The growth of an ordered thin film of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) on highly oriented pyrolytic graphite at high substrate temperatures was studied. High-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy investigation revealed that the CuPc molecules remained lying flat on the substrate throughout the growth from monolayer to multilayer. Scanning tunneling microscopy and X-ray diffraction measurements showed the CuPc thin film assumed a dense-packed structure in the horizontal direction and a face-to-face stacking mode in the surface normal direction. The totality of the results presented a clear view of the orderly growth process of CuPc molecules.