A new approach was undertaken to deposit carbon from organic solutions. The method consisted of discharge-heating a tungsten cathode in a water-ethanol electrolyte under a high d.c. voltage. At high temperatures the cathode was covered with a sheath of vapour. In the low voltage region, no carbon deposition occurred. Instead, an uneven surface with spikes of tungsten or a relatively smooth surface, which evolved with increasing voltage, were observed. High voltages and high concentrations of ethanol were favourable for the deposition of bulky carbon and also for the carburization of tungsten to WC. Glassy carbon and disordered graphitic carbon were obtained at the highest applied voltages.