The use of 3D models as multimedia content is spreading. However, even if online 3D models have been introduced, for example in e-commerce applications, 3D content is still marginal compared to images and videos. Virtual 3D objects are not yet very popular in common place applications and their use is confined to dedicated environment, like CAD-CAM applications. Indeed, 3D models need developments and tools to be handled more easily. This dissertation presents different tools to ease the use of 3D models as multimedia content: for creating, manipulating, and sharing virtual models. In a first part, we derive image based techniques for creating 3D models. Prior knowledge on the model is assumed to reconstruct a realistic 3D virtual model from a single image. For the manipulation of 3D content, a tracking algorithm of a 3D model is proposed. Then, an analysis tool detects similarities within a 3D parametric model. Interactions with a single virtual object are also studied and techniques to simplify user interactions are developed. Finally, we address the problem of transmitting these models. We propose a compact and progressive model for plants and develop streaming strategies specific for such 3D progressive content over lossy networks. These streaming strategies are further used for previewing remote 3D objects, and a framework for navigating in 3D virtual environment with a light device is proposed.