User blog comment:Varzan Deodinm Beldinm/Tips and Tricks for Developing/Designing your OC/@comment-24416658-20140119044546/@comment-10380701-20140119052226

As someone who only learned to draw decently two years ago, I'd say it's optional as well.

If you have a strong enough imagination and can put it into words, then you don't need art, just the right words to describe your OC.

A picture says a thousand words, or you can go ahead and write those words yourself.