>>5731306Are you trying to paint them from imagination or using reference? Using imagination will always make your painting look somewhat cartoonish even if you are really skilled because there is a lot to take into account with painting skin. Skin is a slightly transluscent material which will either reflect the color of light or reflect the color of the blood underneath (sub surface scattering) depending on the light source so I advise you to use reference (of people or other people's paintings) if you can.
>struggle to reach anywhere near some very convincing skin renderingGet a painting of someone's skin rendering you like and copy it till you are able to do skin rendering like them.
Don't be afraid to color pick and understand the color choices they are making.
This thread might be useful to you too
https://twitter.com/devinkorwin/status/1280212496012455938 
