Look for a board to make your writing stand out. If you plan to write directly on the board, think about what color pen you will be using. If you want to use a blue pen, for example, do not choose a blue mat board, as it will be difficult to see the writing. Instead, choose a colored board that will make the writing pop -- for example, a cream mat board for use with a blue pen.
Choose an appropriate color backdrop for a picture. If you are mounting a picture or painting on the mat board, select a board with a color to match the picture's color tones. If the picture is of a red sailboat in a lake, for example, a red mat board would be appropriate as it would make the red sailboat stand out amongst the blue lake. Upload your picture to MatShop.com's Matomatic virtual frame shop to test different mat board colors.
Assess the finished product. Ensure you have chosen the best color mat board by standing a few feet back from the board and evaluating how it matches the pen or the mounted picture.