A method of making a chromonic structure comprises (a) preparing a first aqueous mixture comprising (i) a continuous water-soluble polymer phase and (ii) a discontinuous chromonic phase comprising a chromonic material, to form chromonic nanoparticles; (b) non-covalently crosslinking the resulting chromonic nanoparticles with a multivalent cation salt; (c) dispersing the resulting crosslinked chromonic nanoparticles in a water-soluble polymer phase to form a chromonic nanoparticle dispersion; and (d) preparing a second aqueous mixture comprising (i) the chromonic nanoparticle dispersion and (ii) a continuous chromonic phase comprising a chromonic material.