MAQUETTE BETTERPAD-RAY - Painting on the Shahada Mosque (Masjid Syahadat) (Design)

Painting on the mosque is done to give certain colors, display the beauty, and identity of the mosque. I gave the appropriate color for the design of the Shahada mosque (Masjid Syahadat) which was part of the Betterpad-Ray (Benteng Terpadu Raya / Great Integrated Fortress) model/maquette, to give an Islamic impression. So I use green and yellow in the design of the Shahada mosque. These two colors are colors commonly found in Islamic symbols, such as calligraphy. Green is used for the impression of darkness and the color yellow is used for a bright impression. Green symbolizes fertility, plants, life, or natural. While the yellow symbolizes light or bright. Actually I also like other colors for mosques, namely blue and white. Blue symbolizes water and calm, while white means holy. But I only use green and yellow in the design of the Shahada mosque to make it simpler but clearer.

Painting can be done on a variety of wall materials, such as wood walls, bricks, outboard stones, or iron. In today's industrial era, various brands and types of paint can be found. These various paints can be grouped by type and uses, namely base paint, finishing paint, and transparent paint.

1. Base paint (primary paint and zinc cromat)             

For use on wood, the basic paint commonly used is primary paint. Primary paint is used to fill the pores of wood so that it can save the use of finishing paint. Primary paint usually looks red. Basically, when painting using finishing paint on wood that has been given primary paint, then what is actually done is painting the primary paint layer. To expose the wood veins to be polished, it is not necessary to use primary paint first.

For use in iron, the base paint used is zinc chromat. This paint is different in use with primary paint, because it is not to fill the pores, but is used so that the iron becomes rust resistant so it lasts longer.

The most important thing that must be considered before the basic painting on the wall is the work of filler, which is filling holes because of nail marks, wood joints, less neat finishing, or intermaterial wall connections from sheets like gypsum. The type of filler can vary according to the material to be filler, be it walls, iron, gypsum, wood, or others. Filler for walls or wood can be made by mixing wood glue and white cement. Every kilogram of wall filler can be used for 4-6 square meters of wall surface. For the use of filler in wood, its use is not based on the surface area of wood, but based on the number and size of holes or wood cracks and the type of wood surface.

Giving a good filler will remove the visible connection or hole so that the surface becomes flat, as if there are no joint lines, cracks, or holes after finishing paint. This is an important matter to note so that the building walls look neat, including for the design of the Shahada mosque.

If I want to build a mosque, especially in the design of the Shahada mosque, I will use primary paint on doors, window frames, frames, and other wooden ornaments. The parts of this building are those in the main building, the mosque management office, and the mosque tower, because later it will be given a green color. While the base paint for iron can be used for ornaments made of iron. For the finishing color, it can be as needed.

2. Finishing paint

Wall Paint

Wood and Iron Paint

Based on its designation, finisihing paint for wood or walls is divided into three types, namely interior paint, exterior paint, and decorative paint. Based on the basic ingredients, paint can be divided into two types, namely water-based paint and oil-based paint (solvent based). Both types of paint can be used for interior, exterior and decorative purposes, but the results are different. For the exterior of the building that requires long durability and must be weatherproof, the exterior water shield paint is used. For the inside of the building, just use ordinary paint, because the price is cheaper. For one kilogram of wall paint, the spreading power reaches 10-12 square meters for two stains.

Paint finishing for wood or iron is often called oil paint (solid paint). Oil paint for dark colors is easy to use because it is enough to paint twice to get a good and even color. However, for brighter colors it takes 3-4 times painting. One kilogram of oil paint can be used for 4-5 square meters of paint area. For spray paint, the spread is even less.

Water-based paint uses a water thinner, while oil-based paint uses specifically wood and iron paint thinners, although some use kerosene as a thinner and the results are not as good as specifically thinner, because it easily overflows. While decorative paint does not require certain thinners.

Example of using wall paint

Example of using wood and iron paint

I will use yellow wall paint for painting the walls of the main Shahada mosque building, the Shahada tower, and other supporting facilities. For exterior paint, I will choose weather-resistant paint so that its beauty is durable, especially for the tropical climate in Indonesia which is always exposed to the sun and also the rainy season. If you use ordinary paint, it will easily arise black stains on the outer walls of the building. To paint the interior of the mosque, just wear ordinary paint and indeed there are rarely problems. Wood and iron paint can be used in parts of buildings made of wood such as doors, windows and frames. I chose green for these parts. Ornaments made of iron can also be coated with oil paint.

3. Transparent paint

In the final finishing of wood surfaces for furniture, wood, doors or wood surfaces that show the texture or wood fiber, then polish, varnish, or other transparent paint can be used. In its use, one liter of transparent paint can be used for 4-5 square meters of surface area. Polish paints (shellac) can give a yellowish color to the wood, but the fibers are still visible. While varnish makes the wood color more shiny strongly. I will use transparent paint for wood ornaments that attach to the pole in prayer rooms, wooden mimbar/podium, and other wooden objects other than doors and windows. Because the doors and windows have been given finishing paint in the form of wood and iron paint, it cannot be given transparent paint, because it is useless. Whereas I want to show wood fibers on wood ornaments and wooden podium, to make it look natural, shiny, and the beauty of nature.

Example of using transparent paint

This is the article from me. Hopefully the design of the Shahada Mosque (Masjid Syahadat), which is part of the Betterpad-Ray (Benteng Terpadu Raya / Great Integrated Fortress) model/maquette, can inspire and be realized. Aamiin.

Reference:

·         Susanta, Gatut, and friends. Membangun Masjid & Mushola. 2007. Depok: Penebar Swadaya. (https://archive.org/stream/BukuArsitektur/1048_Membangun%20Masjid%20dan%20Mushola#mode/2up)