Encapsulated nanoscale particles of organic pigments include a polymer-based encapsulating material, and one or more nanoscale organic pigment particles encapsulated by the polymer-based encapsulating material. Such encapsulated nanoscale particles of organic pigments can be made by providing nanosized organic pigment particles comprised of surface-associated sterically bulky stabilizer compounds; providing a copolymer material comprising organic pigment-affinic functional groups and non pigment affinic monomer units; associating the nanoscale organic pigment particles with the copolymer material so as to effect a deposited layer or shell of the copolymer material around said nanoscale organic pigment particles, thereby producing an encapsulated nanoscale organic pigment particle; and optionally further reinforcing the encapsulated nanosized organic pigment particle with one or more surface treatments.