Abstract: A protective coating is applied on a local region of a surface of a component on which direct deposit of a uniform coating of protective material is impeded due to a complex shape of the region to be covered or inaccessibility or inability to apply a uniform deposition or electrical field therefor. The coating is formed by a foil having a solder backing layer with a thin layer of uniform thickness of the protective material electrolytically deposited on the backing layer, the foil being cut to size corresponding to an area of the local region of the component to be protected. The cut to size foil is positioned and held on the local region of the component to be protected; and fixed in place by melting the solder to fuse the foil to the component and cover the local region.