Carbon films were prepared on both anode and cathode electrode using methanol as carbon source and their growth mechanisms were discussed. In the cathodic reaction, methyls and hydrogen atoms are dominant reactive species. Hydrogen atoms are believed to play a key role in improving growth rate and stabilizing sp(3) phase. For the anodic deposition, OH groups can be easily captured on the anode and make oxygen elements inevitable exist in the films. Raman studies indicate that the G peak for carbon films grew on the anode shift to lower wavenumber.