Using the paint bucket tool

The paint bucket tool fills enclosed areas with color. It fills empty areas and changes the color of existing paint. You can paint with solid colors, gradient fills, and bitmap fills. You can also use the paint bucket tool to adjust the size, direction, and center of gradient and bitmap fills. For information on using the image in a bitmap to fill a shape, see Painting with a bitmap's image

The hand shape is not fully enclosed but can still be filled. The star shape consists of individual lines that enclose an area that can be filled.
 

To use the paint bucket tool to fill an area:

1	Select the paint bucket tool.
2	Choose a fill color.
3	Choose a gap size option.
	Choose Don't Close Gaps if you want to close the gaps yourself. This can be faster for complex drawings.
	Choose a close option to have Flash automatically fill the gaps.
4	Click a shape or enclosed area.

Note: Zooming in or out changes the apparent, but not the actual size of the gaps. If gaps are too large, you may have to close them manually.

To use the paint bucket tool to adjust a gradient or bitmap fill:

1	Choose the paint bucket tool.
2	Click the Transform Fill modifier.
3	Click an area filled with a gradient or bitmap fill.
	When you select a gradient or fill for editing, its center point appears and its bounding box is displayed with editing handles. When the pointer is over any one of these handles, it changes to indicate the function of the handle.
	Press Shift to constrain the direction of a linear gradient fill to multiples of 45° .
4	Reshape the gradient or fill in the following ways:
	To reposition the center point of the gradient or bitmap fill, drag the center point.
	To change the width of a gradient or bitmap fill, drag the square handle on the side of the bounding box.
	To change the height of a bitmap fill, drag the square handle at the bottom of the bounding box.
	To rotate the gradient or bitmap fill, drag the circular rotation handle at the corner of a linear gradient or a bitmap fill. You can also drag the lowest handle on the bounding circle of a circular gradient or a fill.
	To scale a linear gradient or a fill, drag the square handle at the center of the bounding box.
	To change the radius of a circular gradient, drag the middle circular handle on the bounding circle.
	To skew or slant a fill within the shape, drag one of the circular handles on the top or right side of the bounding box.
	To tile a bitmap inside a shape, scale the fill.

Note: To see all of the handles when working with large fills or fills close to the edge of the Stage, choose View > Work Area.