If you already draw in Procreate, you have part of a game-development workflow. Your illustrations can become characters, backgrounds, interface elements, effects, and animation frames. hyperPad turns those Graphics into playable Objects with visual game logic.

The fastest path is not to finish an entire art pack first. Build one mechanic in hyperPad, create the few assets it needs in Procreate, then test them together on iPad.

Procreate link and product availability reviewed October 8, 2026. Check the current App Store listing for compatibility and requirements.

From artwork to a playable Object

In Procreate	In hyperPad	What to test
Character layer or exported PNG	Graphic assigned to an Object	Scale, pivot, collision area, and readability
Animation frames	Animation in the Asset Library	Alignment, timing, and state changes
Background illustration	Scene background or placed Graphic	Contrast, depth, and UI space
Button and icon states	UI Objects with Behaviors	Touch target, feedback, and hierarchy
Effect artwork	Animated or triggered feedback	Timing, clarity, and repetition

1. Build a placeholder prototype in hyperPad

Choose one small game loop. A collectable scene is a useful first project:

move or tap a player Object;
touch one collectable;
update a score;
play a sound or animation;
show a completion state;
restart the Scene.

Use simple shapes first. The prototype tells you how large the character appears, which animation states are required, and where the interface needs space.

The Behavior Interface Overview explains how events, actions, and values connect in hyperPad.

2. Plan the Procreate canvas around the game

Decide the approximate on-screen size before drawing the final asset. Oversized source files can create unnecessary work, while very small files may not hold up at the intended display size.

For a transparent character or item:

keep the subject on its own layer;
remove the background;
leave consistent room around animation frames;
export a PNG;
use a descriptive filename.

Keep the layered Procreate document as the source. The exported PNG is the game asset.

3. Import one Graphic and test it

Move the PNG through Files and follow hyperPad’s Importing Assets workflow.

Assign the Graphic to the placeholder Object in the running Scene. Check:

whether the character is easy to recognize;
whether its feet or contact point align with the ground;
whether the collision area matches the visible shape;
whether the background reduces contrast;
whether UI covers important details.

Return to Procreate and revise the source if the asset fails in context.

4. Create animation frames

For a short animation, keep the canvas dimensions and character alignment consistent across frames. Begin with a simple idle, blink, collect, or hit response rather than a full movement library.

Name the exported frames in playback order. The Importing and Using Animations guide covers frame import and sprite-sheet options.

Use Play Animation to connect the result to a real gameplay event. Test the animation while the Object is moving or interacting, not only in isolation.

5. Design UI as an interaction system

Draw buttons and icons as a related set. Use consistent shapes, spacing, line weight, and color roles.

A button may need normal, selected, pressed, or disabled feedback. The visual change should make the interaction clear without relying on decorative detail.

Place the interface in hyperPad early. Test it with a finger and confirm that the touch area is comfortable, the label remains readable, and important gameplay is not hidden.

6. Build the playable logic

Art becomes a game when it responds to input and changes state. A collectable can use a collision or touch event connected to:

Use Attributes when the Project needs to remember progress, choices, health, or inventory. Keep each Behavior chain readable and test one change at a time.

7. Finish a vertical slice

A vertical slice is one small section with representative gameplay, art, animation, audio, and UI. For the collectable game, finish one screen rather than sketching ten levels.

Give it to someone who has not watched you build it. Ask them to play without instructions. Watch whether they recognize the interactive Objects, understand the goal, notice the feedback, and know how to restart.

Keep the art connected to play

Your Procreate style does not need to change to fit a game. The workflow needs to change: every asset must be tested for movement, scale, interaction, and feedback.

Build one loop in hyperPad, create the art that loop requires, and revise the two together. That is the point where an illustration begins to behave like a game.