Tessa Asato used to love cartoons. She’d watch “Sailor Moon” and draw the colorful, imaginative characters herself. Over and over again.

Her passion branched into other realms of the craft, ending with a degree in fine art. But now that she’s finished her education, she’s been drawn back to her first love.

“I’m trying to make my way in the comic world,” she said. “It’s a lot different (than fine art) but I guess it is something I enjoyed growing up… I guess it’s a good way to escape from reality.”

Asato, 25, a Maple Valley native who currently lives in Bellingham, seems to be on her way, having illustrated three children’s books since graduating from Western Washington University in June of 2013. The Tahoma High School alum created the characters for “The S.O.S Boys” book series: “The S.O.S Boys: Mystery on Orcas Island” and “The S.O.S Boys: Espionage at one Hundred Fathoms” through Raisykinder Publishing, which is based in Bellingham.  Asato will be illustrating the third book in the S.O.S Boys series, which will be released in early summer 2015.

Asato also produced the art for a children’s book called “Why Jade was Spade,” which was written by the former chair of the Western Washington University art department.

Simple is better in Asato’s artistic world and the style caught Rosanna Porter’s attention. Porter, author of the S.O.S Boys books, hired Asato immediately out of college after seeing a uniqueness in the way the student varied weights and texture in her art. She sees a “fun” and “youthful” quality to Asato’s work.

“Sometimes you will see art and it is just copying of someone else or run of the mill,” Porter said. “But her art is very unique and it has its own style.”

Asato illustrates in pen and says she tries to be mindful of her audience — which has been elementary and middle school students thus far. She uses television ratings as a guide for creating appropriate visuals.

“In a way I try to adapt to society’s idea of television ratings,” she said. “TV is a big influence on how I determine what I feel is appropriate for an age group and audience.”

Asato said the illustrating gigs aren’t paying all the bills quite yet, so is also working at an art supply store called Stampadoodle.

“Everything is somewhat new to me still,” she said. “Every time is something different from the last one. Basically I feel like everything is a new learning process.”

Asato pictures animating herself in the future.

“Eventually I think it would be fun to publish or make my own comics,” Asato said. “Kind of like a mixture of a fictional and autobiographical storyline.”