A plurality of particles (12) include a first material. A coating (14) including a second material is formed on surfaces of the particles, until a selected ratio of the volume of the coating relative to the volume of the particles is achieved. A plurality of particles, including the coated particles (10), are consolidated in a manner such that the particles are caused to be joined to each other, to form an article. The ratio of the volume of the coating relative to the volume of the particles is selected in a manner such that the article is engineered to have a selected volume fraction presenting the volume of the second material in the article relative to the volume of the first material in the article. The first material, the second material, and the volume fraction are selected in a manner such that the article is engineered to exhibit a selected intrinsic property.