Sleight of Hand is an album by the British singer-songwriter Joan Armatrading. It was her tenth studio album and was recorded and produced by Armatrading at Bumpkin Studio, her own purpose built studio in the grounds of her home. The album was released on 12 May 1986 by A&M Records.

Armatrading began work on the album in November 1985, following the release of her ninth studio album Secret Secrets in February of that year. She had planned for some time to produce her own albums and had gradually assumed control of many aspects of recording and production. However, when approaching the project of producing her very first album, she was nervous about the possibility of her record label, A&M, refusing to release the album (A&M had initially refused to release her eighth studio album The Key on the grounds that it was not commercial enough, and had asked Armatrading to write some additional, more commercial material).

To deal with this possibility, Armatrading decided to have a dry run, and record and produce samples that would eventually become Sleight of Hand. To do this, she asked bass guitarist Steve Greetham and keyboardist Alex White, who toured with her following the release of Secret Secrets, to come to her studio and record songs for her new album. This was unusual for Armatrading as she normally kept her studio and touring bands separate, using different musicians – on this occasion she wanted musicians around her that she knew and felt comfortable with, and who would be supportive during her first attempt at production. They drafted in drummer Geoff Dugmore with the plan that the three musicians, plus Armatrading playing all guitars, would record some songs – with Armatrading also producing, to see how it went. Steve Greetham noted at the time that it was "very unusual" for Armatrading to ask members of her touring band to record with her, but said he and Alex White "were very pleased to be able to do it."

Armatrading had already recorded some demos on her own, with a drum machine, guitar and keyboards; and during November and December 1985 the quartet recorded some songs based on those. Armatrading then decided her recording equipment "wasn't good enough" and had it upgraded with a twenty-four track tape machine and better musical instruments. From January 1986, she drafted in Mark Wallis to engineer the new album and she and the band re-recorded, calling in session musicians to do some overdubs, and asking guitarist Eddie Golga to play on one track – "Laurel and the Rose". Armatrading recorded her vocals in seclusion, as she had done since the album Back to the Night, being too shy to record in front of other people. After the recordings were complete, she asked Steve Lillywhite, who had produced Walk Under Ladders and The Key, to do the mixing.

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