Ink compositions with modified properties result from using a powder size below 100 nanometers. Colored inks are illustrated. Nanoscale coated, uncoated, whisker inorganic fillers are included. The pigment nanopowders taught comprise one or more elements from the group actinium, aluminum, antimony, arsenic, barium, beryllium, bismuth, cadmuim, calcium, cerium, cesium, chalcogenide, cobalt, copper, dysprosium, erbium, europium, gadolinium, gallium, gold, hafnium, hydrogen, indium, iridium, iron, lanthanum, lithium, magnesium, manganese, mendelevium, mercury, molybdenum, neodymium, neptunium, nickel, niobium, nitrogen, oxygen, osmium, palladium, platinum, potassium, praseodymium, promethium, protactinium, rhenium, rubidium, scandium, silver, sodium, strontium, tantalum, terbium, thallium, thorium, tin, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, ytterbium, yttrium, zinc, and zirconium.