thicker, formed from decorative material ranging from gold leaf to a design in ink or paint.