The paper reports on a study of students' interactions and transformations of various forms of representations, textual and visual, related to the concept of the greenhouse effect. Competent participation in representational practices is at the heart of scientific literacy and several studies have documented positive effects of introducing students to complex scientific concepts such as the greenhouse effect by means of engaging with various forms of representations. However, studies also show that even though the topic is related to everyday experience (weather, light, heat), the concept of the greenhouse effect is challenging for students. This is partly because of its many invisible processes, such as the transformation of sunlight into heat radiation and its absorption by greenhouse gases. This paper extends previous knowledge by showing how students' representations develop from naturalistic depiction to scientific abstraction. In particular, it shows how the students' framing, foregrounding and backgrounding relate various naturalistic and scientific aspects in their drawings; connect multiple modes of representation and their affordances in peer and teacher negotiations; and how this enables sustained inquiry. Implications for teaching and learning are discussed.