The present invention is a coated article containing at least two adjacent cooling holes that are substantially uncoated. In an embodiment, the coated article includes a base material, an outer surface and a coating on a portion of the outer surface. Here, the adjacent cooling holes are arranged along an axis on the outer surface and extend within the base material at an angle to the outer surface. The coating may include at least one unfinished edge oriented substantially parallel to the axis and set off at an oblique angle and a distance from the adjacent cooling holes.