A method of forming an article from a metal alloy sheet material includes selectively hardening only a first localized area of the metal alloy sheet material without hardening a second localized area of the metal alloy sheet material, wherein the second area adjoins the first area to thereby form a blank. The blank has a hardened region formed from the first area and having a first hardness, and a non-hardened region adjoining the hardened region and formed from the second area, and having a second hardness that is less than the first hardness. The method includes stamping the blank to thereby form a preform having a pre-protrusion at least partially formed from the hardened region, wherein the pre-protrusion has a first height, annealing the preform to thereby form a workpiece, and stamping the workpiece to increase the first height and thereby form the article.