A casting method for forming an article , comprising: introducing a first material into a mold , the first material being introduced in a molten state, the mold being arranged and disposed to distribute the first material to form a first region of the article ; subjecting the first material to a first condition suitable for growing a first grain structure; growing the first grain structure from a first portion of the first material , forming the first region of the article while maintaining a second portion of the first material in the molten state; introducing a second material into the mold to form a second region of the article , the second material being introduced in the molten state, the second material being compositionally distinct from the first material ; forming a hybridized material by intermixing a first portion of the second material with the second portion of the first material ; subjecting a second portion of the second material to a second condition suitable for growing a second grain structure, the second grain structure being distinct from the first grain structure; and growing the second grain structure from the second portion of the second material , forming the second region of the article , the first region and the second region being integrally formed as a single, continuous article with a hybridized region formed from the hybridized material and disposed between the first region and the second region , wherein introducing at least one of the first material and the second material includes introducing at least one hard-to-weld, HTW, alloy; wherein the at least one HTW alloy is one of: René 108, GTD 111, GTD 444, René N2, and Inconel 738. introducing a first material into a mold , the first material being introduced in a molten state, the mold being arranged and disposed to distribute the first material to form a first region of the article ; subjecting the first material to a first condition suitable for growing a first grain structure; growing the first grain structure from a first portion of the first material , forming the first region of the article while maintaining a second portion of the first material in the molten state; introducing a second material into the mold to form a second region of the article , the second material being introduced in the molten state, the second material being compositionally distinct from the first material ; forming a hybridized material by intermixing a first portion of the second material with the second portion of the first material ; subjecting a second portion of the second material to a second condition suitable for growing a second grain structure, the second grain structure being distinct from the first grain structure; and growing the second grain structure from the second portion of the second material , forming the second region of the article , the first region and the second region being integrally formed as a single, continuous article with a hybridized region formed from the hybridized material and disposed between the first region and the second region , wherein introducing at least one of the first material and the second material includes introducing at least one hard-to-weld, HTW, alloy; wherein the at least one HTW alloy is one of: René 108, GTD 111, GTD 444, René N2, and Inconel 738. <EOS>