this question is so broad in a way i really like. it really depends on what kind of art it is and within what context im looking at it. like, if i'm reading a book for a feminist literature class vs a composition class vs on my own for fun i will probably be looking for different things (and therefore find different things) even if it's the same book. but i guess in general i ask myself what elements of a work are catching my attention and why. and then once i've figured out why those specific elements stand out to me i can start thinking about how they relate to the work as a whole, how they work with or against other elements of the work, and to what extent i think the work is effectively conveying what it "wants" to convey and/or something that i consider important and meaningful.