Is it easier to remember pictures or words?

Depends. For some people pictures work and for others Words. All of us different modalities of learning. There are a basic 5 that are sight, touch, hearing, movement (fine and gross motor), taste. Some have combination of the 5 basic and one researcher Dr. Howard Gardner of Project Zero at Harvard writes there are 9 intelligences. If I want to learn something I need to write it down and to see it to get a visual picture in my head. I use mental visuals a lot to remember and to use.