I would paint the pot black and dry bush the lion with gold leaf paint

I really like the pot!
I will have to think about the re-painting----

If mine, I would leave 'as is.'

I would either leave "as is" or take trashdj's route. Great pot!

I like as is too.

I like the black pot idea, but I think I would dry brush the lion copper.

I'd leave it as is!!

I also think its great just as it is.

I would like to see an additional view.

I would leave it alone. It looks great now!

I appreciate everyone's input!!! I'm glad everyone appreciates my lion pot's greatness, but I think a coat of paint will really help it pop! I think I've decided on the colors I want to use (but nothing's 100% set yet, so you can keep the ideas coming!). Hopefully I'll be able to pick up paint this weekend. I don't want to reveal my plan yet--thought the surprise would be fun!

r_murray: I'm not sure if these are what you wanted, but here are three additional views of the pot.

Side 1

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Side 2

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Inside

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(the little crack at the drainage hole is tiny and doesn't go through to the bottom).

Thanks for posting the additional pics. I guess it's a matter of focus. If you subdue the finish some might say, "What a great (plant name) and it's in the perfect pot."
If you are bold and make the finish equally bold perhaps people will not even see the plant.
I would seal the entire pot if it is not a fired ceramic finish, then try several color combinations (I like orange and brown as a start).

I decided on a gold lion with white teeth and a red pot. My DH gets the credit for the painting. We also painted a saucer the matching red.

Thanks for all your input. I'm so happy with how it turned out. It looks like solid gold! But now....what to plant in it!? The decisions never stop!

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Great project & happy you like the results! & great that DH helped you out. TFS the finished project. Jeanne S.

He is sure beautiful now, Must belong to a king with that glorious mane! Show us what you plant in it. Jan

He's gorgeous!!

Here is a link that might be useful: My Blog

I was one who would have said 'leave it as it was,' but I do like the finished paint job. Metallic gold would have definitely been my choice of color, if one was to be added, for this royal-looking beast, and I love red! Be sure to post some pictures when it is home to a plant in the garden. This was a great find!

I saw this little Victory rose on sale at the grocery store this morning, and I knew it would be the perfect fit for my lion pot. I've never had a rose before, so I'm excited about my first. The red flowers aren't a perfect match for the red pot, but I think they go well together. The rose already looks happy that it's out of a 4 inch plastic pot, and it's spreading out!

I can't believe that my lion went from "junk" to our dining room table centerpiece! Glad I've been able to share this with all of you.

Those roses look splendid in your lion planter! They are the perfect fit!

I love those mini roses and I have a number of them planted outdoors. They actually winter over a few seasons here in zone 4 or 3.

Lovely finishing touch! Main thing is don't overwater your rose. I've killed a lot of them by "drowning" before I realized what I was doing wrong!! A little rose food 4 times a year & about 1 tsp of Epsom salts in spring only should do it. Jan

WOW! Your lion pot turned out beautifully and the mini rose looks great in it! Thanks for sharing the update! Great job both of you.