Help with filling paths

Hey, i'm new to illustrator, but a photoshop veteran of sorts. My question is about filling paths in illustrator. It doesn't seem to work on any easy level, when dealing with more complex path patterns. Here is an example of something i did...

www.issaonline.com/navaqa/poo.jpg

That was outlined in illustrator, but colored in photoshop. Is there a way to fill paths like that in with illustrator? Just use different filled paths on many separate layers?

Any tutorials or sites regarding this subject would also be helpful... Thanks in advance.

You can fill separate paths all on the same layer, although it may help you to keep things more organised if you use a separate layer for distinct objects like:

Sky/Ground....Layer 1
"PooBusters" sign....Layer 2
Kid with board....Layer 3
****e pile....Layer 4
Motion Lines....Layer 5

hmm... yah, but i'm talking like within the layer of the kid with board. where his ear overlaps with the shape of his head and stuff. is there a way to fill in his head and ear in one selection. like say for instance there needs to be a gradient covering his head and ear evenly? you know what i'm saying? late.

You can select individual objects on a layer and move them forward or back (Almost like they are occupying a sub-layer within a layer). Select an object, say the ear, and have a look at the Object Menu---»Arrange... and experiment.

If you want a gradient fill to go over multiple objects, then ...
select the objects - choose the gradient - and then find the gradient tool and drag a direction from one of the sides to another.